Self-belief has percolated to grass-root levels: Rajyavardhan Rathore

NEW DELHI: Olympian Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore isn't known to mince his words. Right from his shooting days to now managing two important portfolios Union sports, Information and Broadcasting minister, Rathore has been very forthright about his views. Sunday was no different. The former champion spoke to TOI after the launch of the Khelo India Youth Games - which he feels is going to be the supply line for all the future athletes.Rathore also shared his vision while throwing lights on India's large-heartedness for sports.
READ ALSO: Khelo India Youth Games to start from January 9
Excerpts...
What is with the athletes having managers that the Target Olympic Podium Scheme has undertaken?
This speaks about the future of Indian sports. I saw it coming during my interaction with the athletes over the years. The managers are handling the players' social media and now the Target Olympic Podium, by appointing managers, are not only mapping their own players but also the opponents. They know wherein best interventions are required. Now, the athletes don't come and ask for anything, things are ready for them by cutting all red-tape.
Any special reason why the Indian athletes are doing well at international arena?
It's a combination of variety of factors and it's a sense of self-belief and confidence which is making a difference. It was also there in our time but now it has percolated to grass-root levels. A villager isn't overhauled when he gets into the international arena. The aspiration levels are high because of social media. There is a belief that they can. Our system is also falling in place. Our people are large-hearted. There is sports sponsorship that is happening.
I organized a kabaddi tournament in my constituency. Every village took part. The sweet shop owners bought shoes for the teams. They made their teams like IPL. The team owners made teams after the names of gods. Small traders took to this sports and it turned out to be quite an event. The good thing is that sponsorship is coming into sports at all levels. The PSUs are funding and thanks to these corporate supports, India is able to customize trainings. Even the corporates are offering jobs. Most importantly, we are trying to create an efficient system, wherein more sports get opportunity to pursue sports professionally.
You vision for Khelo India?
Our PM had the mission to create a system, an aspiration platform, get them the taste of international success at a very young age and identifying the talent. It's on an upswing now. Can you imagine what Khelo India would be in the next 10 years? There will be a time when international athletes will take part in Khelo India. Our athletes will come and beat them and it would be massive movement by 2028.
Do you think our track and field should also improve with time?
Track is explosive muscles fibber in short races. But all that is spoken of is about African muscles etc. Can you even believe that in a population of 125 crore people, we can't find 100 people? We have to identify talent. We need to identify muscles. We are going for a talent hunt between December and March every year. We plan to test crores of children, narrow it down to 20K, which will followed by another set to tests to make it 5K. Then the list would be pruned to 1K and a scholarship of Rs 5 lakh each will be given to them for eight years before they become champions.
How about having sports curriculum at school level?
We have given two suggestions to the HRD Ministry. One is the community service for student along with sports being made mandatory. The HRD started working on it.
About streamlining the federations more to make them accountable…
Once you change the environment, everything starts changing. We have to create an environment of achievers. We are working on the sports code. We wrote to all CMs and told them that to make a law while we can make a code. The national federations are adhering to the sports code. Till some time ago, SAI would depend on federations' input. Not now because the Target Olympic Podium has everything and that is why the federations are made more responsible.
Any plans of this government to host Games?
Our job is to create a sporting environment. I would use the same money for creating an infrastructure for sports and see it goes.