‘Yeh Dil Hai Hindustani’: Asian Games Medal Reinforces My Belief In India’s Coaches

The Asian Games monkey is finally off my back. This is one medal that I always desired, and finally the jinx has been broken at Aichi-Nagoya. Japan has been my happy hunting ground. The Olympic silver came in Tokyo 2020, and Japan once again ensured that I did not go back empty-handed.

A sportsperson's life is one of reflection and reaction. The Asian Games have taught me many things in life. The biggest lesson was that of resolve. The never-give-up attitude was strengthened every time a serious injury threatened to derail my career.

After missing the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta due to a lower back problem, the 2023 Games in Hangzhou were another disappointment. Again, a severe thigh and hip injury upset my medal chances. In Aichi-Nagoya, I was at the peak of my fitness,s and I must thank my coach, trainer, er and physio who prepared me very well.

The debate between an Indian versus a foreign coach is always a hot topic. In many Olympic sports in India, we have foreign coaches. In power sports like boxing and wrestling, the sports ministry, from time to time, has employed foreign coaches for better performance. I may have never felt the need for a foreign coach, but that's my personal call. For me, 'Yeh Dil Hai Hindustani.'

Under national coach Vijay Sharma, my career has matured and flourished. When a coach stands by you during difficult times, the bond intensifies, and since 201,4 I have been in the safe hands of my coach. Now the question is whether we should get more foreign coaches in India or trust our own coaches?

In the new Khelo India Scheme, that are grand plans for the development of sports over the next five years and beyond, I see the introduction of a National Coach Accreditation Board. Like the National Sports Governance Act, aimed at good and transparent governance, the NCAB will standardize the qualifications of coaches and certify whether a person is capable enough to groom youngsters the proper way.

We need good coaches at the absolute grassroots levels in districts and panchayats. A good coach not only trains but makes sports attractive and fun. Just like a playschool. So, we must have coaches who can teach the absolute basics. No heavy-duty methodology. The fun element will develop awareness towards health and fitness. Grassroots and high-performance coaching are two different things.

Coaching is not a quick-fix business. For long-term success, you need home-bred coaches who can inculcate basic knowledge and know how to differentiate the needs of a male and a female athlete because our bodies are not similar. We have good and knowledgeable coaches, but they must be given the opportunity and scope to get better and become more effective.

A medal, regardless of the level of competition, is the outcome of a relationship between athlete and coach. I am a classic example. While no foreign coach can guarantee an Olympic medal, they must not be scoffed at in case of failure. But I reckon there should be faith in Indian coaches, and overseas specialists can be hired to improve our support staff, especially injury management.

It is pertinent to mention that the revamped Khelo India scheme has budgeted for greater synergy between technology, sports medicine,e and athletes. For international athletes, recovery and rehabilitation are key areas for quality performance. In my career, Dr AaronHorschig, played a massive role before the Tokyo Olympics.

Dr Horschig is not only a sports physical therapist but also a former weightlifter. His approach to the treatment of injuries - shoulder or lower back in my case -- was very special. If we can use specialists like Dr Horschig with our Indian coaches, the support system will be much more effective. I reiterate that Indian coaches are good, and how we utilize foreigners to improve our support ecosystem is something that remains to be seen.