{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.indusind.com\/iblogs\/categories\/beyond-business\/indian-sporting-system-come-long-way-yet-nation-seems-lack-collective-sports-culture-times\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.indusind.com\/iblogs\/categories\/beyond-business\/indian-sporting-system-come-long-way-yet-nation-seems-lack-collective-sports-culture-times\/","headline":"Indian sporting system has come a long way, yet the nation seems to lack collective sports culture at times","name":"Indian sporting system has come a long way, yet the nation seems to lack collective sports culture at times","description":"At the heart of the Indian sporting scene is a contradiction. On one hand, you have seen India\u2019s sports story weaving many a unique tale where it\u2019s not all about eleven men on a cricket field, where corporates have come on board \u2014 in their various capacities \u2014 in increasing numbers to provide investment and...","datePublished":"2018-07-05","dateModified":"2022-05-09","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.indusind.com\/iblogs\/author\/indusind\/#Person","name":"IndusInd Bank","url":"https:\/\/www.indusind.com\/iblogs\/author\/indusind\/","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8169561f34fb61e737060f1a537a86e2?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8169561f34fb61e737060f1a537a86e2?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"IndusInd","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.indusind.com\/iblogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/logo-2.png","url":"https:\/\/www.indusind.com\/iblogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/logo-2.png","width":201,"height":86}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.indusind.com\/iblogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/Indian-sporting-system-has-come-a-long-way-yet-the-nation-seems-to-lack-collective-sports-culture-at-times-1.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.indusind.com\/iblogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/Indian-sporting-system-has-come-a-long-way-yet-the-nation-seems-to-lack-collective-sports-culture-at-times-1.jpg","height":217,"width":768},"url":"https:\/\/www.indusind.com\/iblogs\/categories\/beyond-business\/indian-sporting-system-come-long-way-yet-nation-seems-lack-collective-sports-culture-times\/","about":["Beyond business"],"wordCount":778,"keywords":["Digital Transformation","India\u2019s Digital India initiative","Olympics in Tokyo","technological innovation"],"articleBody":"At the heart of the Indian sporting scene is a contradiction. On one hand, you have seen India\u2019s sports story weaving many a unique tale where it\u2019s not all about eleven men on a cricket field, where corporates have come on board \u2014 in their various capacities \u2014 in increasing numbers to provide investment and opportunities. This has given rise to a plethora of leagues wherein Indians are able to consume sport that is decidedly diverse and engaging at the same time.On the other hand, the captain of your nation\u2019s football team, Sunil Chhetri, is asking fans for support before a match.Whilst the truth of the matter is that the nation\u2019s sporting scene has grown by leaps and bounds, why is it still in a state where such an anomaly \u2014 the Chhetri message \u2014 can exist in plain sight? The reason has to come down to a lack of sporting culture. Now, this isn\u2019t to state that there is a complete absence of culture everywhere, as that is simply untrue. West Bengal and Goa have a rich history of producing footballing talent; Punjab has always been a hotbed for hockey; the North-Eastern states produce champions from across the aisle, be it football, wrestling, boxing; Tamil Nadu has been a conveyor belt for Grandmasters.No, the absence here is that of a collective sporting culture where we don\u2019t just get behind our teams but more broadly, we get behind sport itself; where our outpouring of joy isn\u2019t restricted to the Olympics or the World Cup. Rather, it is shared throughout the year.In order to instill this, we need to encourage sport at a grassroots level. Brands have always got behind athletes from a marketing point of view \u2014 brand endorsements, event promotions, cause-marketing \u2014 as this feels like smart investing, but thankfully, they\u2019ve also come to the realisation that getting behind the ecosystem is even smarter investing. At the confluence of sport and society is the veritable sweet spot but in order to capitalise, corporates have to show ample patience and \u2014 as the Philadelphia 76ers preach so passionately in the NBA \u2014 they have to \u2018trust the process\u2019.But for the doubters, the primary questions are always, \u2018But can it work?\u2019 and \u2018Can we get together and help the sporting scene even if the immediate signs aren\u2019t reassuring?\u2019To answer these questions, let\u2019s look at two unique instances. The city of Bengaluru has never been known for its exploits in football. Through the 90\u2019s and early 2000\u2019s, the city\u2019s football was represented by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. Yet, it is in this city that India\u2019s most interesting football experiment is paying huge dividends. Bengaluru FC is not just the best football club in the country, it is also the best managed.  But on their journey, BFC has also elevated the footballing ecosystem in the city \u2014 from the fans to the stadium, the training and right down to their approach to grassroots.The other unique instance was brought about thanks to India\u2019s entrepreneurs wanting to make a difference. When Mark Dharmai \u2014 a para-badminton shuttler \u2014 wanted to take part in an international event in Thailand, he was short of funds and needed help. This is where Mark was able to team up with Fueladream \u2014 a crowdfunding platform \u2014 and raise awareness around para-sports whilst also making a plea to him raise funds. The campaign proved to be a tremendous success as Indians got together to help Mark and for his part, the shuttler didn\u2019t disappoint, winning a silver medal. The burgeoning entrepreneurial ecosystem has played the key-role of a problem solver but it also comes down to providing that tiny bit of support, which to you and I might feel tiny, but to the athlete, our gestures, support, could magnify exponentially. Today, Mark is one of the best para-badminton players on the planet and maybe, brands need to help more Marks.With the Olympics in Tokyo only two years away, the glare of the cameras will focus on our athletes and rightfully so. But let us not forget the ones who don\u2019t make it as their stories are just as much a part of the Indian sporting story for their stories are a better representation of what happens in sport: an incredibly crystalised version of survival of the fittest. When we think of an improvement, it could be in these stories \u2014 defeat at the eleventh hour, lack of funding, impatience in the face of a genuine talent \u2014 that we can really learn and build our culture and in the process, our sporting future.And it can be bright, very bright.Share This:"}