In early India, games and sports were very much concerned about the development of the physique and for the art of offence and defence. Also games were considered a kind of recreation, which played a vital role in the development of a man's personality. Important of them included indoor games, music, fishing and boating, singing and dancing, watersports, etc.
However, with the later influences - like the Greek philosophical separation of mind and body, the division of labour, caste system, etc, - physical activity was devalued. The ancient culture of games and sports gradually waned and in an increasingly class-conscious society, physical exertions became associated with menial classes.
Post independence too the belief persisted that sports were a waste of time, because ‘brain’ was more important than ‘brawn’ to ensure jobs, and in the case of girls, indulging in sports would cause masculinization inappropriate for the marriage market, and so on. Those breaking tradition earned individual ridicule, and sometimes, social disapproval for the family.
At an international beauty pageant in the early 1990s, the Indian contestant in the final round was asked to outline her specific social endeavour should she win. Where others might mention world peace, AIDS, child labour, the uplift of women or the poverty-stricken, she stated the intention of building a huge gymnasium to get the people of the country to work out!
Obviously the reply made little sense to the judging panel, and was said to have lost her the title. However, perhaps the point she laboured to make was the need to revive the ancient culture of physical education countrywide.
It is attitude, not genetics or climate that is now the stumbling block. Every person venturing into sports is generally breaking new ground, reinventing the wheel. Unless there are sportspersons in previous generations, they must follow their passion unsupported by family, and the social or political establishments.
Various disciplines of sports are practiced in pockets, like secret societies difficult for ‘outsiders’ to access easily. The emphasis on the continuance of tradition has also meant doing things in the same familiar ways as before. The teaching methods and techniques of yesteryears become sacrosanct, and change is taboo.
In the case of field hockey in India, living up to Olympian standards set by past generations is a tall ask. It is also somewhat irrational because reality has changed from then to now. With time, the context of the game and the associated technology has also transformed. New developments of pitch, pace and rules have led to India’s ‘traditional hockey’ being overtaken by the ‘scientific hockey’ practiced outside of the subcontinent.
In the present scenario, the Indian hockey team members (bred on traditions of yore) intermix flashes of brilliance with abject bungling in both defence and attack. The Coach mentions inexperience, as only five veterans have survived the rigors of the game. The rest can boast of no more than two matches in international tournaments before the present World Cup.
There are other issues. For instance, after the thumping 5-2 loss against Australia at the ongoing World Cup in Delhi, the Indian team’s Spanish Coach, Jose Brasa commented –
"Australians are very fit and strong physically. They had started research on this aspect 30 years ago and we started just six months before. They have the equipments like GPRS system for training. In our case we wanted it but we are not getting…”
With other teams so far ahead, the “men in blue” battle against the odds. At best a work in progress, the young team members lack both knowledge and experience crucial to make a mark at this competitive level. Hence the loss in composure, the inability to think outside the box, and to act effectively under pressure, should surprise none.
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