Go!: India's Sporting Transformation

by Aparna Ravichandran (Editor), Nandan Kamath (Editor)

Something special is afoot in India.Our athletes now depart for international events aiming to win medals, often returning disappointed with a 'mere silver'. Bright-eyed aspirants in sports-from badminton to gymnastics-are training across the country. Homegrown leagues are attracting the world's best athletes and professionals. The country boasts multiple World No. 1 teams and athletes, and sporting achievements are handsomely rewarded. Our next Olympic and Paralympic gold medals are talked about in terms of when, not whether.Much of this was simply unthinkable at the turn of the millennium. Today, there is no longer a doubt that an Indian can. A country is changing the way it looks at sport and, along the way, how it looks at itself.With personal accounts from Abhinav Bindra, Pullela Gopichand and Rahul Dravid, Go! features a never-before collection of essays by leading sports writers, athletes and professionals, who together tell a compelling story of India's ongoing sporting transformation.

274 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 20, 2019

Reviews

[Sunilkumar P · Rating 5 out of 5]

We have to not just fight against the lack of facilities, coaches, training related injuries but most important being lack of confidence. The book captures the stories of how things are changing right from producing world champions in games like badminton, wrestling, shooting. Get goosebumps reading the stories of struggle and hard work. Stories like how Abinav Brinda lost a chance for medal at Athens Olympics due to a loose tile he was standing on. Goes back and deliberately trains under imperfect conditions like low light, shadows and goes back to win first gold for india in Atheltics in Sydney Olympic in 2008. How Dipika Karmakar became first ever Indian women to represent in Olympic gymnastics, finished fourth, was so disappointed that she and coach decided to take auto and leave silently when they land at Airport in India. But only to be suprised by the hundreds of fans welcoming them. Just goes to show how much the fans have also matured and recognise the effort, hard work. Another hearting thing is the growth of women's participation in sports. To top it all is the final essay by Rahul Dravid. How the dots are getting connected. How this book is one place to get the stock of things that we have covered so far, on pur way to be a great sporting nation.

[Ramachandra M · Rating 5 out of 5]

India is a cricket-crazy country. This book depicts the tales with various essays on many Olympian athletes and Paralympians who’ve brought lots of laurels to the nation. With Olympics just round the corner, there’s no better time to get hold of this book. I was enthralled to read about unsung athletes.

[Ganesh Shankar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nostalgic. Inspiring. Humbling. Hopeful. A beautiful collection of essays that reminded me why Indian Sports is an enigma and our collective responsibility to be inspired by, and drive meaningful change. Its inspired me to find how I can contribute and make a difference. A must read !

[Dimple Bangalore · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is almost a must read for an Indian who has grown up watching any sport or wants to understand a little more behind the journeys of Abhinav Bindra, Pullela Gopichand and Dravid. These three essays are must read if not all. The only thing about the book that could have been better is having more complementinf essays. I felt some essays had repetitive information and arguments. It wasn't a book I could read in one-go.

[Rahil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read for anyone interested in Indian sports, it's past and it's potential.

[Akin · Rating 5 out of 5]

We need more books like this, to showcase Indian sports is not just about cricket!! Loved each and every article.

[Anurag Gupta · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bunch of essays from journalists and few eminent personalities. Didn't read it, wasn't interesting apart from the essays written by Rahul Dravid and Abhinav Bhindra.

[Lila Ravichandran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent work!!

An inspiring and pioneering book of this kind is a dire need of the times in our country. Sport is emerging from a deep languorous slumber and these inspirational words from stalwarts in the field will definitely help unknown budding talent across the country, and who knows the medal tally in the country would project a different picture altogether.
Bindra's dogged intensity and determination to be perfect in an imperfect world, Gopichand's "extra half hour" and Dravid's belief that "talent is agnostic and aspiration is free" can only serve to inspire young athletes.
Here's wishing the book every success it truly deserves!