For the longest time, the country had been following the rise and accomplishments of only a few chosen sports. In this cricket crazy nation, the triumphs and joys or defeats and heartbreaks in other sports didn’t count as much. But the country’s stellar performance at Tokyo Olympics 2020 changed this sentiment. And the gold run at the ongoing Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games has only strengthened the shift, feel ace sportspersons. “During our times, it was only one or two newspapers to alert people of India’s performances at global events. But now, the entire country waits to watch the National Anthem being played after us winning a medal,” says Padma Shri Anju Bobby George. The Arjuna awardee made history by winning bronze in long jump at the 2003 World Championships in Athletics. Comparing that era with the present, she adds, “When the Tricolour flutters with an Indian sportsperson winning a medal, it makes everyone feel that they are present in that moment. As a country, our national pride is rising. We are supporting many more sports now. Initially, it was only a few sports in which we used to perform on the world stage. But now multiple sports are achieving big. For instance, lawn bowls was not very popular, but I now hear people saying they are really enjoying the event and want to learn more about it. We are a talented country, and with the correct support and guidance the results are for everyone to see. ” Indian men’s table tennis team defeated Singapore in the finals to win the gold medal. (Photo:Twitter) The first Indian woman to win a medal at the Olympics in 2000, retired weightlifter Karnam Malleswari, feels, “Pehle parents sirf education pe hi focus karte the; kehte the bas padhai karo. Lekin ab parents bhi samajh rahe hain ki khel mein bhi aage badh kar aap tarakki kar sakte ho. Name, fame and respect can be earned through sports as well! The sporting culture is rising in India because of such performances like in the ongoing Commonwealth Games. ” Recalling her time at the Olympics when she made India proud, Malleswari adds, “When I brought a medal from Sydney Olympics, it came as a huge surprise to the whole nation that even girls can achieve such big things in sports. And look at it now, the women are bringing home [so many] medals and [so much] pride for the country in all these global competitions. ” “We have many exceptional athletes who are getting recognised at a higher level at such a young age, which is extremely impressive. It’s great to see the love and support they are receiving,” opines tennis star, Padma Shri Sania Mirza, adding, “Having your country right behind you, gives you an added motivation. I believe this will serve as a platform for more victories and medals in the upcoming events. I want to congratulate all the athletes. You all have done our country proud and it’s an immense joy to watch you all perform and win medals!” Former discus thrower, gold medallist Krishna Poonia feels the adulation and accolades encourage the sports culture further. “I remember at one point people did not even know what discus throw is, but when the Commonwealth Games happened in India, people learned about the game. All these things play a major role in taking our sporting legacy to greater heights,” adds Poonia. And coach Satyapal Singh, a former national level player who trains para-athletes today, feels the biggest change has been in the news reportage of sports events in our country. “Tokyo Olympics jab huye toh sabne cover kiya. Aur aaj sabke hath mein mobile hai, freedom hai news kahin bhi aur kabhi bhi dekhne ki. Pehle sirf TV par news aati thi aur wahan sirf cricket dikhta tha. Jabki cricket teams sirf 10-12 countries ki hain. In Olympics, there is participation of around 200 countries, and in CWG about 70 countries participate. . . It’s also true that the participation from other countries has reduced in CWG over the years, and that has also helped Indian athletes to shine brighter. ” Author tweets @karansethi042 For more stories follow Facebook and Twitter SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Subscribe to our best newsletters HT Daily Capsule Pick a topic of your interest and subscribe All Newsletters Subscribe Subscribed to newsletter successfully Thank you for subscribing to our Daily News Capsule newsletter. Close Story Personalise your news feed. Follow trending topics Done TRENDING TOPICS Parliament monsoon session 2022 LIVE Horoscope Today Bengal cabinet reshuffle CWG 2022 Day 6 India Full Schedule Commonwealth Games 2022 Live Streaming Nancy Pelosi.