Tap Indian athletes from the world

Like all policy diligently thought up by policymakers, National Sports Policy 2025, approved and released by the Union cabinet on Wednesday, is also being pitched as a 'gamechanger'. There is much that could, indeed, change in the game of Indian sports - if the curtains of intention match the carpet of implementation. Broad strokes of encouragement and suggestions have been provided to states to modify their existing sports policy - 'with an eye on 2036 Olympics'. While most matters in the 20-page policy statement, starting with its title, 'Khelo Bharat Niti 2025', smacks of Planning Commission-era enthusiasm, one concrete nudge stands out: 'Wherever feasible, promising and prominent Indian-origin athletes living abroad may be encouraged to come back and play for India at the international level.' All state sports bodies should take this up, to their advantage.

While the suggestion comes under the Nehruvian subhead of 'Peace & International Cooperation Activities through Sports', tapping the diaspora is about upping India's sporting bench strength on international arenas. Since Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders were excluded from representing India in 2008, India has underplayed significantly. This is especially evident in 'potential' sports like football.

With training and trainers/coaches no longer confined to territorial notions of 'India', it makes little sense to be confining when it comes to territorial notions of 'Indian'. At the league level, passport identities have given way to club identities, whether in IPL cricket or Premier League football. So, let's get the best Indian talent from across the world to represent India. It should also see India 'catch' a 'talent' virus from such sports globalisation at home.