At a time when life had become strange and fraught during this unprecedented pandemic, it was a surrealistic two weeks in Tokyo – an Olympic Games like no other — where, performing in gigantic but empty stadiums, a bunch of braveheart Indian athletes gave us the greatest booster shot we could have hoped for. Neeraj Chopra’s golden arm in javelin was the final triumph, giving India its first-ever Olympics gold medal in athletics and sending the entire nation in raptures. A confident Saikhom Mirabai Chanu gave the Indian contingent the dream start on the opening day itself, and the inspiration clearly coursed through their veins till India’s best-ever campaign ended in a blaze of glory with 7 medals.
Women power to the fore
The most heart-warming refrain of India’s Tokyo triumph was the stellar show by our women athletes, none more valiant and poignant than the women’s hockey team’s. When no one gave them an iota of a chance, skipper Rani Rampal, daughter of a cart-puller whose parents struggled to rustle up two square meals, and her plucky band of “she-roes” flew below the radar all through to sneak into the semis. Their incredibly brave surge may have ended in heartbreak yet it didn’t feel like a defeat, as the real “Chak De” story turned out even better than the reel version and those girls in blue have made us fall in love with our national game all over again.
Though the men went a step further, clinching the bronze after a 41-year drought, Rani and her mates were the real queens, stealing the hearts of 1.3 billion Indians. In another milestone moment, PV Sindhu became India’s first woman to win two individual medals at the Olympic Games. Shuttling success for Sindhu was always on the cards, what wasn’t on the cards, though, was Lovlina Borgohain’s bronze-winning feat in boxing. Our wrestlers made us proud too – Ravi Dahiya bagging the silver and Bajrang Punia the bronze.
A monumental feat
Considering the immensely difficult conditions under which they had to prepare, with the virus wreaking havoc all around them, the entire Indian contingent has made us proud. And as Bajrang Punia stressed, the least we can do is to keep encouraging these gallant athletes from the so-called “lesser” sports in this cricket-crazy country.
So this Independence Day, while the tricolor flutters, let’s sing the national anthem in celebration of our athletes’ Tokyo triumph as well, even as we continue to salute the brave Covid warriors. Their performance was a shining light in these dark days.
