Sports in India has not received the fillip it richly deserved considering the country's population, talent and resources. Paucity of intent is one of the reasons. Deficiency of substantial career--oriented sports in our country has prevented parents of budding sportspersons to stop their children in the tracks. Generally, sports connoisseurs, experts and people are in unison with the fact that many games have suffered due to lack of coaching at par with international standards. For long, the need for a National Sports University matching with the best in the business was felt cutting across sections. Finally, the dream appears to have come true with the lok Sabha passing the National Sports University Bill, 2018, proposing to set-up the university in Manipur's capital, Imphal.
Coaching, technology and research are the fundamental pillars on which the university will establish itself. Two Australian universities have been roped in to boost curriculum development, research projects and work on laboratories. A sportsperson heading the university as vice-chancellor is like a whiff of fresh air. The governing body should also be packed with sportspersons. Many countries like China have abundant sports universities from which the Government should not hesitate to draw inspiration. The Centre must seriously consider imparting ‘sports education’ to students from the level of primary school.
