Sindhu Wins Olympic Medal- Indian Media Goes Reprobate

Rio 2016 Olympics marks the most significant historical event of the year 2016 for India. It is the symbolic representation of a number of aspirations of modern India. As P.V. Sindhu entered finals in Badminton, national sentiment in India ran high, and even the most high profiled leaders expressed hopes and wishes for gold, posted messaged on twitter and other media. Pressure was high on the young athlete as she won silver. India only won 4 such Olympic silver medals prior to Sindhu’s win, which is a first for Indian Badminton. But what happened in the Indian media after P.V. Sindhu’s win is a demonstration of cheapness. What Sindhu has demonstrated is in fact a phenomenal triumph for India, as this single event embedded several firsts within it. This medal is significant for a number of reasons: Firstly, it is the only highest medal for India at Rio2016 Olympics and also that it saved India from the embarrassment of being one medal (Bronze medal: Sakshi Malik) wonder at the Olympics; secondly that Sindhu is the first ever Telugu person to win the Olympic medal; thirdly, that it emphatically showcased the arrival of Indian woman on world stage; and finally, that it is a recognition for Indian Badminton as it is the first such high medal for Indian Badminton marking India’s central place on world stage. Hopefully, Badminton repeats what Hockey had done for India in the past at Olympics and various other world events. However, did this important international achievement get the attention it deserved in the Indian media? For some reason the national media went astray. Instead of presenting the information about the sport of Badminton and athletic achievements of P.V. Sindhu, the national media began broadcasting and printing articles of Google searches, as if what is happening on Google is more important for India than what is happening on world stage. What any random person (or persons) searched on Google is private, and does not reflect the conscious of any society. What happened when Sindhu won Silver medal reflects appallingly low standards of journalistic ethics. Does it matter what some random person searched about any issue let alone P.V. Sindhu? No. So why did the national media focus their attention on google searches- and not on the issue at hand: Sindhu and the game of badminton? Are they not interested in badminton or may be one should say, they did not know much about badminton to write a compelling article on it. It also reflects the unique case of shortsighted news articles, a type that is not seen on any other sport or athlete in India. Sakshi Malik is case in point. Her Bronze medal attracted celebratory coverage, and Indian media ran articles discussing what her win meant for Haryana and how her win might help the skewered male-female ratio of population demographics in the state of Haryana. When Cricket is played on world stage no media ever carried any news articles on what was searched on Google about the Cricketers. It only carried stories about how great the game was and how each player played. Similarly, when Soccer world cup was played reporting was only concerned with the game and players achievements rather than their personal background. What changed with Sindhu? Is Olympics less of an achievement than World Cup Cricket? Not only that all niceties were left out, but sheer absurdity is let loose in the media. P.V. Sindhu had to put up with absurd news coverage about her on the eve of her Olympic win. How sad is that. No athlete of international talent should have to go through such blatant news coverage. What is the issue? Is it the women question or is it the collective rebound at India’s dismal performance at the Olympics, not just this year, but for the past 70 years since independence? Hope that such news cycle never repeats it in India, and Indian media will instead focus and support the futuristic vision for India. India’s dismal performance at Olympics is a symbol of lack of enthusiasm as well as lack of involvement from energetic youth. The year 2020 marks centenary of India’s participation in the Olympics. Sports development and achievements in these hundreds is meager. India should refocus and work on developing sports facilities and prepare to take the world by storm in 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Published previously on My Ind Makers https://www.myind.net/Home/viewArticle/p-v-sindhu-wins-olympic-medal-indian-media-does-not-cover-itself-glory