Jammu and Kashmir Security has always been instrumental in helping sport thrive in the Valley, and the man responsible for this state of affairs is SSP Rupinder K Chalotra. He leads sport for Security in the Valley and has received many gallantry awards for his services. He has been honoured with the Sher-e-Kashmir Award and the Police Medal for Gallantry, among others.
He spoke at length to Indian Sports News about sport in the Valley and more. Excerpts:
ISN: What does sport mean to you?
Rupinder: Sport is an integral part of society. For me it is more than just a recreational activity or a career; I feel the roots of sport go deep. Sport teaches us discipline, unites us and helps us learn leadership. Sport helps remove social stigmas and makes us responsible citizens of the country. For me sport does all this for us, and that is why it is such an integral part of our lives.
ISN: How much do you think Security Services is doing for sport in Jammu and Kashmir?
Rupinder: We have been helping sport for a very long time now. We have a fund called Sadbhawana under which we fund different tournaments across Jammu and Kashmir. We already have a few well-known tournaments and there are a few more in the pipeline. We are aiming to start franchise-based leagues in J&K to take sport to the next level.
ISN: You have been associated with sport for so long. Why has sport not been able to grow as a culture in our country?
Rupinder: We Indians tend not to send our children into sport, thinking it will not take them anywhere. But now, with PSUs and the armed forces recruiting sportspersons, people have started considering sport as a career. Everything needs a start, and it has already begun. I hope things will change in the coming days as far as sport is concerned.
ISN: You say people are changing their attitude towards sport, but given the way Vijay Kumar had to ask for a promotion even after making India proud, do you think people will be motivated?
Rupinder: Yes, obviously incidents like this hurt the image of sport. India does not have many sportspersons because of a lack of motivation, but that is due to the present situation. Things are changing, and I am sure incidents like this will not happen in the coming years.
ISN: Recruitment through the sports quota often sees malpractice, with deserving people overlooked in favour of influential candidates. How clean is your recruitment process?
Rupinder: That is true, but in the security services the concept of a blue-eyed boy does not exist. We select sportspersons on merit and make a point of avoiding malpractice in the selection procedure.
By Samikshan Dutta Choudhury
Indian Sports News
