Getting selected for the Doordarshan internship at Khelo India University Games, Bengaluru 2021 was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me. Other than learning the intricacies of news production, getting a clear idea about how such big events are managed, and meeting stalwarts from various fields; one thing I learned in those twelve days was 'there's absolutely no alternate for hard work, and you must not expect even the tiniest of the success if you aren't willing to make sacrifices.' If you have enough courage in your heart to work commendably hard, and an indomitable dedication towards your work, sooner or later you'll get over almost all the obstacles. Though, no one can be very much sure that hard work will help them get over every impediment without even stumbling a bit. At times you fall (everyone falls), but it's all the hard work and solicit efforts you have put in that actually decide whether you'll fall on your face, get your nose broken & face disfigured; or get only a little bruise on your knee. Everyone falls, it's just the severity of the fall that decides who'll get up quickly, shed the dust off clothes, and run even faster; or one who will fall and never get up again. If you have that blazing passion's fire in your heart to achieve something big, the distraction & difficulties' water won't douse your fire, rather work as fuel to let it keep burning, with even more ferocity.
I felt surreal being allotted the 'Sree Kanteerava Stadium' (one of the five venues in Bengaluru where the games were to be played), as this was going to be the venue where along with Athletics and Basketball, the Opening & Closing ceremonies were going to be held. I had always been very much curious about how such mega-scale events are actually organized? Witnessing the Opening & Closing ceremony this close and working in liaison with a number of departments & dignitaries was definitely going to be an experience worth cherishing for life.
Khelo India University Games (KIUG)- though this do not match the extent and grandeur of Commonwealth or Asian Games (Olympics...don't even think), full marks + 1 (one mark extra for the impeccably talented athletes coming across the length and breadth of country) must be given for the impressive efforts and noble idea. National-level events like these give an open stage to athletes to perform and get accolades from the reputed sports authorities in the form of future collaborations, talent recognition, and professional training allowances. Post witnessing the sumptuous opening ceremony, I gradually got immersed in the first game at the venue (basketball). Seeing the magnificent play of some of the exceptional basketball players, and watching some cut-edge thriller high-energy matches, everything was going hunky-dory by then; when one day I saw something which wrenched my soul and triggered my empathetic feelings. The men's semifinal was just got over when my eyes caught the gaze of a player from the winning team. The player whose team had just qualified for the finals at KIUG (it's really a big feat), the player who had made almost everyone fall in love with his game, and the player who very well deserves to play in NBA someday in near future was wearing torn shoes. If this sensational performance he had given wearing torn shoes, we can imagine how better he must have performed if he would have got at least some decent quality resources! It indeed is not only about the economic status of his family which forced him to bear with this miserable state, but more importantly a collective failure of the intertwined institutions including govt, the administration, and the sports authorities that failed to support even the outstanding athletes with the minimum resources possible. This reminded me of the story of one of the best athletes of India, Late Milkha Singh's iconic race which resembles to this and gave me a 'content in disguise' that this young talented boy will also one fortunate day become the 'Milkha Singh' of Basketball. Unfortunately, this wasn't the only story of this kind. There were tens of athletes playing there in KIUG, and thousands nationwide who go through the same in every walk of their life. Alas...best wishes and all respect to all of them.
Learning the technical know-how of sports broadcast, getting hands-on experience in sports commentary, and filling my emotions tank with empathy for four days; it was now my turn to move out to the Outdoor Stadium for covering the Athletics. Hoping to take home more million-dollar memories, and learn invaluable life lessons from the athletes, I embarked on the Athletics' 'daunting' journey. Though having come to Bengaluru from Delhi, we didn't feel much heat there, still, 30 degrees Celsius feels like 45 when you run a 200-meter race (where distance is proportional to the rate of increase in temperature). What struck my mind here was that I was complaining (and many others) about the high temperature (that too sitting in air-conditioned cabins and occasionally moving out), and there were athletes who were running (not just running, but running for winning...you know there is a stark difference between two) in the sweltering heat, and completing the laps one after the other in extremely humid-hot conditions. If someone would have asked me the definition of sheer resilience, 'these talented athletes' had definitely come out as my reflex answer. I still can't digest the fact that how was it possible for them to complete the race there, when I could have only thought about decreasing the temperature of AC. This is where sheer hard work (as I explained in the beginning of the post) comes to the fore, and it takes unreal courage to have that. In common parlance we all are humans, but no! These people, these young athletes are somehow different. These all are truly a paragon of utmost hard work for all of us. Admiring them, we all can set our motivation goals, make efforts to make the toughest sacrifices, and aim to achieve the biggest success.
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| Photo by Riho Kroll on Unsplash |
Though, it's not at all like I hadn't seen athletes biting the bullet by now, this time this close was something that touched me deepest like never before. After a strong dose of inspiration, and getting all my senses oiled to work to the best of my ability, it was now time to board the return flight to Delhi with innumerable memories and stories of indefatigability and indomitable spirit in my heart.
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