If it weren’t for India’s women, we would have to consider giving up on the Olympics. I say this in all seriousness, going by the hoops our sportspeople have to jump through in order to come close to any medal at all. That they do this repeatedly every four years is testament to their dedication and skill alone. It is not the presence of any sports ministry, no matter how many advertisements that ministry will pay for to claim a spotlight for itself and the clown who happens to be heading its portfolio.

Everyone knows what people who play anything other than cricket can expect in our country. If they’re lucky, they get a few brands to endorse for a year or two before fading into obscurity. If they’re very lucky, they raise enough funds to start training schools of their own, guaranteeing themselves a chance of survival long after the roar of a stadium crowd has faded. A majority of them will inadvertently fall through the cracks, left with a few newspaper cuttings and faded photographs with chief ministers of their respective states, wondering why they had hopes for anything better.