Olympic Gold Quest (OGQ) Conclave at ISB brought together Saina Nehwal, Gagan Narang and Viren Rasquinha to discuss the future of sports in India. OGQ is headed by the former Indian hockey captain Viren Rasquinha, who is an alumnus of ISB. OGQ supports a number of athletes in their Olympic medal quest.

Rasquinha addressed a packed audience highlighting the challenges faced by sportspersons in realising their dream, recounting his early years with the hockey stick.

Ace shooter Gagan Narang was critical of the current Indian scenario where sportspersons gain recognition and support only on winning a medal while stressing the need for proper mentoring and appropriate support all along.

Star shuttler Saina Nehwal voiced optimism over India’s increasing responsiveness to the needs of sportspersons, while she stressed that there was lot more to be done in terms of support and efforts to make giant strides. She noted that the initiatives such as the recent Indian Badminton League (IBL) are welcoming as it has been helpful to the young players and in popularising the game.

The audience were enthused and actively participated in the discussions by asking questions and suggesting measures for building a system for greater support to the Indian sporting community. The students were keen to know about the mental make-up of a sportsperson during the game and the ways they adopt to deal with stress.

In India, huddles at coffee shops and travel talks often centres on disappointing performance of the Indian athletes and players at the Olympics, but platforms like these help throw light on the very issues from the sportsperson’s point of view. The “never give up” spirit of these young guns of Indian sports inspired the audience and gave them hope to see India shining in the arena of sports in days to come.