Is Asian Game really as relevant today as it really should be?

Roy Sumit

Blogger | Posted on 13-Nov-2018

In India, every one who earns more than amount exceeding Rs. 2,50,000/- or Rs. 3,00,000/- depending upon age in a financial year have to pay income tax after availing all deductions and exemptions. Cricketers are no different and they have to pay taxes in India.

Preeti Taneja

Entrepreneur | Posted on 20-Aug-2018

Majority of Indians do not even know Asian Games 2018 is underway. That itself says a lot about the event’s relevancy today.

Honestly, if a sport doesn’t include a pair of bat and ball, it’s really hard to care about it in India. With great hard work has people in Football managed to inch that sport in the mainstream in our country. Ask them about the struggle!!

For many, caring about Karate, Rowing, Swimming, Weightlifting, and Wrestling doesn’t sound like a very fascinating idea. Name a pro cyclist in India? Or let’s make it easier—name an Indian volleyball player?

Your answers (or the lack of it) would make it quite evident why people don’t care about the Asian Games. And why Asian Games 2018, in the mainstream, sounds as dull as Bhai’s Race 3. There’s a serious lack of interest.

How do we fix that? We can certainly can take a page or two from the books of ISL—bring in more celebrities, marry corporate with the game and, of course, plant cheerleaders in the corners.

All that being said though, aside from the system and general public, a lot of credit for the disinterest in Asian Games must also go to the participants. Since the beginning, India has just won 139 gold medals. Guess how many China has won? 1,341 gold medals. Even Iran and Kazakhstan rank atop India when it comes to Gold Medals.

In general, India has a total of 602 medals in the Asian games—ranked at #4. China, Japan, and South Korea have over 2000 medals.

(*the chart doesn’t include Asian Games 2018 results)

With such performance, do you really think the mainstream media would care about giving them the space.

So, Asian Games 2018? As sad as it is for the participants who work extremely hard in preparation for this big stage – regardless how they perform and the number of medals they win – the mainstream media and crowd do not care about them.

If you really care, here’s the good news: Indian shooter Deepak Kumar has won a silver medal in 10m air rifle event.