the glam factor

we indians are always whining how such a huge country such as ours never has had enough celebrated sportspersons...they blame the administration,the apalling lack of infrastructure and sometimes,even the genetic structure(which supposedly makes sports an unfavourable venture for indians)...and blah blah blah,various other reasons...
but what perhaps,the greatest hypocritical nation in the whole world doesn't admit is that,we are more into the glamour and the sensationalism of a win rather than the toil and sweat that goes into it.i mean,sure,we are elated when a sania mirza defeats some opponent ranked 1000th in the world in the first round of some obscure tournament,but never give a damn about all those times when indians truimph in some less-glamourous discipline.we,as a collective society,obsess about a few things and completely neglect others.we create a hoopla when we defeat 2 teams out of 10 in cricket or when tendulkar is ranked 1 in the world,which is of course,a great euphemism because 1% of the world actually plays cricket!don't get me wrong,i love cricket,but i just think that if we want some real success then we should rather focus on some more disciplines other than the ones already established.
i am jsut back from the mixed doubles final at this year's US Open...where leander paes lost.but did it matter to anyone that he was in the FINALS of a grand slam???NO!would it have mattered had he won???NO...it would have meant a footnote on the major news channels.but does that mean indians don't understand tennis??why,we scream ourselves hoarse when sania mirza goes out to play..even if she is a complete disaster,we still find excuses in "she gave a good fight" and "she has a brilliant future"....PEOPLE,LOOK AT THE PRESENT!!!
here is paes,india's greatest tennis player,ever...in the finals of a major,something that the pretty mirza can never ever dream of!however,there are no indian supporters on court to cheer him...they are all too tired after cheering mirza's doubles loss!and her single's loss!and her mixe doubles loss!
i don't think this applies only to sports....we go after glamour in every sphere of life...this phenomena transcends the realm of sports and pouts into the social behaviour as well.well,this month,we had two death anniversaries.first,princess diana...we had all sorts of memorial services and news discussions and special documentaries aired on TV.next,mother teresa...footnote!the greatest soul of the 20th century was too low-glamour for a mention!

so,the next time we whine about india not winning anything...do a few things!start encouraging other sports..and i am not talking abut the government,the society needs to do its bit too!and try to appreciate talent(unmixed with beauty)...and ofcourse,there is that small thing you could always do--flick the TV channel,you might as well see leander win his next crown!