Nurturing sporting talent in India – a land of over a billion with uneven development and unequal distribution of resources – requires an innovative approach. That’s precisely how the administration is handling the talent in Jharkhand’s Gumla district, a region where 70% of the population are scheduled tribes.
Not only is Jharkhand endowed with several mineral resources like coal, mica and bauxite, the state has also produced some of the finest sportspersons who have represented India at the highest level in hockey, archery and athletics.
The legacy of Jharkhand’s (then united Bihar) sporting glory can be traced back to times when the great Jaipal Singh Munda, Michael Kindo and Sylavanus Dungdung represented India and later independent India at the Olympics. The baton has been taken forward in recent times by players like Nikki Pradhan, Asunta Lakra, Deepika Kumari and Astham Oraon to name a few.
Jharkhand as a region faces several challenges like a large tribal population residing in hard-to-reach pockets often with limited public service facilities given its geography of hills, forests, and water bodies.
Also, the region has been affected by Left-wing extremism (LWE) and has borne the brunt of the struggle between security forces and extremists resulting in a lack of access to resources and opportunities and a loss of lives.
According to a UNDP report a sixth of tribals are in the grip of multi-dimensional poverty with poor health and educational indices. Sports like hockey, football, athletics and kho-kho often emerge as the saviour for tribal youths who play in their backyards with little resources.
Over the years stipends through sports and government recruitment under the sports quota have led to an improvement in the lives of players who succeeded at state and national level events.
To encourage this trend, the Gumla district administration started a Khel Bank (Sports Bank) at the district level in 2022 under the leadership of then Deputy Commissioner Sushant Gaurav.
This first-of-a-kind District Sports Bank, developed at the district headquarters, houses sports kits for hockey, football, cricket, athletics, badminton and kho-kho. The sports bank is managed by the District Sports Office, Gumla.
The Sports Bank Initiative was set up under Special Central Assistance (SCA) funds, a development grant provided by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, to fill the gaps in public infrastructure and services in LWE-affected regions in states. Along with several other districts of Jharkhand, Gumla also receives SCA funds.
Also read: “You’re a girl. How can you go out in a sports outfit?”
District Sports Officer Gumla, Manoj Kumar shares with Village Square that an official has been assigned the task of managing the sports bank, maintaining records and issuing kits free of cost as sought by local players, especially tribal youth.
On average each day more than 30 kids take sports kits to play and then return them to the sports bank. Kumar points out that professional sports is a costly affair though the government is doing its bit by running sports boarding hostels, giving stipends, sponsorships, cash rewards, and scouting for talent at events under sports schemes. Yet, challenges persist.
According to Kumar, the current deputy commissioner Karn Satyarthi is further strengthening the Sports Bank Initiative by infusing funds and streamlining the operational process. Under his leadership, the sports department has conducted more than 50 sports talent hunt events that have been organised at the block and district level in the last two years under the Khelo India campaign, Fit India, Pay and Play Initiative and CM Football competition.
Gumla’s Sports Bank Initiative has been replicated by other districts of Jharkhand and nearby states. For instance, Sahibganj district of Jharkhand has recently established a District Sports Bank.
It is worth noting that Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Odisha are fertile ground for sports people who represent India in hockey, football, athletics and kho-kho in significant numbers.
Sports plays a vital role in building character, instilling confidence and providing a refuge to youth who are vulnerable to several prevalent social ills like child marriage, trafficking, intoxication, gambling and digital distraction.
Yuwa, an organisation run by an American couple, Franz Gastler and Rose Gaster, in Jharkhand, is working towards empowering young tribal girls so they can emerge from the vicious cycle of poverty. They do this by engaging them in team sports like football and hockey and even educating them.
Initiatives like the Sports Bank are of enormous importance in states like Jharkhand, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh where there is no dearth of grassroots sports talents. All that the potential sports-people require is a conducive ecosystem that supports them with resources, mentorship and a fair process.
Creating physical assets through a one-time investment is not a daunting task for the administration but utilising the assets to their optimal level and ensuring the smooth operation becomes a challenge over time.
That said, the Sports Bank Initiative – combined with access to good coaches, a good diet, modern facilities and encouragement from the village and block levels in the remote hinterland – will further cement Jharkhand’s position as a hub of sports talent in the country.
Also read: MP ‘redlight village’ seeks redemption through sports
The lead image on top depicts kids playing with sports equipment borrowed from the Sports Bank Initiative. (Photo courtesy IPRD Gumla)
Ramesh Kumar has worked previously as PPiAF in Gumla and has supported the Sports Bank Initiative.
