[dropcap]T[/dropcap]HE name of Dr. T Ao conjures up images of an iconic football player who captained the first Indian Olympic football team in 1948 in London, inspiring many players across the country.
But in his home State, news that should make all Nagas hold their heads down has come in the announcement that the Dr. T Ao Award for Sports has found ‘no worthy’ sportsman for 2013. This too, when the Award was instituted only last year in 2012. According to a press release by the department of Youth Resources and Sports, a High Powered Selection Committee for the Dr. T Ao Awards for 2013 met on August 8 and arrived at the above decision. Their decision was based on reports submitted from the YR&S department which revealed that the applications and nominees for this year’s awards did not fulfill the criteria as mentioned in the terms and conditions for receiving the awards. The department also received applications not listed under Olympic disciplines. The department received no nominees under the institutions category.
The HPC committee has argued their decision saying that the “Dr. T Award for Sports is the highest category of awards in the field of sports and games in the State and its prestige and status should be maintained by strictly adhering to the laid down rules and regulations. Prioritized Olympic disciplines should be promoted and supported ahead of other disciplines in view of limited resources and infrastructures”.
The recipients of the Award when it was instituted in 2012 were Ms. Chekrovolu Swuro (sportsperson category), Er. Lanu Toy (administrator category) and Greenwood School (institutions category).
There were no awards given under coaches’ category in 2012.
Ms. Chekrovolu had won medals at the World Cup, Asian Grand Prix and had represented India in the London Olympic Games 2012. In total, she had won more than 80 medals at the regional, national and international level.
Er. Lanu Toy was the founding president of the Nagaland Olympic Association and Greenwood School, despite being a private institution, had carried out significant developmental activities in promotion of sports and sportspersons in the past several years. The school had produced many sportspersons who have represented the State and also developed appreciable sports infrastructure.
The criteria for qualifications for the Dr. T Ao Award are confined to sportspersons who have won medals and positions at the international level and having consistently represented the country over a period of time. He or she should have motivated and inspired other sportspersons and the youth through achievements and also be a role model to youngsters.
Similarly, even for coaches who are considered for the awards should have guided, nurtured and produced international athletes who have performed admirably by winning medals on a consistent basis at the international stage. Likewise, in the field of administrators, the deserving candidates should have made significant contributions in the overall development of sports through their efforts. The committee observed that it was unfortunate that there were no nominees in the field of institution.
Sighting the lacunae in the fulfillment of criteria for the above disciplines the committee decided not to give any awards for the year 2013 and hoped that the sports fraternity should make more efforts to strive for higher goals and hope that much more deserving candidates would be recipients of the awards in the years to come. There are provisions under the guidelines not to give awards if the high powered committee is of such opinion.
The committee observed that the State Sports Awards which reward sportspersons and coaches with cash incentives for the past calendar year as per medals won according to the Nagaland State Sports Policy are being carried out every year on National Sports Day. In 2012 too, an amount of Rs 70,00,000 were given to sportspersons and coaches under this scheme.
The committee also decided that the guidelines for the awards be amended so that under the category of administrators, posthumous awards could be given.
The news will hopefully bolster not dampen the sportsmanship of the youth, administrators, coaches and institutions. Nagaland does not have to look far for inspiration for achievement against the odds. The equally disturbed neighboring state of Manipur, also home to several militant groups, has contributed a plethora of celebrated sportsmen and women, the latest being Mary Kom in boxing and the victorious members of the Indian Jr. Women Hockey team who won the bronze medal in the World Cup in Germany.
