Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Olympian heights: On India’s efforts to organise the 2036 edition

Olympian heights: On India’s efforts to organise the 2036 edition

India must be wary of the complexities (जटिलता) of hosting the Olympiad

From time immemorial (पुरातन), the Olympics has been used as a soft-power medium. Governments worldwide have bet on the sporting, economic and socio-cultural impact the games can leave, as well as on the political legitimacy the hosting of the event can bring. Post-World War Europe, post-apartheid South Africa and Brazil of the 2010s are vivid (जीवंत, ज्वलंत, विविध) examples. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement at the International Olympic Committee (IOC) session in Mumbai that India “would leave no stone unturned” in its efforts to organise the 2036 edition of the quadrennial extravaganza (An elaborate and spectacular display or event, often with a variety of performances, shows, or attractions) is to be seen in this light. That India has also expressed an interest in the Youth Olympics as a precursor (पूर्ववर्ती, अग्र-दूत) is a clear signal that it wants to shed the reticence (अल्पभाषिता, चुप्पी) that came with the unsavoury (Distasteful, unpleasant, or morally offensive) happenings at the scam-ridden and ineptly (अयोग्यता से) handled 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games. Though the ratification (अनुसमर्थन) of the host city for 2036 will take time — Brisbane was selected for the 2032 edition only in July 2021 — and there will be other claimants, the move lays bare India’s global ambitions. Be it through the desire for a permanent membership at the United Nations Security Council or the euphoria surrounding the G-20 presidency, India has consistently sought a seat at the high table. The tag of an Olympic host can give it a vantage position in a shifting world order.

Sporting-wise, it is clear that India wants to benefit from the strong tailwind produced by the stellar 107-medal show at the recently concluded Asian Games. Ever since Abhinav Bindra won the nation’s first-ever individual Olympic gold at Beijing 2008, there has been a steady uptick in performances at multi-disciplinary competitions. There is even a firm belief that India will win double-digit medals at Paris 2024. While such confidence is not entirely misplaced, conducting a mega event such as the Olympics presents a humongous (विशालकाय) challenge. Costs are often prohibitive, as seen from the fierce public outcry during both Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. In the case of Tokyo, the financial burden was said to have ballooned to $15.4 billion, more than double the initial estimate. Recently, the Australian state of Victoria pulled out of hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games because of mounting expenditure and the Canadian province of Alberta withdrew a bid for the 2030 edition. To avoid being seen as a populist ephemera in a deeply unequal society, the IOC has moved away from the one-size-fits-all solution and now asks potential organisers to present projects that best fit their economic, social and environmental realities. India’s success will depend on how it marries its aspirations (आकांक्षा) with the inherent (अंतर्निहित, साजातीय) complexities.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.Complexities (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - जटिलता
English Meaning - The state or quality of being intricate, complicated, or involved; intricacies.

2.Immemorial (Adjective)

Hindi Meaning - पुरातन
English Meaning - Extending back beyond memory, record, or knowledge; ancient, time-honored, or long-standing.

3.Vivid (Adjective)

Hindi Meaning - जीवंत, ज्वलंत, विविध
English Meaning - Producing powerful feelings or strong, clear images in the mind; lively, bright, or intense.

4.Precursor (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - पूर्ववर्ती, अग्र-दूत
English Meaning - A person or thing that comes before another in time, order, or position; a forerunner.

5.Reticence (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - अल्पभाषिता, चुप्पी
English Meaning - The quality of being reserved or reluctant to speak or express one's thoughts.

6.Ineptly (Adverb)

Hindi Meaning - अयोग्यता से
English Meaning - In a clumsy, awkward, or unskilled manner.

7.Ratification (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - अनुसमर्थन
English Meaning - The action of signing or giving formal consent to a decision, contract, or agreement, making it officially valid.

8.Humongous (Adjective)

Hindi Meaning - विशालकाय
English Meaning - Extremely large, enormous, or gigantic.

9.Aspirations (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - आकांक्षा
English Meaning - Strong desires or ambitions to achieve something.

10.Inherent (Adjective)

Hindi Meaning - अंतर्निहित, साजातीय
English Meaning - Existing as a natural or basic characteristic of something.

11.Extravaganza (Noun)

English Meaning - An elaborate and spectacular display or event, often with a variety of performances, shows, or attractions.

12.Unsavoury (Adjective)

English Meaning - Distasteful, unpleasant, or morally offensive.