commonwelth-with big hopes

Corruption, delays, overspend, civic mess, egg on the national face, it all seems to be so very Indian and so very acceptable, at least that's what the Mood of the Nation reflects.


Suresh Kalmadi and Co. can find some solace in the fact that a majority of respondents believe that the Commonwealth Games will be a success, but with a cautionary note: it's probably more to do with the unique Indian art of 'jugaad', or band-aid solutions, than any vote of confidence in the Organising Committee, or Disorganising Committee, as many prefer to call it.

What's more surprising is that Delhi, the unfortunate receptacle of the construction chaos, gives it a solid thumbs up, with 57 per cent predicting success. West Bengal is among the two states-Madhya Pradesh is the other-that raises the red flag but overall it's a positive vote, one that believes that Shera can actually change its stripes.

Most think that the Games will be a success because of the unique Indian 'jugaad' and not because of Kalmadi and his colleagues.

There is, however, a rude reality check for Kalmadi and his colleagues: the majority view is that India's poor sports record and performance is primarily because of its sports administrators. Hardly a revelation but across the board, with solitary exceptions, respondents believe that the Government's sports policies are less to blame than the games administrators play.

Maybe the medal haul at the Commonwealth Games may belie that belief but don't hold your breath. Nor should Lalit Modi. The poll shows that a majority of respondents believe he is the villain of the IPL piece rather than the innocent victim he is portraying himself as. In very few states is there a dominant view that he is a casualty of cricket politics, suggesting that his innings has come to a close.


- Who is your role model?
 APJ Abdul Kalam -19%
 Amitabh Bachchan -10%
 Sachin Tendulkar-10%
 Anil Ambani -6%
 Kiran Bedi -3%

All figures in per cent
Rest: Don't know/Can't say

- What do you think of Lalit Modi?

The villan of IPL - 32%
Avictim of politics - 21


- Will the 2010 Games be a success in India?

 Yes - 37
 No - 12

- Who is to blame for India's poor record in sports?

The Government - 25
Sports officials - 44

All figures in per cent
Rest: Don't know/Can't say



India's poor performance in sports is being blamed on sports administrators, not on the Government's policies.


Reproduced From India Today. © 2010. LMIL. All rights reserved.