Squash Rackets Federation of India (SRFI) patron and former Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president N. Ramachandran attributed squash's emergence in India to the Indian Squash Academy (ISA), speaking in a panel discussion in the CII Tamil Nadu Fitness & Sports Summit 2020 at the Taj Coromandel here on Tuesday.
"Squash was hardly mentioned in the newspapers 20 years ago.
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“The ISA proved to be the catalyst for its emergence in the last two decades. Indian squash today only awaits a World champion!" he said.
He said a country like Malaysia could produce a World champion like Nicol David, who was World No. 1 for nine straight years, since it invests $5 million dollars in the sport every year. "India invests around ₹1-1.5 crore," he said.
Referring to China's sports infrastructure, he said private firms could help realise it in India.
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"This (infrastructure) is where private sector firms could infuse a sense of direction, perhaps some inspiration," he said.
National/State sports governing bodies should be held responsible if sportspersons don't perform. "It might be controversial, but it's my view. If you (governing bodies) take money from sponsors, you should be held accountable," he stated.
"When I was IOA president, the maximum problems we faced were with the National sports federations that had leagues. They (the federation officials/members) fought among themselves," he said.
He added that "the need of the hour is new thinking". Conventional thinking and age-old mechanisms have to be done away with,” he said.