Opinion | India's Neglect Of Its Athletes Is Also An Olympic-Time Story

So what if our team turned up in an eyesore of a formal kit at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics? Our shaadi ceremonies are way grander than the show France put up earlier this week. As we say in Delhi, "vibe is better here".

On a serious note, Team India's sartorial ignominy will, disproportionately, remain the defining moment for the country's most important sporting outing in four years. Unless, of course, the shine of medals makes us forget how we repeatedly let our athletes down. While shooter Manu Bhaker is being cheered for her bronze, Deepika Kumari has been turned into a villain online after India's archery team lost 0-6 to the Netherlands.

The modern Olympics are important, they have always been, for not just what they present during some weeks but also what they represent before and after the opening and the closing ceremonies. They are scrutinised, overanalysed, politicised, and sometimes even totemised. Terrorist threats emerging around each edition of the games underscore their geopolitical importance. Like their ancient version, the modern Olympics are overburdened with the task of building bridges between countries and cultures. They are a celebration of the indomitable spirit of humanity that burns bright even when countries and cultures stand on the brink of annihilation. The loudest cheers, therefore, are reserved for the contingents marching under the refugee flags, every four years.