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From Olympics to Politics: Vinesh Phogat’s entry to Congress

By DU Beat October 2, 2024

Wrestler and activist Vinesh Phogat transitions to politics by joining Congress for the upcoming Haryana elections. Her activism and family dynamics add complexity to her candidacy for the Julana constituency.

The pipeline from sports to politics is a well-trodden path in India, with several celebrated athletes transitioning from stadiums to political offices. Vinesh Phogat, a celebrated wrestler, is the latest to make this leap. In a bold move, Phogat joined the Indian National Congress on 6th September, emerging as one of the party’s prominent faces for the upcoming Haryana elections. Since then, Phogat has submitted her candidacy for the Julana Assembly constituency. While adding a fresh dynamic to the Congress campaign in Haryana, her entry into politics has also sparked debates and controversies, drawing attention to her wrestling accolades and the circumstances surrounding her political journey.

Athletes entering the political arena are not unique to India. Globally, several high-profile sports personalities have successfully made the switch to politics, often leveraging their popularity and influence to garner public support. A prime example is Imran Khan, the legendary Pakistani cricketer who transitioned from being a World Cup-winning captain to serving as the Prime Minister of Pakistan. Khan’s political journey, marked by his determination and public charisma, is a testament to how athletes can reshape their image and career beyond the sports field. Similarly, Vinesh’s accession into politics signifies a shift in her career trajectory, aiming to translate her on-field grit into political clout and her fandom into a voter bank.

Closer to home, the comparison to her cousin, Babita Phogat, is inevitable. Babita, also a wrestler of repute, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2019 and even contested in the Haryana state elections. Although Babita did not win her seat, her move was seen as a strategic decision by the BJP to leverage her appeal among Haryana’s youth and sports communities. This parallel entry into politics, albeit on opposing sides, has created a controversy within the Phogat family, with the cousins now split between rival parties. The tension between the two has raised eyebrows, particularly in Haryana’s political circles, where the familial discord could impact public perception and voter behaviour. In a recent statement, Babita accused senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda of “creating a rift” within the Phogat family by bringing Vinesh into the party, suggesting that his move was a calculated effort to weaken the BJP’s support in the state by playing on internal family dynamics. The accusation has only deepened the perception of a widening chasm between the Phogat sisters, who were once united in their journey to promote women’s wrestling in rural India.

Adding fuel to the fire is the ongoing scandal surrounding the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and its former president, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. Earlier this year, Vinesh Phogat emerged as one of the leading voices in a dramatic protest against Singh, accusing him of sexual harassment and mismanagement within the sport. The explosive allegations sparked a nationwide uproar, igniting demands for Singh’s resignation and significant reforms within the WFI. In a surprising twist, Singh has openly mocked Vinesh’s political ambitions, dismissing her candidacy as nothing more than a “Congress-scripted drama.”He accused her of using her political platform to undermine the BJP’s influence in Haryana, suggesting that her activism was a conspiracy orchestrated by the Congress rather than a sincere commitment to public service. This contentious backdrop raises eyebrows, as the public speculates whether Vinesh’s political ambitions are merely a tactical maneuver by the Congress party to exploit her sportsperson/celebrity status in a bid to challenge the BJP and its allies. The tension has deepened, with Singh’s scathing remarks not only polarizing public opinion but also framing Vinesh’s candidacy as a potential pawn in the BJP vs INC conflict.

Furthermore, Vinesh Phogat’s recent disqualification in the 2024 Paris Olympics finals cannot be ignored. As one of India’s top wrestling talents, she faced a technical disqualification that abruptly ended her Olympic aspirations, igniting widespread sympathy and support among fans and the general public. Vinesh was anticipated to be a strong medal contender, and her disqualification was perceived as a significant blow not only to her personally but also to the reputation of Indian wrestling as a whole. As disheartening as the setback was, it could inadvertently bolster her political campaign. The Congress party may be counting on her ability to convert this wave of sympathy into votes, leveraging the emotional resonance of her story to rally support in the Julana constituency. With her public persona now intertwined with this narrative, Vinesh’s campaign is uniquely positioned to tap into the electorate’s sentiments, which could prove pivotal in the upcoming elections.

In her campaign, Vinesh has embraced the “rustic bahu” image, aiming to connect with the people of Julana. This persona seems to resonate particularly well with local women, who have been welcoming and supportive of her candidacy. However, one can’t help but question the authenticity of this image, with some speculating that it may be a calculated effort to cultivate a voter bank rather than a true reflection of her character. The dichotomy of being both a celebrated athlete and a down-to-earth figure is a delicate balance, and as the election approaches, it remains to be seen how voters will perceive her true self.

With polling in Haryana set to commence on 5th October, all eyes will be on Vinesh Phogat as she embarks on her first election as a candidate. Will her performance in the elections mirror her spectacular performance on the mat? The outcome of this election could redefine not only her political career but also her legacy as an athlete cum social activist in India. As voters consider their options, the question remains: can the ‘rustic bahu’ make a lasting impact in the political arena, or will she remain a star confined to the world of wrestling?

Featured Image Credits: The Times of India

Ashita Kedia

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DUB News

Paris 24: a wake-up call for Indian sports

By DU Beat August 25, 2024

The 2024 Paris Olympics arguably broke more hearts than espouse moments of elation for many. India could only bring six medals. It was particularly shocking as it was an Olympics where nations with far fewer resources, exceeded expectations.

India is often referred to as the sleeping giant in any discipline of sports – yet much is or has ever been done that would resemble even in the slightest a wake-up call. We might be one of the largest economies, top-3 even, but why is China bringing in 40 gold medals from Paris 24 whilst our all-time gold tally barely reaches double digits? A diamond in the rough is almost always going to be rough; in the same vein, India, with an abundant talent pool, has to start scouting and nourishing these gems at a very young age, or else you’re just going to be left with wasted potential and a whole lot of “what ifs”.

It was a stark reminder when, back in 2017, former sports minister, Rajvardhan Singh Rathore, remarked in the Parliament that whilst China spends about six rupees per day per capita on sports, we spend about three paise, taking into account the census of 2011.

India spends 1.13 per cent of its GDP on sports, which in absolute numbers comes to around $4.07 billion, which is about 9 times less than that of China, which comes to approximately $36 billion. Even if we look at annual numbers, China greatly dwarfs us. As per the 2023 data, China spent more than $3 billion compared to India’s meager $412 million. When you look at the numbers, it makes sense why China has accumulated 303 gold medals in its history compared to us, who’re barely touching double digits.

China has established a proper governance body to streamline its sporting activities, which it calls GAS. It helps them manage and plan their operations in a systematic manner that is almost absent from most Indian sporting federations, often led by politicians with no clue about sporting activities. Indian federations like AIFF and the IOA have either faced bans from international sporting bodies like FIFA or have been threatened with the possibility, due to irregular governance, malpractice, and external interjection. The plight of sports and our athletes appears very grim with these incompetent sporting bodies at the helm.

“My parents, like most Indian parents, found sports to be a rather unpredictable and unstable field marred by the ever-looming risk of a career-ending injury or an uncertain life post-retirement, as the most government offers you if you don’t make it big, so to say bring an Olympic medal home, is a job that of a T.C. There aren’t enough safeguards provided by the government for athletes to have a stable career post-retirement and to incentivize them to pursue sports. My parents, too, despite being from a sportingly rich area, pushed me towards studies due to these uncertainties.”

“Resources, despite me being from a relatively big city, were always a problem. We didn’t even have a synthetic track for athletes up until two years ago. I was fortunate enough to be able to afford the equipment, but many of my peers sometimes had to resort to training with below-par equipment, which did them no favors. And that is the plight of the more “popular” sports; if you want to be a swimmer or a gymnast, the academies are far and few in between, and even so, only for those who are already good enough, and team sports are marred with corruption.”

The above statements are by Arjun, formerly an athlete from Haryana, who chose to pursue his studies for a more stable career path.

How far have we really come since the late great KD Jadhav won India’s first Olympic medal in 1952? Our athletes do not have proper equipment to train with, nor have they particularly provided enough quality safeguards in case of failure or post-retirement. Sports like football are marred with corruption on the grassroots, with age fraud and nepotism in the selection process. The government’s lack of care for our athletes has resulted in a culture where sports as a career has almost derogatory connotations. That is no exaggeration. Many Indian households view it as something done as a last resort, for those who don’t have better, more academic talents. The volatile and uncertain nature that looms over sports in our country deters these parents from sending their kids to academies even if they have the talent to make it as a professional. We should not be surprised in the least by our performances on the international stage if we ourselves choose to ignore the abundance of talent around us. How often is it that in schools, the supposed slot for games is taken away from students?

There’s no point to being sad or angry if you only care to watch and support these athletes once every four years. That is not going to take us anywhere, nor boost our medal tally – be it at the Olympic games or the Asian Games. The biggest tragedy in the Indian sporting scene is that one loves to take pride when an Indian brings home some silverware but would not want their kids to idolize or play like those athletes. Until this almost derogatory outlook on sports vanishes, nothing is going to change anytime soon.

Featured Images Credits: Associated Press

Yash Raj

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Arts & Culture

The Olympics: Fostering Political Smokescreens

By Chaharika Uppal August 17, 2024

Almost all major international events begin with a process of hiding – greenery reinvigorated, slums covered with steel sheets, littered roads cleaned overnight. The displays of international might and prosperity are always accompanied with a subduing of political realities. Host cities, in the effort to establish themselves as global hubs, polish the good and conceal the bad. Failures of governance are rescinded to the dark. The game of global politics rears an ugly side during global events, one where the politicians are temporary magicians and their nations, another stage for spectacle.

The Olympics have always been an ace spectacle, gilded with the exertion of soft power and budding nationalism. As the games began in Paris this week, political and bureaucratic machinery was mobilised, as it always is in such cases to make the city “presentable” – turning iconic French sites into a backdrop, la culture was there but it barely spoke, as the city was reduced to a ghost town. This is partially because it’s summer, but also because large swathes of the city have been armed and barricaded. So Parisians chose to flee the city while others – have been asked to leave.

Earlier this year, around 3000 students were asked to leave their subsidised student accommodation, provided by the Paris affiliate of CROUS, a public institution which manages affordable housing for university attendees. This was done to accommodate volunteers and public officers for the Olympics. In return, the displaced students, who’re often unable to move out of Paris for the summer due to financial constraints, were handed a 100 euros and two tickets to the Games – an imperfect compensation. Social collectives like Le Revers de la Medaille issued public letters to the Olympic Organising Committee regarding the displacement of refugees, squatting in Île-de-France, around the Olympic village. Behind its touristique sheen, Paris is known for high living prices and its mismanagement of refugee populations. While some may argue the Olympics jolted administration into civil action, there’s little consideration of the long- term.

Even after the Parisian mayor’s dip in the Seine and a hole of 1.4 billion dollar in the government’s pocket to make it swimmable – the iconic river still appears to be somewhat hazardous with positive tests for E.coli as late as the end of July. These infrastructural developments, usually done in haste and with power projection in mind – are far from effective sustainable strategies. Behind the race of gold medallions, there is a grave political reality which can be visually manipulated, but continues to speak after such events, which exacerbate more than heal.

Moreover, the city of the Paris Protocol has attempted to decrease emissions this time – aiming at about 1.5 metric tonnes, half of the London Olympics. While only two sporting venues have been constructed with bio-sourced materials and claim to use 100% renewable energy, methodologies remain unclear and lack monitoring. Organisers already were pressured to drop phrases like “carbon-neutral” by local activists, as they remain silent on the several fuel-guzzling planes that flew in tourists, athletes, and heads of state.

The 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics were held in Sochi barely having pre-existing sporting infrastructure. Villages in Krasnodar Krai became dumping grounds for construction waste; the ground-up construction displaced locals and cut off water supply while contaminating local streams. Local activists raised concerns, however the games continued as they usually do, turning out to be the most expensive Winter Olympics in history. While many would like to believe so – this isn’t solely a Putin problem. The most horrifying stories are from the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics, where parts of western Rio de Janeiro – particularly Vila Autódromo, a favela — was fully levelled to construct gyms and swimming pools. When they protested, the police responded brutally – for them the legacy of the Olympics was one which razed their village to the ground.

The Olympic memory remains duplicitous – the celebration of sportsmanship is built of the foundations of forced evictions, displacement and wastefulness. As the city of love is transformed into the city of sport for the Olympics, it’s easy to forget that behind the glitz and glam lies the human cost of hosting events of such magnitude, a cost citizens shouldn’t have to bear.

Featured Image Credits: Reuters

Chaharika Uppal

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Arts & Culture

Postponed Olympics: A Blessing In Disguise For Indian Athletes?

By DU Beat May 4, 2020

While the decision to postpone the Olympics posed a headache for many athletes, there were a few silver linings, especially in the Indian camp.

1940. 1944. Since their modern inception in 1896, the Olympic Games have only been cancelled three times in history. This fact helps us gauge the magnitude and significance of the International Olympic Committee’s decision to postpone the 2020 Tokyo Olympics to next year due to the coronavirus induced global standstill. Besides the three cancellations, this is the first ever instance of a postponement. Evidently, we find ourselves in a once-in-a-lifetime situation, though not a very pleasant one.

For athletes who had been preparing their bodies – following strict diets and rigorous training cycles – under a tight structured schedule to ensure they hit peak form in the summer of 2020, the announcement of the postponement, that too with only a few months to go, certainly would have produced cries of disappointment and frustration. In sports, time is paramount. One whole year can make a significant amount of difference. Most athletes are only ever fully at their peak for a very short period of time in their career. And since the Olympics are held after every four years, athletes don’t get many shots at glory. With medals being decided in milliseconds and millimetres, the margin of error is extremely small and not being in peak condition means no medal.

From a financial point of view, Japanese economists estimated the economic damage of postponing the Games to be more than 600 billion Japanese yen. The postponement shall cost the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) an estimated 1.2 billion American dollars in advertisement revenue. As is evident, a large chunk of stakeholders are at the receiving end of the postponement. However, for some Indian athletes, the decision, even if imposed under unfortunate circumstances, has been a blessing in disguise.

Take for instance, Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra. Chopra is a Commonwealth Games and Asian Games gold medallist and a junior world record holder in his sport with his exploits frequently prompting the media in the past two years to label him as the brightest prospect to end India’s drought in athletics at the Olympics. But due to an injury, Chopra had to undergo a surgery on his elbow, forcing him to miss the complete sporting calendar in 2019. He only got back to action in January 2020 and while he did produce a good performance, it’s not possible to be at one’s best a few months after being out of action for a whole year. Thus the postponement couldn’t have come at a better time for Chopra as now he’s been “gifted” with another whole year to recuperate and reach his peak. Chopra told Reuters, “I had found very little time to work on my technique as I was concentrating more on rehab. I didn’t have much time to work on my throws as I started very late. Now I will try to solve the problems that I have noticed.”

Image Credits: India Today

Image Caption: Neeraj Chopra seen mid run-up

In another case not largely different from Chopra’s situation, Jinson Johnson, a middle-distance runner and an Asian Games gold medallist, suffered an Achilles tendon injury in 2019 and was still under recuperation at the start of 2020, in a race against time to recover, qualify and compete in the Olympics. “Earlier, the qualification was going to end in June. So I tried to rush through my rehab a little. It was a situation where I had to have enough rehab time and have enough track time. There was a worry that I wouldn’t get enough rehab time,” said Johnson in an interview with The Indian Express. But with the postponement, he receives opportunity to get back into perfect shape and plan his way back into contention next year.

Image Credits: India Today

Image Caption: Jinson Johnson after breaking the national 1500m record

India’s medal count has been consistently dismal, with the highest tally till date being only six (2012 London Olympics). The country sent a contingent of over a hundred athletes to the 2016 Rio Olympics and returned with only two medals. To give a fair idea of the disparity, Georgia, a country with a population barely touching 3 million, which is five times less than that of Delhi, returned from the same Olympics with 11 medals.

Indian athletes certainly leave a lot to be desired with their performances. While it would be wrong to say that they don’t work hard, they do tend to come up short against their foreign counterparts for various wide-ranging reasons, from lack of finances for purchasing world-class training equipment to the rigorous military grade preparations of their opponents. Many are already at a disadvantage before the competition even starts. The postponement shall surely give the athletes in the Indian camp more time to train better and plot and plan their way to the podium.

Fouaad Mirza, equestrian and an Asian Games silver medallist, told the Press Trust Of India that the postponement was a “blessing in disguise” as it gives him and his horse “more time for some much-needed preparations”.

“From a practical point of view, India were surely the underdogs. No one really expected us to pose any serious challenges, except in some events where veterans were scheduled to participate. And true, this would just have been another Olympics and another dismal show. But now it’s not really a “normal” edition. The event has been pushed back by a year and all plans of competitors have gone haywire. Under such abnormal and unusual circumstances, I would say we have an outside chance to strike the pot of gold.” opined a University Of Delhi student, on the condition of anonymity.

It’s good to bear a competitive spirit, but while being at it, we should keep in mind the sombre atmosphere prevalent across the world currently and not forget the actual reason which forced the postponement of the Olympics in the first place. Whether or not the postponement was a blessing in disguise for the Indian Olympic camp shall only be fully ascertained after the event happens next year. Till then, we can only hope that the pandemic doesn’t push the Tokyo Olympics further back, into oblivion.

Araba Kongbam

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Feature Image Credits: Outlook India

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Campus Central

Best of Delhi University: University and Faculty Achievements

By DU Beat May 2, 2017

As the year 2016-17 comes to an end we bring to you the list of achievements, laurels and good happenings around the university of this year.

1. 59th Annual Flower Show of University of Delhi

The 59th Annual Flower Show of the University of Delhi took place on On 23rd February, in Mughal Garden, North Campus. Special Holiday was announced for the Delhi University colleges on account of this event. As a result, the premises were abuzz with students, teachers and flower enthusiasts appreciating the vibrant and varied blossoms.
The event was inaugurated by Vice Chancellor Mr. Yogesh Tyagi and the Chief Guest of the event was Dr. Harsh Vardhan, the Science and Technology Minister.

Read the full report here.

Canadian High commission and Miranda House host THE SOUTH ASIAN YOUNG WOMEN LEADERSHIP CONCLAVE

The High Commission of Canada in India, in association with the Women’s Development Cell of Miranda House, National Commission for Women and Women’s Feature Service, organised a dialogue on Women leadership and empowerment, from 8-10 February at the India Habitat Centre.

Over the 3 days, the South Asian Young Women Leadership Conclave saw participation of people from different walks of life- with only one aim in mind, to discuss women’s issues and development.

Read the full report here.

DU students make world record by making Largest plastic cup pyramid by using 57,000 plastic cups at Thyagraj Sports complex

An enterprising group of Delhi University students in September 2016 created a new world record, of making the Largest plastic cup pyramid by using 57,000 plastic cups at Thyagraj Sports complex today. The contingent of 22 students who were led by Kushagra Tayal, an Economics student from HansRaj college took 3 days to accomplish this feat. The students were cheered by an audience of about 1500 people who consisted of friends, family and other well wishers.

Read the full report here.

Miranda House students devised environment friendly, sustainable and economical. way to control mosquitos

While Delhi was facing an increase in the number of cases of Dengue, some young researchers of Miranda House College have come up with unique and more effective research study on controlling mosquitoes. The research was a part of the undergraduate research project that was taken up by these students who were keen to learn more about research and at the same time contribute to the society.

Read the full report here.

H.P Singh appointed as Director of Cluster Innovation Center

Prof. Harinder P. Singh was appointed the new director of Cluster Innovation Centre (CIC). A professor at department of Physics and Astrophysics, Prof. Singh is also the dean of International Relations of the university. An eminent researcher in the field of astronomy, he has been the vice president of Astronomical society of India. He is also a member of the International Astronomical Union as well as a fellow at Royal Astronomical society, London.

Read the full report here.

DU students compete at the Olympics

The Olympics that took place in August, 2016, at Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, included three Delhi University (DU) students competing in different events with DU is the only university to send three participants to the Olympic Games in the same year.

Read the full report here.

Miranda House bags number one spot in list of Top Indian Colleges

Delhi’s Miranda House is the best college in India, according to government rankings of educational institutions released on 4^th April 2017. The rankings were made under five heads — overall, university, engineering, management and pharmacy. Launched in 2015, NIRF is a methodology adopted by the HRD Ministry to rank all institutions of higher education in India. The rankings are important as government funding for institutions are dependent on them. Over 3,300 institutes participated in the second edition of the India Rankings.

Find the full report here.

Picture Credits: DU Beat Archives

Aditya Narang

adityan@dubeat.com

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DUB Speak

Five Extraordinary Performances in Rio

By Arindam Goswami August 22, 2016

The Rio Olympics 2016 has seen some splendid performances so far. We have listed five extraordinary performances from the events till now.

Dipa Karmakar – Even though she finished fourth after Giulia Steingruber of Switzerland by a narrow margin, her performance at the Women’s Vault finals was extraordinary. Dipa’s average score was 15.066 and at present, she is one of the only five women in the world who can perform the Prudonova vault.
Image Credits- wikipedia

Michael Phelps – The most decorated Olympian of all time, it is needless to say why he is on this list. Holding a record in almost every field, this US athlete ended his career with 28 medals, 23 of them gold. Although he could not outshine his own performance in the Beijing Olympics, his career is legendary enough to rank him undefeated for a long time to come.

Rio de Janeiro - O nadador Michael Phelps, norte-americano recordista de medalhas olímpicas, 22, concede entrevista no Parque Olímpico dos Jogos Rio 2016 (Fernando Frazão/Agência Brasil) — Image Credits- wikipedia.org

Joseph Schooling –The Singaporean swimmer earned his country’s first gold after beating Phelps in the 100m butterfly. His performance is a national, Asian and an Olympic record. He finished in a record 51.41 seconds while Phelps finished in 51.60 seconds. Ecstatic, the Olympian went on to get a tattoo, one just like his idol, Phelps.

Image Credits- wikipedia.org

Sakshi Malik – Sakshi Malik’s dramatic victory in the Women’s 58kg freestyle wrestling will remain in our memory for a long time. After losing the Quarterfinal to eventual finalist Koblova Zholobowa, she fought back against Kyrgyzstan’s Aisuluu Tynybekova from 0-5 to seal the deal in 8-5 in her favour. Though she had plenty of luck, the Haryanvi wrestler certainly beat the odds to bag India’s first medal at the Olympics, 2016.

Image Credits- Indianexpress.com

Kidambi Srikanth – The 21 year old from Guntur played to the end in his match with defending champ Lin Dan. The nerve wrecking match which lasted an hour and four minutes saw an exhibition of world class talent on the arena. Initially, the match was lopsided as Srikanth struggled against his opponent. It was only in the second half of the middle game that he started giving Lin a run for his money. Mixing drops and adapting a versatility was his choice to rattle Lin in the game. Although he lost 6-12, 21-11, 18-21, his brilliant performance will be remembered.

Image credits- en.wikipedia.org

Feature Image Credits: dailypost.org

Arindam Goswami
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Is it worth the cost to host the Olympics?

By Riya Chhibber August 14, 2016

As in the daytime there is no star in the sky warmer and brighter than the sun, likewise there is no competition greater than the Olympic Games. But is it worth the cost to host them? Take note!

From a quadrennial celebration of the springtime of humanity to interplay between countries, the Olympic Games are a wonderful metaphor for world cooperation. The brainchild of the Greeks, this quadrennial event is put together with zeal and excitement.

There is no denying the fact that putting up something as grand as the Olympic Games requires a lot of toil, planning and capital but as they say- no pain no gain. These games are not a new fangled idea but with time the projection of this idea has changed significantly!

I was flabbergasted when I came to know that the first modern Olympics of 1896 had a total expenditure of 37, 40,000 drachmas against the 24 billion Euros spent in the London Olympics 2012. Clearly, the countries do not hesitate while spending such hefty amounts on the Olympics. But, what makes these countries spend billions to put up the Olympic village?

Hosting the Olympics might call for a lot of resources and wealth but what it gives in return is immense. The excitement, glitz and glamour of the games attract tourists from all around the world substantially in the upper income group of tourists and sport lovers. The Olympic Games transform a city into a living postcard. Comprehensive publicity is the best promotion method to showcase the host nation internationally. The 2000 Sydney Olympics has been widely known as the best example of how the mega-sports event has benefited the tourism industry.

But it isn’t just the tourist who reaps all the benefits of the Games. Hosting nation will increase transport infrastructure and provide the best transport services for tourists which will continue to render services to the local people in the long run.

Billions of outlay in developing plans provides massive job opportunities. Billions of dollars are allocated for infrastructure development, construction of the Olympics Village, hotels and new complexes. The required construction specialty gives favourable condition to modernised construction industry and creates further opportunity for oversea expansion. The construction of Olympic sites provides new structure, new technologies and new materials that will boost the level of construction area.

History is evidence of the fact that Olympic Games not only popularise the hosting city, use sports as a medium to foster global relationships, generate employment but to my surprise it also fosters trade liberalisation.

In July 2001, Beijing was awarded the right to host the Games. Just two months later, China successfully concluded negotiations with WTO, thus formalising its commitment to trade liberalisation. Nor is this a one-off coincidence. Rome was awarded the 1960 games in 1955, the same year Italy started to move towards currency convertibility that led two years later to the Treaty of Rome.

However, the budgetary allocations incurred to host the games is beyond anyone’s imagination. An Oxford study established that average cost overruns in hosting the Games are 179 per cent in real terms: that’s significantly higher than overruns for other types of mega-projects. Montreal was the worst delinquent: its cost overruns were about 800 per cent! And in the case of the Delhi Commonwealth Games, the overruns were 36 times the budgeted cost: $9.2 billion, against an estimated $250 million.

With India sending 118 sportsman to the games this year, it is the inspiration of the Olympic Games that drives people not only to compete but to improve, and to bring lasting benefits to the city and to continue the legacy of the oldest yet the young games. Will India be able to host Olympics someday? Time will tell.

Feature Image Credits: rio2016.com.

Riya Chibber
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DUB Speak

Why India does not have a National Sport

By Harsh January 31, 2013

It might come as a surprise to a lot of people but Field Hockey is not the national sport of India. In fact, there is no such thing as the national sport of India. The notion is so deep seated and widespread that it is probably one of the most striking cases of mass delusion. That aside, the fact that the whole country believes hockey to be the sport most representative of the country and its culture makes it a strong contender for the non-existent post. On closer examination, however, hockey’s case is considerably weakened.

The most popular argument cited in hockey’s favour points to the unparalleled success that India has achieved in the sport. Eight Olympic golds are undoubtedly a great achievement but achievement itself is not a sound enough basis to confer the status of a national symbol to any sport. Success is not of a permanent nature and is thus useless as a yardstick for a permanent status. As it is, hockey has largely disappointed since the 1980s.

The other criteria put forward especially by cricket supporters is popularity. Cricket is undoubtedly the most popular sport in India. However, popularity is again not permanent. Cricket supporters forget that prior to India’s world cup triumph, Cricket wasn’t such a huge sport in India, which means that things could alter again. Thus popularity does not make a sport a national symbol.

It makes sense to argue that the national sport of the country should be accessible to most of the population. Games like kabaddi and kho kho immediately come to mind. Hockey loses out in this category. Even if one omits the requirement of a synthetic playing surface, hockey is comparatively expensive. Unlike cricket where one bat can be shared amongst a group of players, hockey requires one stick per player.

The most important criterion, then, has to be cultural relevance. A sport should be culturally relevant to the entire nation for it to be considered a national symbol. This is probably why India does not have a national sport. If kabaddi is culturally relevant in the north, the snake boat race is an unmistakable feature of south India. To find a sport which culturally appeals to the whole nation is practically impossible. The only sport that can bypass this difficulty is chess, as it meets most of the above requirements. Moreover, most historians believe that chess originated from India itself.

Harsh Vardhan

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Spo(r)tlight

Federer v/s Murray at Olympics

By DU Beat August 10, 2012

A Wimbledon smitten Andy Murray thwarted Roger Federer’s hopes of winning an Olympic Gold last week. Federer who was on a roll after his Wimbledon victory over Murray was handed a straight set defeat by the Scot.

As the duo met again at Centre Court nobody could have foreseen a 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 defeat for the Swiss giant. Murray also crushed Federer’s hopes of completing a Golden Slam- the title of holding all four major Grand Slam titles and an Olympic Gold Medal.

Murray did exhibit top form right from the beginning of the game as Federer could not shake off those early nerves. It was interesting to watch both players trying to dominate the game by means of their superior service games; however Murray displayed a great amount of control in his shots. Early on Federer was successful in averting a break point but did concede one in the middle of a superb rally in the first set and it was all downhill from there.

The second set saw Murray dominate his way through. The third game of this set was especially notable as Federer tried to raise his head and make a comeback but his efforts were foiled by Murray and his impeccable placement and coverage of court. Moreover Federer also failed to convert several break point opportunities, something which cost him the set. Murray glided through the rest of the set although Federer’s control of his emotions was notable- something he is known for.

The way the third set unfolded made everyone think that the game was not beyond recovery for Federer. However Murray kept the pressure on and broke the Federer serve to give himself a 3-2 lead over the Swiss. This game was consolidated as Murray went on to turn his score to 4- 2 in the next game. But just when he thought he had it in the bag Federer held on to his serve in a nerve wrecking game that followed. We saw glimpses of the Federer genius returning to court here. Still pumped with the home crowd support Murray held onto his serve in the next game and dictated terms to Federer right from the baseline. Federer did exceptionally well as he served to stay in the match and held Murray to 5- 4 in this game. The crowd roared as Murray stepped in to serve for the match- for the Olympic Gold and he sure clinched the Gold with tremendous ease, unleashing three aces as he sent waves of jubilation through the hearts of his supporters and family. It must have been a long walk from the baseline to the net and back to the dressing room for Federer. While we could see Murray make his way up to the player’s box to share his elation with his support team- coaches, friends and especially his proud mother who could not control her tears.

Murray punching the air, a proud mother, Federer walking back- well acknowledged by the crowd and a very supportive and ecstatic audience- these were the final scenes as the Olympic Gold Title match in Men’s Singles came to a close.

All in all, the entire showdown left the tennis world in awe. The surprising fact was that many a times, Federer was given a taste of his own medicine by Murray in the form of unexpected forehands and craftily placed backhands, where Federer could not even move a muscle towards the ball. It is safe to say that Murray has come a long way from the Wimbledon defeat and even though Federer still holds the world number 1 crown this has to be a watershed match in his career.

Keeping the Wimbledon title match and the Olympic Finals in mind, we would love to see these two titans clash again in the future and show us what gentlemen’s tennis is all about.

Anugrah Gopinath
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Juxtapose

Should Cricket be Included in the Olympics?

By DU Beat August 1, 2012

Graphic Credits :- Sahil Jain
Cricket is one of the most popular sports in the world. Here in India though, it is more than just a sport. Mass murders might bring us to India Gate with candles, but nothing can quite imitate the call to arms that a poor performance by the Indian cricket team generates.

Its popularity notwithstanding, cricket has always got a royal snub from the Olympics. With the game increasing in scope and revenue, is it finally time that the IOC accepted cricket as an Olympic sport? Or is the notion just an overoptimistic fantasy of a cricket obsessed nation?

This weeks topic for juxtapose questions whether cricket ticks all the right boxes as far as an Olympian sport is concerned. Should cricket be added to the Olympics?

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