KHALID A-H ANSARI IN BEIJING

I am flabbergasted at the euphoria that has seemingly gripped India over our winning three meagre medals at the Beijing Olympic Games.

The wah-wahs over what was essentially a dismal performance from our contingent of 57 competitors are symptomatic of our chalta-hai mindset, of our acceptance of mediocrity in our sporting and other endeavours.
 
Media persons from different parts of the world covering the Beijing Olympics, too, are amazed at reports of jubilation and dancing in Indian cities over the winning of what an American journalist described as "one measly" gold.

Some journalists do not hide their amusement at learning that it has taken India 108 years to win its first Olympic individual gold medal and that a 'mere' bronze medal winner has been gifted an airline ticket for life!

The adulation showered upon the three medal winners in India has been so disproportionately over-the-top that the China Daily, the nation's leading English newspaper, has been regularly publishing stories of shabaash celebrations in India, which are positively embarrassing.

If you look at the medals table, you will find India, with a solitary gold and two bronze medals, languishing at number 50 (out of 204 competing nations) behind countries that are much smaller and underdeveloped, if not downright poverty-stricken.

On the other hand, China, with which it has become fashionable for us to compare ourselves as regards achievements, tops the table with 51 repeat 51 gold medals, 21 silver and 28 bronzes, a total of 100!

And we are patting ourselves on the back over the fact that, with a population of 1.2 billion (and growing by the minute!) we have won just one gold and two bronze medals! Big deal!

In perspective

IOA chief Suresh Kalmadi with other officials during a send-off function of Indian athletes to Beijing. File Pic

To put matters in correct perspective, tiny Jamaica, with a population of just 2,714,000, has won 11 medals, of which six are gold.

Forget the top five powerhouses: China (pop. 1,325,563,000), USA (total 110 medals, pop. 304,883,000), Russia (72 medals, pop. 141,888,900), Britain (47 medals, pop. 58,000,000), Australia (46 medals, pop. 21,394,309) and Germany (41 medals, pop. 82,217,800).

Going by population in the third world, Republic of Korea or South Korea (pop. 48,224,000) has 31 medals, Cuba (pop. 11,268,000) 24, Brazil (pop. 18,481,000) 15, Kenya (pop. 37,538,000) 14, Kazakhstan (pop. 15,422,000) 13, Ethiopia (pop. 79,221,000) seven, Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (pop. 23,790,000) six, Argentina (pop.40, 301, 927) six, Indonesia (pop. 2,31627,000) five, Thailand (pop. 63, 038, 247) four, Zimbabwe (pop. 13, 349,000) four and Mexico (pop. 106, 682, 500) three, level with India (pop. 1,136,792,000)

Bahrain, a nation with a population of only 760,000 and hardly any sporting culture worth the name, also boasts a gold medal, but has not been trumpeting its achievements, as India has been doing.

Indian sports administration is rotten to its core.

It's time all concerned in our sports administration stopped patting themselves on their backs and got down to the serious business of running our sport efficiently, not only for national glory, but also the physical and mental well-being of the youth of our country.

Mens sana in corpore sana (a healthy mind in a healthy body).