'Income No Bar, Sports Is For All', Says Badminton Star PV Sindhu's Father
NDTV
The 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.
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.
"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.
