A lower-middle class volleyball player, who graduated to being the middle-class parent of a two-time Olympic-medallist. Former Asian Games bronze-winner P V Ramana, who is also the father of badminton superstar P V Sindhu, knows a thing or two about what it takes to back a sporting dream in India. And despite the challenges that have become the talking point right now, he would never discourage the aspirants and their parents from giving it their best shot.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!“My father died when I was 3, I was the youngest of 10 siblings. But my elder brothers and sisters, they were so happy to support me and see me play national-level volleyball, why? Because I got a Railways job because of that sport,” he recalled in an interview to PTI.
“So, if you are lower middle-class or middle-class, being good in any sport actually opens up opportunities for you. Not to forget, sport is great for a child’s overall development,” asserted the imposing former blocker, who was a part of the 1986 Asiad medal-winning team.
His comments come amid a debate triggered by national badminton coach Pullela Gopichand’s recent statement that middle-class parents should think hard before encouraging children to take up sports as those who don’t succeed at the highest level don’t have anything to fall back on. He also suggested that sport in India is perhaps better suited for those who come from wealthy families.
The 61-year-old Ramana disagreed with that view and said the key lies in finding the balance, his own household being a perfect example.
His elder daughter P V Divya became a doctor after dabbling in netball as a child. Sindhu, on the other hand, revealed herself to be a prodigal talent soon after picking up the racquet.
“Talent always reveals itself and is never a prisoner of wealth. As a parent, you have to find the balance. When I realised my elder daughter was academically inclined, I encouraged her to pursue that,” he said.
“With Sindhu, she was way ahead of everyone on the badminton court by the time she entered 10th standard in school. She had found sponsors because everyone could see she was destined for big things. We should trust the children too. They also have instincts,” he explained.
“I don’t think as a sportsperson, one should discourage others from sports,” he added.
Ramana’s life as an athlete was hardly a smooth ride but it found a semblance of stability thanks to the position of sports officer in the Indian Railways that he earned because of his sporting success.
It helped him find the much-needed financial security and also the woman he would eventually marry, Vijaylakshmi, also a national-level volleyball player. Both of them were Railway employees but Vijaylakshmi took early retirement to help Sindhu with her growth.
“Getting a job through sport is one of the major considerations for middle-class parents and from what I know, there are plenty of opportunities. Railways itself is hiring thousands of athletes.
“Also, being good in sports gets you admission in premier educational institutions through sports quota. It is the responsibility of the coaches to guide young players through proper notification of job openings and other opportunities. All academies should be doing this,” he said.
Ramana said he recently showed the way to a young shuttler, who could not land a preferred job in the Railways but ended up finding a good position in the Income Tax department while still in her early 20s.
“All she needed was some guidance. That’s where people like us have to step in. She just needed to be told that if not here, then there. Youngsters who are driven are very smart as well. They find a way,” he said. “We should never forget that minimum graduation is required for an athlete too (to find a decent job). These days, there is quota in jobs for retired athletes as well,” he said referring to the government’s push to have more retired sportspersons involved in administrative and coaching jobs through various initiatives.
“So, don’t discourage, let the child flow. In my view, they should be encouraged to find balance and pay attention to academics also because you are not training the entire day. There is time for other things,” he added.
Sindhu is a commerce graduate with a Masters in business administration.
Ramana felt it is “unfair” to suggest that rich athletes have a better chance at being successful.
“During Sindhu’s formative years, there were days she would ask me how was it that some kids in her training travel by air while we always took the train. But look at her now,” he pointed out.
“Struggle will be there but you have to be prepared.”
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
from: NDTV Sports-Latest