Let’s talk money

Greetings to all from Germany! The weather here is pleasant, a great relief from the temperatures back home where my 10 kilometer run...

Greetings to all from Germany! The weather here is pleasant, a great relief from the temperatures back home where my 10 kilometer run would leave me feeling like a highly combustible object (not the best analogy even in the rifle shooting world!) Also, thankfully, the things that should be going up in smoke like the shooting are going well and I am in a great frame of mind, leading up to the many weeks of training and competitions that lie ahead...

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Also, my mind is occupied by thoughts beyond immediate survival, and one such recurrent thought has been... MONEY! Let me explain... so much talk of the monies behind the IPL, the legit money, the not so legit (?) money, mind boggling investments, projected incomes and well known investors who say that its a great business module... It’s all money talk. Well, here’s the thing — one wishes that that kind of money was sometimes invested with a more long term goal! To put it simply, let’s get some more enthusiasm from the corporates and the big guys and CREATE those (Olympic?) Sportsmen! Sponsorship at grass root level, CSR... anything PLEASE!

How can one create established sports stars if nobody takes the onus to finance the requisite infrastructure? It’s like telling someone, “Conquer Mt Everest, once you get up there, we’ll train you and get you the equipment required!” Our talent is unmatched, one can only hope that some day it is found!

There is an Italian junior fencing team staying at my hotel. A chat with their manager and what becomes apparent is his passion for blondes and Italy’s passion for sports and their athletes’ performances... Both were quite awe inspiring!

I HAVE begun this journey in my own way and I’m determined to generate awareness at every level I can reach out to... hopefully the Abhinav Bindra Foundation will help this talent reach its rightful place. Those three little steps where the flash of the bulbs is almost as bright as that medal you are clutching!