Paritosh Gaiwak
Paritosh Gaiwak
Sports are an important part of an individual’s life. However, the distinctions in number and type of sports across regions can help us in studying the development of cultures and society in a specific region or country. India and the United States are different in a lot of respects, but I feel that the biggest difference is between the sports cultures in these two great nations. These differences are also reflections of the socio-economic conditions present in the two countries.
In India, sports is almost synonymous with cricket. Just how popular cricket is in India can be judged by the simple fact that if the Indian cricket team loses any important game, many of the zealots break their TV sets. Sadly, such fanfare and support are not seen for most of the other sports. Field hockey, in which India has won eight gold medals in the Olympics, does not even get a quarter of the attention of what cricket gets. Football, basketball and boxing have very small fan bases, if any. Baseball is almost non-existent.
This contrasts with the prevalent culture in the United States. In the U.S., although cricket does not have much of mass appeal, many other sports are recognized like baseball, basketball and soccer, at both the national and local levels.
A prominent factor that separates the sports culture in India and the U.S. is the kind of facilities afforded by educational institutions and the state to athletes. The quality of facilities offered in the U.S. is way better than those is offered in India. I was a basketball player in high school and participated in several tournaments as a part of my school team. The facilities provided were sub-standard and minimal, which was partly why I gave up playing the sport.
I am mesmerized by the facilities NC State provides for its athletes. A simple comparison to the institution from which I completed my undergraduate degree reveals stark differences in the facilities provided. While we did have some sports facilities, they were nothing compared to what NC State has to offer.
Consider the case of the gymnasium, for example. What we called a gym was simply a large room with basic exercise machines. I was quite pleased with what the NC State gym has to offer. A single room at the gym here was effectively the space of our entire gym back in India.
Sports are encouraged in the U.S. by providing facilities to kids from a very young age. From what I have seen and experienced in my brief stay here, even in the primary school, knowledge regarding sports and proper facilities is imparted to the students. This approach is much more practical than what is adopted in India by a majority of schools, which involves mostly teaching theoretical aspects of sports without providing proper facilities.
There are many other points of difference. Our university collaborates with public and private organizations and strives to constantly upgrade the level of sports as well as to provide the best possible facilities to host large-scale events. Here again the two cultures differ. For example, Reynolds Coliseum alone can host up to 5,500 people. I cannot think of a single venue in my college where such an elaborate arrangement could have been implemented.
This is a manifestation of the differences in the overall economic situation and social perception regarding sports in both the countries. In India, sports are mostly seen as a hobby and even today, many Indian families do not see it as a career choice. In the U.S., the situation is different. Not only is there a more liberal view regarding sports as a career, there is also a lot of admiration for athletes, regardless of their fame.
The distinction offers proof of the fact that the standard of living of an average household in India is not sufficient for families to allow their children to pursue sports, even if it is their passion. I have seen this kind of thing happen to one of my close friends in India.
My friend was a very good soccer player. He was very passionate about it too. However, he belonged to a family with a modest financial background and, to add to his woes, he was the eldest of his siblings, and had more responsibilities. He had to give up his passion in favor of a more lucrative career option. He still plays, but now it’s merely a hobby, and the fiery passion he used to have is all gone.
I have heard of many such cases in which a person had to give up their passion just for the sake of their responsibility.
Sports reflect the socio-economic conditions of a country, which is visible by a simple comparison between India and the United States. While there is room for improvement in the overall sports culture in the United States too, it is still far better than that of India. If India wishes to properly channel its vast reserve of talent in sports, it has to adopt a more conducive approach towards sports as well as provide better opportunities and facilities at both domestic and national levels.