Physical education & sports in higher education for a strong India

Main part

As technology becomes more and more user friendly and seeping into many domains in all our day to day activities, the need for working our limbs and muscles are greatly diminishing. Some seek refuge by indulging in physical exercises or sports and games of choice but most are seemingly not having this choice. Many do not indulge even if they get a chance and choose to stay in their comfort zone. Not to exert physically has become a habit for many and hence, invite various kinds of life style disorders not only for themselves but also unconsciously pass it on to their next generation too.

Centers of higher learning have been and are in the undisputed position of being the prime human resource creators and hence are critical for a nation. We need to have healthy and strong citizens especially a country like India which has the highest youth population in the world today. It is imperative that we put this vast energetic resource in the right perspective. The approach here should be in two fronts - Physical Education for recreation and enjoyment and regular training for competitive sports. Both the tracks have to be dealt with individually though on many occasions they may overlap as they are closely interrelated.

1. Physical Education for Recreation & Enjoyment

Not all the people who indulge in physical activities such as games and sports go on to become high performers. Many would just look to enjoy the time as a meaningful recreation or just for the fun of play. This type of people need be more in number. This area should be the thrust area for getting more and more students to get involved in physical activities and sports. Many students who like to engage in physical activities may wish to visit a fitness center or a gymnasium for toning their body or for improving their fitness. Though not all of them would like to end up becoming body builders, they would certainly endeavor for a well muscled toned body.

Similarly in sports and games too, it is not necessary to be the best in business to play or indulge in a game or sport. It is just an enthusiastic physical engagement that help one overcome ones physical weaknesses and enjoy physical activity without the stress of performance. In fact, many studies suggests better health benefits for people who play for recreation than people who play for performance as playing for performance can also be a stressful activity. Playing for recreation not only exerts one's body but also helps in stress relief, it also helps good social connect, team spirit and sportsmanship. These aspects are very much desirable for any youth today be it in sports or out of it. In the age where people are more conversant talking to machines and gadgets than a fellow human being, sports can be the ideal medium to inculcate this nature in the youth today.

In the demanding world of academic excellence, the margin of error is becoming narrower and narrower and there is a serious lack of copping tendencies among the youth today. We see resurgence of suicidal tendencies among the youth especially during exam time. A sportsperson is well trained to handle the highs and lows of life as with sports practice he learns very early in his or her life that winning and losing is just a matter of time and one can always fight back to achieve success and will be fully aware that even victory is not permanent and therefore stay humble even during glory.

During the age of 20 to 30 years, the youth have an abundant energy to spend. If not directed in a constructive way, it could turn counterproductive. We see the manifestation of these negative energies by means of road rage, bulling, unprovoked violence, addiction to drinking, tobacco or even drugs and so on. Participation in meaningful or recreational sports activities helps to spend the energy and time in a constructive and purposeful manner. Not that sportspersons are immune to additive habits, but most exercise a great degree of caution and control and that attitude has developed from healthy participation in sports activities.

Last but not the least, participation is regular sports recreation activities, improves the social and family connection. It is a fact that kids like to indulge in play and always ready for a game or two. Being in regular touch with sports practice, one can in-turn engage and encourage their children to participate in sports and games. They can readily help the kids enjoy any game of their choice. A sports parent can become a great inspiration for their wards to take up and play sports. Regular sports and games recreational practice will also help a person to entertain his or her parent. They can play games and sports with their older parents who may never get any chance to play otherwise. Hence, playing recreation sports wherever and whenever possible will add a lot of social value to the exponent.

2. Sports for Performance and Career

With regular training and practice, the talent hidden inside a youth is also exposed. Starting from competitions at the lower levels and progressing to higher competitions, the youth is able to give a new meaning for his life. The skill on display, the impeccable game shows and unparalleled fame is bestowed on a youth who is able to give a classy performance. Better and better performance motivates the sportsperson to train and improve further over a period of time. Soon with good talent, the community, the state and finally even the world will begin to notice and acknowledge a world class sportsperson. The recognition a top sportsperson brings upon him is like a dream come true for him or her.

With internet and visual mass media making live communication and telecast reach different corners of our world in never before seen speeds, the visibility and reach of a skilled performer is noticed just as quickly. The performer is then packaged to the world in the manner unparalleled before. The most powerful media houses and the free flow of information in the World Wide Web have altered the way games and sports are organized and presented. The floodlit matches, dazzling and colored clothing, primetime telecasts have made many a sportspersons new heroes of the world. The manner in which a talented sportsperson is catapulted in world sports is phenomenal these days and today success reaches them in many different forms. Hence, a talented sportsperson's base to world fame can very well be any institute of higher learning when he is performing at his prime age.

The success mentioned in the above paragraph can very well make a career of a performing sportsperson to previously unimagined heights. Never before have class performances in sports been so financially rewarding and opening out remarkable career options. Why can't we have an engineer who plays cricket for India? Why can't we have a Software student representing India at the Olympics? Why not a doctor playing badminton for our country? Why not see an arts student as an ace footballer of our country. When we show the options to our students and help them realize their passion, we will eventually harvest medals and corner glory for which India is starving for at the moment.

3. Physical Inactivity as a Health Hazard

Apart from the above two tracks, inactive and sedentary life can bring in serious health issues for our students. Today, childhood and youth obesity is a growing epidemic and is not a good sign. We come across diseases such as heart attacks on young people, which were once linked only with old age. The inactive, ill advised health and food habits are the prime contributors for this state today. Moreover their inter-personal relationships suffer and are developing complexes. Sometimes the results are violent and extreme. A healthy body alone will ensure healthy thoughts and lead to a balanced mind. Of course, there are exceptions but that is more due to the imbalances in society which could disappear if all are physically fit and healthy in general.

Studies have concluded that if both parents are overweight, their ward's likelihood of being overweight is increased by 60-80%. The chances of an obese child growing into an obese adult are about 70%. The youngsters themselves had also perceived in a study that the number one immediate issue of being overweight is social discrimination. This has the ability to prevent them from exercising with their peers, which could lead to antisocial and depressive tendencies, as well as lifetime psychological problems. Further, there can be a number of serious health conditions that could arise from obesity.

While most arthritic patients are older, obese children can develop this disorder due to excessive weight and pressure on growing joints and bones. Obesity often affects lung capacity, which can create dangerous and disconcerting asthma attacks. One of the biggest killers in America today is heart disease. Its prevention is very important at an early age itself. Obese children who inevitably grow to obese adults carry increased risk of heart diseases with them. They become susceptible to Type 2 Diabetes which is also known as adult-onset diabetes. The two main causes related to this disease are unhealthy lifestyle and lack of physical exercises. When a developed country like America itself is taking serious steps to control this epidemic like disease, spare a thought for a country like India with it huge population and labor intensive form of governance, ought to be doing, particularly if her strength - the «HUMAN RESOURCE» itself is weak and unhealthy. It is all the more important for a country like India to work seriously towards devising and implementing physical education programs at all levels more so at the higher education level with the right perspective so that we can bank on the strength of our human resource in building up a prosperous country and look at more number of Olympic medals in future.

Conclusion. In order to facilitate positive outcomes for India's strong future, the institutes of higher learning need to just create basic but quality infrastructure in the campus. They can share the available space and gain mutual benefits. The point here is to get more and more students into playgrounds at least for a minimum possible time. The students need to be given schedules for recreation and practice so that they can plan their daily routines well in advance. Intra and Extramural activities can be a great motivator for getting the students involved in sports. Spaces for regular training and specialized coaches wherever possible will be of great help indeed. Ultimately, we all need good Indian citizens for a better future and regular participation in sports and physical activities will exactly give that - A STRONG, HEALTHY AND YOUNG INDIA!

Размещено на Allbest.ru