Holistic approach to sport will help India have long-term success: AFI president Sumariwalla

CHENNAI: Athletics Federation of India (AFI) president Adille Sumariwalla said on Tuesday that the country needs a Sachin Tendulkar-like athlete in every sport to achieve its dream of becoming an Olympic powerhouse.
Speaking about India’s chances at the Tokyo Olympics next year to mark the occasion of International Olympic Day, Sumariwalla further added during a star-studded webinar organised by Sports For All (SFA): “Every sport probably already has several Sachin Tendulkars.But each of them needs the right platform to showcase his or her talent (and become world champions).”
More than money, Sumariwalla stressed on the need for a holistic approach to sport. “We need the best of infrastructure, especially at the grassroots level,” he said.
STAR and Disney India’s Deep Mukherjee, former CEO of CII’s Making India Play initiative, too stressed on the same. He said that there is a need to encourage youngsters to take up sport from a very early age, rather than strive for immediate results.
“Sport is as important as Maths and Science. It plays a vital role in helping a child learn and grow. It is probably the most potent weapon in the rise of a developing nation like ours,” he said.
The webinar was moderated by SFA’s founder Rishikesh Joshi. It saw a few international panelists participating too, including Rushdee Warley of Inspire Institute of Sport, Dean Horridge of Fit For Sport and UK’s Junior Adventure Group and Canada paddler Jeremy Hazin.