India and Olympism

INDIA AND OLYMPISM

By

Neeraj Kumar Mehra
Research Scholar

An
Essay
Submitted to
International Olympic Academy
&
University of Peloponnese
Athens

January, 2010
India

India and Olympism, Neeraj Kumar Mehra, Research Scholar, l .O. A and University of Peloponnese

Contents

Introduction

I. Historical Development of Olympism in India
II. Olympic Values as Part of National Curricula in School
III. PE Teacher and Youth Sport coach Training
IV. National Olympic Academy, Programme and Activities
V. Conclusion
VI. Bibliography


Introduction
“Play the game in the spirit of the game."
Jawaharlal Nehru

Olympism or Olympic Education is a philosophy of sports and its related life styles developed by
Coubertin.1 The practice of this philosophy is targeted at not only the elite athletes, but everyone;
not for just a short truce period, but for the whole of life; not just competition and winning; but
also the value of participation and cooperation; not just sport as an activity, but also as a
formative and developmental influence contributing to desirable characteristics of individual
personality and social life 2 The history of Physical culture in India dates back to the Vedic era.
When in ancient India it was fed by a powerful fuel: religious rites. There were some well-
defined values like the mantra in the Atharva-Veda, saying," Duty is in my right hand and the
fruits of victory in my left". In terms of an ideal, these words hold the same sentiments as the
traditional Olympic oath: "For the Honour of my Country and the Glory of Sport. On 15 August
1947, India got independence. On 26 January 1950, India became a republic and a new
constitution came into effect under which India was established as a secular and a democratic
state. It is a founding member of the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement, the World
Trade Organization, the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, the East Asia
Summit, 3 the G20 and the G8+5;4 a member of the Commonwealth of Nations; and an observer
state in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. India had been the host for SAF Games, the
multi-disciplinary games, in Kolkata in the year 1987 and in Chennai 1995. India hosted the
Asian Games in 1951 &1 9 8 2, t h e 1st Afro-Asian Games, 2003 in Hyderabad, the
Commonwealth Youth Games 2008 in Pune and XIX Commonwealth Games 2010 New Delhi

Asian Games 1951

1
.Gulbe.Antra, in Report of the IOA’s Special Sessions and Seminars2004, Athens 2005 p.417.
2
.Chuamaas.Ah.Tok, in Report of the IOA’s Special Sessions and Seminars 2004, Athens 2005 p.69.
3
.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Asia_Summit(accessed December23,2010)
4
. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G8%2B5(accessed December21,2010)


Historical Development of Olympism

The seeds of the Indian Olympic Movement were first sown by Sir Dorabjee J. Tata towards the
end of 1919, the well-known philanthropist who was the son of the founder of the famous Tata
Steel Company. In 1919, Pune's Deccan Gymkhana invited Sir George Lloyd, the then Governor
of Bombay, where Dorabjee Tata made a suggestion for according a separate representation to
British India in the 1920 Olympic Games. In 1920, India got direct affiliation to the International
Olympic Committee and it sent six sportsmen — P.F. Chugle and A. Dattar ( marathon and
10,000 m), K.Kaikadi (cross-country), P.C.Banerjee (440 yards), G. Navale and N. Shinde
(wrestling) to the Antwerp Olympic Games. This brought India on the horizon of international
sports.

Sir Dorabjee. Tata Prof. G.D .Sondhi Raja Bhalendra Singh

In 1928 Maharaja of Patiala, Bhupendra Singh, and G.D. Sondhi (first Secretary of the Punjab
Olympic Association) were elected President and Secretary of the Indian Olympic Association,
respectively, after both Dorabjee Tata and A.G. Neohren resigned. In 1932, when Dorabjee Tata
died, G.D. Sondhi became a member of the International Olympic Committee in his place. Raja
Bhalendra Singh and Ashwini Kumar were the other IOC members. It was G.D. Sondhi that
paved the way for the first and the only Western Asiatic Games in New Delhi in 1934. After
Maharaja Bhupendra Singh's death in 1938, his son Yadavindra Singh was elected President. In
1938, G.D. Sondhi quit as secretary of IOA and Ashwini Kumar was elected the secretary. In
1959, Raja Bhalendra Singh, father of Randhir Singh, became President of the IOA, and
continued in office till the early ‘80s.5Presently, Raja Randhir Singh,Secreatry General of Indian
Olympic Association and Olympic Council of Asia is member of I.O.C

Mr. Ashwini KUMAR He was member of different commissions in IOC
since 1973to 2000 and Honorary Member since 2000; During his tenure he
was member of the Executive Board (1980-1987, 1992-1996); Vice-President
of the IOC (1983- 1987); member of the following Commissions: Olympic

5
http://www.olympic.ind.in/( accessed December30,2010)


Solidarity (1980-1984), Olympic Movement (1983-1987, 1992-1996), Mass Media (1983-1989),
preparation of the XII Olympic Congress – Congress of Unity (1985-1987), Radio (1983-1987),
Council of the Olympic Order (1983-1987); security delegate (1983-2001)6

Indian Olympic Association

IOA the apex Sports Organization of Olympic Sport in the country is responsible for the Indian
contingent’s participation in the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games
(Outdoor-Indoor-Beach) and South Asian Games. Each Olympic and Non-Olympic Sport has a
separate federation at national levels which are affiliated/recognized to/ by IOA. A special
feature of the Indian Olympic Association is that, in addition to the national federation for each
sport, there are State Olympic Associations in various states in the country. The State bodies
controlling the different sports are affiliated to the national federations and to the State Olympic
Associations. The aim of the State Olympic Associations is to ensure the promotion of sports in
their respective States, in conjunction with the State bodies for the different games and sports.
The overall responsibility for participation in the Olympic Games rests with the Indian Olympic
Association. The other responsibilities undertaken by the IOA are as follows: 7

 Deciding the organisation of National Games
 Maintaining liaison between the Government of India and member federations or
associations
 Protecting the amateur status of sportsmen
 Promoting and developing the Olympic Movement

Raja Randhir SINGH

He is Secretary General ,Indian Olympic Association and Olympic Council of Asia
and member of different commissions in IOC since 2001 like Olympic Games
Study (2002 -2003), Sport for All (2004), Women and Sport (2006), Coordination
for the 1st Summer Youth Olympic Games in Singapore in 2010 (2008); Olympic
Truce Foundation (Since 2007)

India in Olympics

India first participated in Olympics in 1900 in Paris. The country was represented by Norman
Pritchard, an Anglo Indian. Then after a gap of 20 years India again participated with two
athletes in 1920 Antwerp Olympics and with eight but the more organised, official representation
by India, was made in 1928 Amsterdam, with the formation of Indian Olympic Association in
1927. That year, Indian Hockey team participated in their first Olympic hockey event and won

6
http://www.olympic.org/en/( accessed December31,2010)
7
http://www.olympic.ind.in/( accessed December31,2010)


the gold medal. For the next 6 successive Olympics spanning 28 years from 1928-1956, Indians
retained their gold medal for the hockey event. India again won two more gold medals in
Olympic hockey in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and the 1980 Moscow Olympics Apart from 8
gold medals, one silver medal and two bronzes in Hockey, two silver medals in athletics, India
has won bronzes for wrestling ( Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav 1952 Helsinki), shooting ( Dr
Karni Singh 1964 Tokyo), tennis ( Leander Paes 1996 Atlanta) and weightlifting ( Karnam
Malleswari 2000 Sydney). 8 Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore was silver medalist in Athens 2004
Olympics and Indian athletes won the first ever individual gold medal when Abhinav Bindra
captured the 10m air-rifle event in Beijing Olympics. Vijender Kumar 75 kg in Boxing and 66 kg
wrestler Sushil Kumar were also two bronze medal winners in Beijing Olympics.

IOC Session in India

The IOC in its entirety was welcomed in the Indian capital when India hosted 88th IOC Session.
Raja Bhalendra Singh, welcoming his peers, on that occasion stressed how: “By our faith in the
ideals of the Olympic spirit, we demonstrate to everyone, directly or indirectly connected with
sports, that the Olympic movement is livelier and stronger than ever before. In our country,
which has a vast population, the Olympic movement spreads through north and south, east and
west, embracing people of diverse religions, faiths, cultures and civilizations. However, through
this Olympic movement, the diversity is narrowed down to goodwill, fraternity and friendship.9

The eternal Indian greeting: H. E. Sardar Buta Singh. Minister of Sports and Mrs. Gandhi Prime Minister of India. In the background, H.E. Mr.
Juan Antonio Samaranch and Raja Bhalendra Singh.

8
http://www.webindia123.com/sports/olymp/indiaolympics.htm(accessed December22,2010)
9
http://www.la84foundation.org/( accessed December26,2010)


Olympic Values as Part of National Curriculum at school
Olympic ideals in Physical Education suggests activities in which students can consider how,
through sport and physical activity, people can develop positive social attitudes, values and
patterns of bahaviour.The students may then be better able to co-operate with others on a basis of
understanding and mutual respect and to strive to be the best they can be in a spirit of friendship,
unity, and fair play. 10The present education system in India mainly comprises of primary
education, secondary education, senior secondary education and higher education. Elementary
education consists of eight years of education. The 86th constitutional amendment has also made
elementary education a fundamental right for the children between the age group- 6 to 14. Each
of secondary and senior secondary education consists of two years of education. According to
Fundamental Principal 2 (p 8) of the Olympic Charter (1996), it is stated that: “Olympism is the
philosophy of life, exalting and combining in a balanced whole the qualities of body, will and
mind, blending sport with culture and education, Olympism seeks to create away of life based on
the joy found in effort, the educational value of good example and respect for universal
fundamental ethical principles .The ideals of Olympism do not differ too much from the
humanistic ideals which are taught in Physical Education.11

10
Kazungu, D.John, in Report of the IOA’s 16th International Post Graduate Seminar, 2008 Athens 2009, p.332.
11
Chuamaas.Ah.Tok, in Report of the IOA’s Special Sessions and Seminars 2004, Athens 2005.p.69.


From the time of independence health education and physical education were included in the
curriculum separately as non-scholastic subjects. The curriculum framework has emphasized that
these areas are essential for all around development of the child’s personality. Health and
physical education area focuses on the holistic health of the learner and the community, thereby
establishing the important place of mental and emotional, as well as physical health. The first ten
years of content focuses on general promotion of healthful living as well as on major health
problems of the country. In physical education, sports and games, the emphasis is given to
indigenous traditional games. Furthermore, as a system which promotes the integral development
of body and mind, yoga receives special attention.

The National Policy on Education (NPE), 1986, has provided for introduction of traditional
elements such as Yoga into the Indian secondary school system. National Youth Policy 2003
stresses that the youth of the country should enjoy greater participation in the processes of
decision-making and execution at local and higher levels with wider access to Sports, Physical
Education, Adventure, Recreational opportunities and such participation would be facilitated by
identifiable structures, transparent procedures and wider representation of the youth in
appropriate bodies, with the emphasis being more on working with the youth than for the youth..

National Sports Policy 2001 lays special emphasis on “Broad-basing of Sports” through
grassroots level sport activity and Promoting Excellence in Sports” at the national and
international levels. It is, therefore, essential that sport development is given adequate thrust so
that it could permeate through other aspects of social life and make the youth health conscious,
positive and productive.

The National Curriculum Framework 2005 by NCERT advocates a holistic definition of health
within which physical education and yoga contribute to the physical, social, emotional and
mental development of a child. With a view to ensuring sport development as an integral aspect
of youth development and youth development as critical to accelerated national development, the

The draft Comprehensive National Sports Policy, 2008 prepared by this Ministry of Youth
Affairs and Sports proposes the implementation of a nation-wide rural sports infrastructure
scheme christened the Panchayat Yuva Krida Aur Khel Abhiyan. which aims at achieving the
objectives by providing basic sports infrastructure and equipment at the panchayat level and
encouraging sports and games in rural areas through annual competitions at the block and district
levels. PYKKA will help States in promoting sport at the grassroots level, which they have not
been able to achieve on their own so far due to severe resource constraints. It will also deepen
and widen the seedbed of sporting talent, leading to better performances by our sportspersons in
national and international events. 12

12
http://www.sportsauthorityofindia.nic.in/( accessed December24,2010)


PE Teachers and Youth sport coach training
The concept of Olympic Education in 20th century includes promotion of physical education
through emancipation from and by sport.13Since pre-historic times, physical activity has been an
important sphere in human activity within formal and informal settings. In its formal institutional
form, Physical Education has enjoyed a continuing presence in school curriculum. Although a lot
of distracters have affected its smooth growth, its continuing presence as a school curriculum
subject implies that it has passed the test of time.14 In India PE Teachers are trained through
various Physical Education colleges and universities .Except these teacher training colleges and
universities, Sports Authority of India plays an important role which was established by the
Govt. of India in 1984 as a society under Societies Registration Act, with the twin objective of
broad basing of sports and to achieve excellence at the national and international level. Over the
years, SAI has emerged as a field arm of Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports It was also one of
the stakeholders in Commonwealth Game 2010 and is entrusted with the challenging task of
preparing the national teams in different disciplines on behalf of the government in collaboration
with the concerned national sports federation .Its main aim and objectives are to establish ,run,
manage and admister the institutions to produce high caliber coaches, sports scientists and
physical education teachers. It initiates, undertake, sponser and encourage research projects
related to various sports sciences for upgradation of sports, sportspersons and coaches. It is also
responsible for other incidental issues concerning promotion, development and excellence in
sports. It initiate, undertake, sponsor, stimulate and encourage research projects related to various
sports sciences for upgradation of sports, sportspersons and coaches. It is also responsible for
other incidental issues concerning promotion, development and excellence in sports. Various
sports promotional schemes are also being implemented by SAI through its Regional Centres for
spotting and nurturing talented children by providing them requisite facilities in terms of sports
infrastructure, sports equipments, competition exposure and scientific coaching etc through
Centres of Excellence Scheme SAI Training Centres (STC), Scheme Special Area Games (SAG)
Scheme National Sports Talent Contest (NSTC) Scheme Army Boys Sports Companies (ABSC)
Scheme.SAI has got two Academic Wings, namely, Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports
(NSNIS), Patiala for coaches which conducts various programmes like Diploma Course in Sports
Coaching, Masters Course in Sports Coaching, Certificate Course in Sports Coaching, Post-
graduate Diploma Course in Sports Medicine, Refresher Courses and the other one is
Lakshmibai National College of Physical Education (LNCPE) at Thiruvananthapuram which has
Bachelor and Master of Physical Education (BPE& MPE) and Regular and Part-time Ph.D
programmes.15

13
Ionescu.Simona,in Report of the 9th International session for Directors of N.O.A’s ,2007,Athens,2009 p.41.
14
Agyei, Michael, in Report of the IOA’s 15th International Post Graduate Seminar, 2007 Athens 2009, p.222.
15
http://www.sportsauthorityofindia.nic.in/( accessed December27,2010)


National Olympic Academy
The Olympic Movement has always been highly respected in India. National Olympic Academy
in India works closely with Indian Olympic Association for the promotion of Olympism and
Olympic values among citizens of India. It was established in 1980. NOA, India sends
participants to IOA Sessions. Every participant makes a report of the session and they have very
positive attitudes for the Olympic Movement and Olympism, but different aspects of Olympism
need to be scoped in much wider context in future.

Programme and Activities of National Olympic Academy

Olympic Education

The OVEP Programme and National Club Games of India had been launched in India by the
IOC President, Dr. Jacques Rogge during the Commonwealth Youth Games held at Pune in
October, 2008.

Launch of by Dr.Jacques Rogge, Hon’ble President, International Olympic Committee,Sh.Suresh Kalmadi,
President,Indian Olympic Education and Raja Randhir Singh,Secreatry General, Indian Olympic Association on
16 October 2008, Pune, India


Under the aegis of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Indian Olympic Association
(IOA) conducted its first ever national workshop on the IOC’s Olympic Values Education
Programme (OVEP) from 22-26 March 2010 in the capital city of Delhi, Inductive and
explorative teaching methods were implemented by workshop leader, Dr. Deanna Binder where
IOC Director, Department of International Cooperation and Development, Mr. T.A. Ganda
Sithole was also present 16IOC Member and Secretary General, Mr. Randhir Singh expressed the
commitment of the IOA to the IOC’s OVEP programme and emphasized that this programme
would be embedded as part of the activities of the Indian National Club Games which will be
targeting 800’000 clubs in the country. It is estimated that 20% of the population would be
touched and exposed to OVEP during its roll-out.17

The OVEP toolkit has been developed in order to help educators, coaches and youth group
leaders not only to encourage the young generation to practice sport but also to teach them the
educational values of the Olympic Movement: joy of effort, fair play, respect for others, pursuit
of excellence, and balance between body, will and mind. Opportunities for dialogue, self-
reflection, background information and the instructional methods for delivery of the different
topical areas to promote these values was the cornerstone of the workshop methodology and
pedagogical outcomes.

Olympic Day Run

In 1987, in an effort to encourage all National Olympic Committees to commemorate and
celebrate Olympic Day, the IOC Sport for All Commission launched the Olympic Day Run
concept with the objective of promoting the practice of participation in sport by men, women and
children from all corners of the world and all walks of life, regardless of athletic ability. The first
Olympic Day Run was held in 1987, over a distance of 10km, with 45 participating NOCs.

In India two schools declared holidays so that their pupils could take part in the Olympic Day
Run in Ahmadabad, the capital city of Gujarat, on 24th June where five hundred youngsters took

16
http://www.olympic.ind.in/ovpe.html(accessed December30,2010)
17
http://www.olympic.org/en/(accessed December31,2010 )


part, together with many sportsmen from both national teams and local clubs, not only athletes
but shooters, skaters, boxers, wrestlers, basketball and hockey players, cricketers. The total
number of participants was a staggering fifteen thousand, causing a few traffic jams along the
way !18.To commemorate the birth of Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the Hyderabad athletics
institute in India organized a series of events , including a walk for children .Some fifty families
and five hundred children took part in this traditional Olympic New Year celebration19, aimed at
promoting world peace and brotherhood. In the state edition for Olympic run at Dhanbad, 2000
runners from various walks of life participated in the run. 20.

Olympic Solidarity

Olympic Solidarity’s aim is to organise assistance for all the National Olympic Committees
(NOCs), particularly those with the greatest needs, so that they can develop their own structures
to favour the expansion of sport in their country.21The IOC Solidarity FIMS Asian course in
sports medicine was organised jointly by the Indian Olympic Association and the Indian
Association of Sports Medicine at the Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sport in Patiala (IND)
from 5th to 25th November, 197O.On 8th to 23rd March at Patiala (India), continental
instruction course for athletics trainers and organisers held jointly by IOC Olympic Solidarity
and the International Amateur Athletic Federation.22

.
Olympic Related Other Activities in India

An Olympic Week was held in Asansol (IND) from 18th-24th June 1983 in commemoration of
the 90th anniversary of the revival of the Olympic Games. Organised in the form of a sports
exhibition with seminars, film shows and exhibits from various Olympic Associations and sports
bodies, this ambitious project was aimed at popularizing the Olympic movement and
encouraging sport throughout India, particularly amongst the country’s youth.23

The Referees Association in the town of Asanol, located in the eastern portion of the country,
staged a “Foundation day” to highlight the development of the Olympic movement in the
country. In addition to a ceremony honouring Pierre de Coubertin during which the modern
founder of Olympism’s ties with India were given special attention, the event featured
discussions on officiating and on proposed innovations for Indian sport24

18
http://www.la84foundation.org/( accessed January 1,2011)
19
http://www.la84foundation.org/( accessed January 1,2011)
20
Chourasia, Namita, the Telegraph Dhanbad, July 11,2004(accessed January 2,2011)
21
http://www.olympic.org/olympic-solidarity-commission(accessed January 2,2011)
22
http://www.la84foundation.org/(accessed January 1,2011)
23
http://www.la84foundation.org/( accessed January 2,2011
24
http://www.la84foundation.org/(accessed January 5,2011)


Conclusions and Suggestions
Today many young people do not strive to broaden their knowledge about Olympism, the
Olympic movement, ideals and values. Most often they have a rather shallow notion about these
things obtained by chance from different sources. A lot of teacher activity is necessary to involve
children and young people in active sports trainings, as well as to develop a correct notion about
sports human value, to encourage the new generation to observe the principles of fair play, as
well as to solve other important tasks of Olympic education. A study of the early Olympic
Congresses indicates a clearer definition that Olympic Education through sports is an important
aspect of the Olympic Movement as written by Mr.Ah-Tok-ChuaMaas. However, As per the
University Grants Commission recommendations 2.1.1 given in Issues, concerns and new
directions in Higher Education in India on December 2003 ,New Delhi ,”Olympics Education
may be included from the elementary/ secondary level to higher secondary level of education to
develop sports awareness among the children.”There should be some good strategies for
electronic and print media. Educational exchanges at the level of special lecture level should be
explored. Olympic exhibitions, network of friendship, Pierre de Coubertin awards are some more
examples which can be good for promotion of Olympism throughout the country. India has great
perspectives for spreading and organisation of the ideas of Olympism and Olympic Education
and It is true that Olympism have a great future, but for their development it is necessary to work
much more to do.


Bibliography
Websites
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Asia_Summit

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G8%2B5

http://www.la84foundation.org/

http://www.olympic.ind.in/

http://www.olympic.ind.in/ovpe.html

http://www.olympic.org/en/

http://www.olympic.org/olympic-solidarity-commission

http://www.sportsauthorityofindia.nic.in/

http://www.webindia123.com/sports/olymp/indiaolympics.htm

Other
Report of the 9th International session for Directors of N.O.A’s, 2007

Report of the IOA’s 15th International Post Graduate Seminar, 2007

Report of the IOA’s 16th International Post Graduate Seminar, 2008

Report of the IOA’s Special Sessions and Seminars 2004

The Telegraph Dhanbad, July 11, 2004

.


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