This Shimit Amin directed movie was a huge hit in India. Shahrukh as Kabir Khan, coach for the Indian women's hockey team, turns sixteen contentious players into a champion team. This movie tries to exhibit the prevalent sexism in Indian sports, regional & individual prejudice and religious bigotry. These weaknesses or divisions could be easily debated, however these can not be completely denied. The most apparent example of these malaises afflicting Indian sports is Indian Hockey itself.
Just a few days back the entire national team went on strike citing non-payment of the dues for 2009 when the national team was involved in international engagements like the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup which they won, followed by tours of Canada and Argentina before finishing with a bronze medal at the Champions Challenge tournament. This incident was again indicative of the larger shortcomings of democratic functioning in sports institutions like 'Hockey India' in India. Though a few changes happened in the Indian Hockey Federation in 2008 which resulted in the removal of KPS Gill as IHF Chief after 14 years, nothing much has improved on ground. Hockey in India is still languishing in a much dilapidated state. Even though India is the host to the World Cup this year, Hockey India is without a president and the team is lacking its much needed practice. India has earlier won 8 Olympic gold medals, however now it has to even struggle for the qualifications for the international tournaments.
This is not a one-off situation. Sports in India is winning laurels either because of individual players or because we citizens are great followers of some of the sports. This deteriorating situation is occurring because almost all the sports bodies in India is either headed by a politician or a bureaucrat. Many of these have been heading the bodies for decades. Suresh Kalmadi is heading Indian Olympic Association since 1996 and Athletics Federation of India since 1989. Priyaranjan Das Munshi was the President of All India Football Federation for almost 20 years. Now it is headed by Praful Patel. Many of the state cricket boards are also headed by political leaders.
The issue with sports in India is the lack of democratic functioning of sports bodies and the attendant absence of structures that can ensure accountability. God knows when the world's largest democracy will have democratically elected sports bodies and better sports administration. God knows when India will start getting medals in sports proportionate to its population.
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