India at Turin 2006
For the first time in history India is represented by a 4 member team at the Winter Olympics. However, this is not the first time India has participated in the Winter Olympics. India's first representation was a one member (Shiva Keshavan) team at Nagano 1998. Shiva Keshavan was also the sole member who represented India at Salt Lake City 2002. Click here for his story. At Turin, he is accompanied by 3 other members, Neha Ahuja, Bahadur Gupta, and Hira Lal.
Neha Ahuja has the distinction of being the first female athlete representing India at the Winter Olympics. Click here for her story.
posted by ~enfield~ at
1:56 PM
9 Comments:
Amazing stories of grit!
Hats off to our athletes.
Indeed. On the contrary, however, it is sad to see that a country of a billion produces only 4 athletes.
That is truly sad. In my opinion, politics and lack of availability of resources has a lot to do with it as well. What do you think?
More than the lack of resources, I think it is politics. The Indian society is so deeply inflicted by corruption/politics at levels that sports are no exception. China, with which India is often compared these days, however, on the other hand, is a country which has shown so much progress within the past decade or so that it is a top contender at the Olympics now. Ofcourse China's success has to do with a change in policy, less corruption, and more commitment. The recent change of mindset within the BCCI is a good example of the same. More of that needs to be introduced within all sports, at all levels of training and selection.
Well, lets hope a little inspiration will go a long way.
My sister in law is also from India. Bangalore(sp?). We all want to take a trip together to visit India as a family. For now that dream is on hold. She has not been back there in about 20 years. I hear Bangalore has become a silicone valley type industrial city. She may be shocked by the changes.
I attended Bangalore Medical College. I joined the school in 1995. I had the option of going to places like Rajasthan, Bombay (Mumbai), Calcutta (Kolkatta) but opted for Bangalore because it was supposed to have the best weather in the country, was actually known as the "Garden City", and was at that time famous for being the "pub-city" of India. By the time I left in 2000, the city had acquired several other names including "Silicon City" for the numerous software companies that had cropped up there. However, over those 5 years I noticed a very sudden change in terms of living there, which was for worse.There was a sudden increase in number of taxis, autorickshawas and other vehicles which created frequent jams, and increased pollution. The pollution in turn affected the local environment and weather. All these have been further worsened by lack of proper administration. Overall, Bangalore is not the city it used to be or was envisioned to be.
That is too bad. I guess that is the sad price of 'progress'.
My sister in law's father was a gardener. He often showed his plants at the flower shows in Bangalore.
She inherited his love of gardening and our own garden benefits from her expertise.
Me, I would not know a plant from a weed.
Olympics or no Olympics, sorry to say this but the fitness level of the average Indian is really quite pathetic.
Given their sedentary lifestyle and their genetic weakness for gulab jamun, desi men and women tend to take on the characteristics of a bag of chappati flour than anything remotely Olympian.
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