CHENNAI: Like millions of other Indians, Sukumaar Thangaraj grew up in a cricket-loving household in Royapuram. Outside, however, there was a different sport that had captivated the neighbourhood’s attention. In faded jerseys spelling Messi and Ronaldo, everyone from children to the working class could be seen donning football merchandise but Sukumaar remained uninterested. That is, until he became a student of Madras University and found himself recovering from a broken relationship. “At the time, there were only two things that kept me engaged, the folk art department of our college and football. In those 90 minutes of the match, there would be nothing else on my mind. The way people say temples are (serene), football was like that for me.
I would sometimes even contemplate suicide. It gave me a second life,” he shares. The game also found its way in his PhD proposal where he discovered the importance of the sport in North Chennai and finally founded Blacktown Football Club. “Earlier, I only saw people wearing the jerseys but not the subculture it represented, especially amid the youth. Through my studies, I saw what marginalised communities were trying to tell society through football. By bringing sports sociologically into academics, students find themselves more inclined to study. And the coaches become a part of society; their instructions on discipline and communication are taken seriously by athletes,” he informs. Though he is not a professional, he still carves out time during the weekend for a leisurely game with his friends. Sukumaar’s story is one of many athletes and fans, for whom life has changed for the better with the introduction of sports. In a country where sports is sometimes nothing more than extracurricular activity for the common person, the positive impact of the same and the many roles it can play are still very evident.
New opportunities
It’s apparent in Arti Krishnamoorthy’s newfound independence. A 32-year-old Chennaiite with Down Syndrome, she had much trouble finding an accommodating school years ago, when the city was far less accepting. After initial efforts — and a few unfortunate circumstances of bullying and trolling — her mother, Sandhya, brought her to the Down Syndrome Federation of India (DSFI), where Arti got her first experience of swimming at a summer camp. “At first, she didn’t like it but the coach worked with her patiently and after a year, she loved it. By the age of 9, she was attending the Special Olympic state and national meet. She never got an opportunity to achieve academically, so we focussed on sports and she did well. It made her very independent, improved her alignment and taught her how to interact and socialise. She saw new faces and visited the northern states, adjusting to the new food as well,” Sandhya proudly shared, adding that during the pandemic, it was Arti who kept the household active.
Sports can be the key to independence, and a more secure lifestyle. The latter is what GS Boxing Club — once the Chennai City Police Boys & Girls Club — in Chintadripet focuses on. In the wee hours of the morning, the ring here comes alive as students bob and weave, dodging blows and hurling punches as U Govindaraj trains them. The passion for the sport at the club is unmissable. But boxing is not just a sport for these children from the neighbourhood. Coming from poor families, the students train for a means to a good future, the coach notes. With their training, they can get academic options through sports quota and find valuable jobs in the railways or income tax department, for instance. Job prospects aside, the role of boxing presents itself in subtle ways, “At a school, if there are 10 friends, you can spot the sportsperson among them. They do not engage in misconduct. If they do, there is no value of the sport. Boxing is disciplined so a good sportsperson is as well. Besides, if any other student lands a hit, it does not cause the damage a boxer could. For fear of this as well, they do not engage in any fights,” Govindaraj explains. Applause follows, it seems, as E Loshan, a 16-year-old national player — who has been at the club since Class 7 — has noticed. “Little children and my teachers look at me with respect and that much is enough for me,” he says, even as he shares his hopes to one day make his big win at the Olympics.
The big picture
For the common person, sports can be a way of actualising their dreams, making it big. It can take you from a normal girl to a superwoman, as G Suganya puts it. The 37-year-old found fame in handball when she joined college and made her way to the national level, nearly securing a spot on the national team as well. In fact, the love of the game led her to pursue a double post-graduate. “When I was in college, the sport was just gaining popularity. Then, I was just a girl from a family but thanks to the sport, everyone knows me now. It gives me pure happiness and pride that even now, nine years later, when I went back to college for a game, there were people who came and shared that I am an inspiration to them. I have earned that name for me through hard work, luck and the chances that came my way,” she reminisces.
For the past few years, she has had fewer opportunities to play as her time is divided with her family and kids. But the influence of sports seeps into her family life as well, “Sports taught me planning. I plan very well and in advance, even preplanning. My daughter was impressed by this and she, too, has taken to the habit. It is the small matters that make a big difference,” Suganya says.
When love comes your way, it tags along with the opportunity to do more for your community. For Madhavi Latha might never have founded the Wheelchair Basketball Federation of India without dipping her toes in the pool (literally). When the polio that left her spine weak worsened, she was advised to take up hydrotherapy. As she felt the buoyancy and ease of movement underwater, she decided to try her hand at swimming — alone, at first and then, with a coach. Years later, she is now a three-time National Paralympic champion and works in the community to encourage other people with disabilities. “ I was always a confident person. I had a job and drove a car. But, it was sports that gave me more confidence to support fellow disabled people. It helped me collaborate with corporates, the government and many other organisations for proposals on parasports.
It is not easy to coordinate a team of wheelchair users (at the time of tournaments, especially out of town), but it allowed me to lose all my apprehensions, hesitations and step into the social life, interact with different people, travel alone and much more. It not only gave me confidence and put me in high spirits when I felt dull but also helped me bring that positive change in others’ lives,” she elaborates. She adds that many on her basketball team had not even left their homes for years, but sports tournaments gave them the opportunity to do so.
Giving back
There is a lot that sports has done for us, it seems, but what can we do for sports in return? “It would be good to have job opportunities for sportspeople. I have played for nine years and won so many certificates but what can I do with it now? Zero. While things are changing with many making use of the police quota for sports, more job opportunities are needed,” Suganya says, adding that family support is important for athletes to flourish on the field. Sandhya adds to the conversation with the need for sponsorships and recognition, “Media rarely ever speaks of the accomplishments of sportspeople with intellectual disabilities. There is a need to create awareness so parents know that they can enlist their children without rejection.”
Sukumaar also rallies for recognition for the many accomplished athletes in North Chennai and along with it, the funding to do more, “This year, the All India Football Federation has allotted `5 crore for the entire year of campaigns running in India. If an IPL player is bought for some `15-16 crores, can you imagine how one could develop the sport in the entire country for only `5 crore, with each state having their own leagues? ” He also calls for unity among clubs in North Chennai and fans to be more active in these discussions. The need for infrastructure is also significant at GS Boxing Club. “Provision of bathrooms would be very helpful, especially for the girls. Furthermore, kits are limited as well,” Loshan exclaims.
When sports can build careers, break barriers, boost happiness and shape lives, isn’t it time that we give it the due credit and attention?