Write a short essay on India’s performance in Asian Games(At least 200 words)
Answers
Games play an important role in the lives of young men and women. Games enable people to remain healthy and fit. Games inculcate among the people a sense of discipline. They create a spirit of healthy competition. When games are held at an international level with participants drawn from different countries, they go a long way to promote international co-operation and understanding. Games help to direct the energies of the youth into constructive channels.
The credit for mooting the idea of organising a sports festival exclusively for Asian nations on Olympic lines goes to Prof. G.D. Sondhi, a member of the International Olympic Committee, in the thirties. The first step taken in this direction was the formation of the Asian Games Federation in New Delhi on 13th February, 1949 when it was decided to hold the Asian Games every fourth year.
The first Asian games were staged from 4th March to 11 th March in 1951 at New Delhi. As many as 489 athletes from 11 countries-Afghanistan, Burma (now Myanmar), Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand-participated. The games covered six disciplines, namely, athletics, basketball, cycling, football, swimming and weightlifting. The participants felt encouraged by the presence of the then Prime Minister of India, Pt. Jawahar Lai Nehru on several occasions. Demonstrating extraordinary skill, the Japanese athletes won the largest number of medals (24 gold, 20 silver and 16 bronze) followed closely by India (15 gold, 16 silver and 21 bronze).