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Just like India has a Bihar or a Gujarat model of development, it may have hit upon a Haryana model for sport. Notwithstanding the lacklustre sporting infrastructure in the country overall - India has miles to go before it can catch up with China or the US - Haryana is one state that has evolved a winning formula. That around 20 sportspersons from the Indian Olympic contingent at London have some association with the state is telling. Similarly, almost 60% of India's medals at the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games were won by Haryana's athletes. The secret to their success lies in the Haryana government's recognition of sports as a positive advertisement for the state.
This is borne out by the state government's promises of employment and financial security under various schemes. While the state's 'Padak Lao Pad Pao' policy promises jobs as Class II gazetted officers to those who win Olympics and Asian Games laurels, athletes such as Vijender Singh, Krishna Poonia and Ravinder Sangwan have been offered ranks in the state police.
But Haryana's commitment to sports goes beyond financial security. It recently introduced an Act that makes it compulsory for schoolchildren to engage in at least one sport. It also has a statewide annual talent hunt programme that offers sports scholarships. If such merit-based instruments work in Haryana, there's no reason why they can't work in other states too. If we want to make a mark at the acme of international sports, it's time to scale up the Haryana model and combine it with ways of attracting private sector sponsorship for sport.
The Times of India on Mobile
This is borne out by the state government's promises of employment and financial security under various schemes. While the state's 'Padak Lao Pad Pao' policy promises jobs as Class II gazetted officers to those who win Olympics and Asian Games laurels, athletes such as Vijender Singh, Krishna Poonia and Ravinder Sangwan have been offered ranks in the state police.
But Haryana's commitment to sports goes beyond financial security. It recently introduced an Act that makes it compulsory for schoolchildren to engage in at least one sport. It also has a statewide annual talent hunt programme that offers sports scholarships. If such merit-based instruments work in Haryana, there's no reason why they can't work in other states too. If we want to make a mark at the acme of international sports, it's time to scale up the Haryana model and combine it with ways of attracting private sector sponsorship for sport.
The Times of India on Mobile