Ending on a golden note

Neeraj Chopra gave a golden finish to India's medal tally in the Tokyo Olympics. The Javelin thrower created history by winning India's first-ever gold in the highly competitive track and field events in the Olympics. We missed our dream of winning a gold in men's hockey after decades. We also missed the chance of the women's hockey team bagging a medal for the first time. Sindhu had to contend with bronze. After all these missed chances at this Olympics, Neeraj's gold gives us a sense of completeness. Also, more than that, the ace performance in athletics may open the floodgates for more of such medals in the future Olympics. The significance of the moment is reflected in the emotional outpourings of PT Usha — our athletic star who missed the bronze in 1984 in Los Angeles. The athletic icon — who has a lived experience of track and field — expressed her gratitude towards Neeraj for fulfilling her unrealised dream after 37 years. This compliment seems to be the greatest reward for the Javelin thrower. It is at this moment that one misses Milkha Singh who could not get out of the stigma to have so marginally missed the bronze at Rome Olympics 1960, even during the last days of his life. Neeraj's gold is a closure to all these unfulfilled dreams. Individually, Neeraj Chopra is the only person from India to win a gold in Olympics after Abhinav Bindra in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Chopra had earlier won gold in the 2018 Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. What outlined his performance at the Tokyo Olympics was his confidence and composure. Being pitted against the bests in the field, Chopra gave his best — it was a beautiful amalgamation of ability, technique, confidence and consistency. It was not at all an easy task but he apparently did it with ease. World champion Johannes Vetter — who is known to have a personal best of above 90 metres — even failed to get his three additional throws. Neeraj's performance goes well beyond technique to exhibit an exemplary spirit. Chopra has suddenly found himself amid plenty of praise and reward promises — some tangible and others intangible. He has become one of the national Olympic heroes who could be counted on fingers. He will be pitted against loads of expectations before every major sporting event. It is heartening to see the growing acceptance of non-cricket sports. But the acceptance is majorly because of the medals brought to the country. Neeraj Chopra gave his best-ever performance for the country. Indians have all reasons to celebrate but not without a parallel wisdom that there is a long way to go from here. There is a need to be honest in our understanding that our acceptance is superficial and bleak. It is important to conceive that the glories we have been earning from one side are maligned on the other side. The fact that India's star striker in hockey, Vandana Katariya, had to come out and say that she is playing for the country and casteist remarks should not happen, is a big shame. This shame has to be juxtaposed with the medals we have been earning — it is just the other side of the coin. The argument that the people who threw abuses in front of the Olympian's house were just fringe elements is less a truth than the fact that we haven't yet learnt to pay reverence to ones who bring us glory, joy, pride. No glory counts until and unless this lacuna in social attitude is forced to change. This change has to be integral to our growing medal prospects in the Olympics and other games. Neeraj's gold will very likely improve our medal prospects as it has opened the doors in the field of athletics, outside which we had been knocking so desperately over the decades. His charm will inspire the next-gen athletes to advance with the unwavering approach he has shown. The record tally, crowned with Neeraj's gold, has set the ground and the momentum for the Paris Olympics. As our athletes and sportspersons start sweating for the next Games, the discourse should ensure that the dignity and respect for them are not just skin-deep, it should come from the bottom of the heart.