Read on Twitter
Can you guess the fee that was paid per day for being Coach of Indian Chess team for official events like Olympiad, World Team Championship, Asian team Championships? No one would believe it. Things got slightly better eventually, though nowhere near what it should be.
The Indian system looks down upon Indian coaches for most part. Foreign coaches mean 5 to 10 times more fee will be paid, forget about competency of coaches or results produced for the country. Slave mentality due to centuries under colonialism still prevalent among many still.
2 decades ago, only officials from State federations where sent as coaches along with Indian contingent. More of a political appointment. Slowly things changed for better. Former players, Indian coaches started accompanying our teams but decent pay was almost non existent.
Many times, players in Indian contingent would ask me why am I even coming with the team for such small fee? We were slowly building a system, proving Indians are in no way less competent as far as training goes. Even now, Indian talent in chess training is largely under utilized
Even as recent as last year, for training same group of Indian junior and sub junior players, I was paid probably 1/10th of what a "foreign coach" was paid if I am not mistaken for doing the same job. I did one camp and refused to do the next one for same reason.
Most Indian coaches don't want to go with Indian team as the pay is degradingly low. What they will earn in a couple of days privately, is what is paid officially for 10 or 15 days.
Regarding awards for being Coach of Indian team or Indian players from Central government, less said the better. Last 15 years or so, I (and most other Indian coaches barring few) have not received ANY award from Central government for winning medals or producing talents.
ZERO award from Central Government for following achievements in 15 years:
1. World youth medals = 34
2. Asian youth medals = 40
3. Commonwealth medals = 23
4. National titles =36
5. Asian Seniors medals = 5
6. Bronze medal in Chess Olympiad
IS there a sports policy?
1. World youth medals = 34
2. Asian youth medals = 40
3. Commonwealth medals = 23
4. National titles =36
5. Asian Seniors medals = 5
6. Bronze medal in Chess Olympiad
IS there a sports policy?
I was offered a lucrative offer to work with few Canadian players for World youth Championship at Mumbai last year & refused it to be coach for Indian team despite huge parity in fees where we won many medals. Should Indian coaches continue to take this approach in future too?
Unless the Ministry of Sports starts listening to stakeholders who are working on the ground and making a real difference, instead of Officials and bureaucrats who have their own axe to grind, nothing will change for better or it will take too much time. END
