In India, people are struggling for their day to day existence for just the basics like food, water and shelter. There is no time for sports in the general public's mind. The only sport that gets any attention is Cricket, that too because everyone watches the sport and it gets money like no other sport does. Indian schools also mostly just focus on academics and the parents don't encourage children to spend more time on any sport activity than what is generally required. The maximum most students go upto is the national level in any sport. After that, once they are in college, the sports is forgotten. As there are no sports facilities in colleges, generally. The only schools that may have a better sports training and upbringing are the Private schools where all the rich kids go to, namely, kids of politicians, actors and the other elite society. And yet, are they getting India any Gold medals? No, they are all busy floundering their rich dad's money on other useless things or entering into bollywood or modelling! That's all they can think of. Or they all go abroad for further studies and end up settling there. Corporates, and individuals in India will only put their money where they can be assured of returns. That was the prime reason for all the corporates to jump into IPL. We had the best hockey team in the world who won 8 Gold medals in the past. Look what a state it is in now. What happened? Nothing drastic happened inspite of the Movie made on this "ChakDe India" that was based on the women's hockey team. I thought that movie would have inspired many youngsters to take up the sport. The movie was used to motivate even the Cricket players when it was screened specially for them in their dressing room! In fact the Hockey team even won the Gold medal in an Asian game, after our cricket team failed miserably in the World Cup, but where was the focus? All the news channels were only busy talking about cricket. There was hardly ever any mention of the Hockey team. There was no "Hero's" welcome given to the team as the cricketers would have got.

is almost non-existent (on a % basis), so is the commitment. Cricket is run on a professional manner, in the manner of a corporation, so there's a lot of sponsors money there. As to basics right, yes wresting, archery, hockey, boxing are some indigenous sports in certain pockets - but competing at the highest levels requires more than basics, requires a lot of science. But these are just my observations, nothing scientific here. My writings here My profile here

Yes wrestling is an ancient sport in our country and is practiced quite diligently in some areas. And I am surprised that it took us so long to actually win a medal in a sport that is a part of our culture? But, what was the setback here, is that the wrestlers in India always practice in mud pits or sand pits, whatever and when they came to the Olympics they had to contend with a hard floor, which must be an offset? well, I don't know for sure, but that's what the commentators were saying.

if you notice, are from small towns where they diligently practice the sport with not much formal training or infrastructure, just the "will" to succeed has got them where they are today! The exception to the rule here is Abhinav Bindra who comes from a rich background and has a whole shooting apparatus range etc right in his backyard where he does most of his practising! The only fact that again can be brought out is his "love" for the sport and the fact that inspite of having a back injury etc, he continued to practise and has managed to overcome his debility and win the Gold medal. I only wonder if he will continue and take part in the next Olympics with equal zest and enthusaism or maybe he is satisfied with his One Gold Medal and may not exert himself the next time?