Time for promoting traditional sports in a big way: M Venkaiah Naidu

New Delhi: Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday called for reviving the glory of traditional Indian sports such as hockey and urged state governments and corporate entities to join hands in providing the needed encouragement. Releasing a postage stamp in the memory of social worker Chaman Lal at Upa-Rashtrapati Nivas, Naidu said the recent performance of Indian hockey teams in Tokyo Olympics have rekindled the interest in the sports and time has come for promoting traditional Indian sports like hockey and Kabaddi in a big way. He called for strengthening infrastructure, including artificial turf and training and coaching at the grass-roots level. Naidu also lauded the Centre for its proactive encouragement to Indian sports.

Asking to shed the "colonial mindset" of aping others blindly, the vice president said we should feel proud of great tradition and culture. He also asserted that there is inherent talent among Indians in every field. "What is required is right encouragement and support for this talent," an official statement quoted him as saying. Paying tributes to Chaman Lal, the Vice President said he dedicated his entire life in selflessly serving the country and the people. Describing Chaman Lal as a great nationalist and a visionary thinker, Naidu said his life's philosophy was characterised by service, values and creativity. Despite receiving a gold medal in MSc at Punjab University (Lahore) in 1942, he chose the path of service even though he had a bright career ahead, Naidu pointed out. Stressing the need to strike a balance between one's personal rights and societal duties, he said too much insistence on rights without taking care of one's social responsibilities can lead to disbalance in society. Naidu recalled the important role played by Chaman Lal during the Emergency and said he helped the family members of jailed persons with great diligence. Union ministers Ashwini Vaishnaw, Devusinh Chauhan, Rajeev Chandrashekar and Members of Parliament Harsh Vardhan, Subrahmanian Swamy, Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, and Vineet Pandey, Secretary (Posts) were among those who attended the event. (PTI)