RAJNI SHARMA:-

All of us, sports are as necessary as are our studies. The advantages of sports are immense, if of course they are played in the right spirit. If we indulge in sports in the right spirit they make us into good human beings, besides looking after the welfare of our health. It helps in our developing the qualities of head and heart, and makes us into perfect humans.

We become good losers, as; we learn to lose without a frown. Thus sports teaches us to be good very well balanced winners and good losers, we win without a guffaw, and lose without a frown. This attitude once developed in us, we are fully equipped to face the ups and downs of life just as winning and losing in sports.

Another very great quality we acquire by sports is that we learn to move together. We learn to realise that life is a game of togetherness, and no one can achieve anything alone, just as no game can be won by anyone alone.

There has to be a team to play and win. Each player is an individual player but at the same time each one is a part of the whole, a bigger entity, the team. He has to learn to play according to the team’s style and cannot do anything alone.

The physical aspect of sports is no less and can hardly be ignored. A sportsman develops a beautiful physique a shapely and healthy body, and thus a personality that can be spotted out from among hundreds.

It is not only the physical appearance but the health of the body and also the mind are well looked after by sports. If we participate in games and sports we continue to maintain the health of both body and mind.

Thus we see that, sports help us to develop into nice looking smart and healthy individuals. We also become good and balanced human beings with great qualities of both head and heart, and all this just by sports.

Whether a sportsman wins or loses in the game at the sports-field he continues to play and put in his best efforts always. The same measure he applies to the game of life, whether he loses or wins in the field of life, a sportsman always remains happy and satisfied. Thus the fact of the matter is that, games and sports provide us with great qualities that help us to steer through this life with ease and pleasure.

It is undeniable that school life is the suitable time to learn to participate in games and sports, because school provides the environment to encourage the students for games and sports.

Games can be both outdoor and indoor. Outdoor games include hockey, cricket, basket ball, football and lawn tennis. Since we attach too much importance to books in school, we seldom get any opportunity to do much manual work in the open air. Our minds are cheerful when we take regular exercise in the open air. Our health also improves.

Games and sports are necessary after long hours of tedious study. “All work and no play make Jack a dull boy.” This proverb suggests the merit of games and sports. We should adopt such games which would suit to the Indian climate.

Nowadays the ancient games of Indian have been replaced by the games of western nations. There was a time when games like rowing, hunting, swimming and wrestling were very popular games. India is the mother of hockey. But now cricket has become very popular. There are many indoor games such as table tennis, chess, etc.

At school, students play table tennis. Chess requires intelligence. The students who pay chess apply their brain-power rather than physical power.

The games and sports develop a team-spirit among the students. The students also learn how to work together, under a captain. Students learn the spirit of obedience, discipline and fairness. These virtues are learnt better through games than through books.

Games and sports have immense impact upon the character of the youngsters. The captainship of a game requires honesty and wisdom. A true sportsman stands for honesty and judgment. Before independence the role of games and sports in educational institutions was limited.

Thus, the health of the students and of the nation was affected. But now the games and sports have been given special status in educational institutions in the J&K UT under the leadership of our dynamic Prime Minister Nerendra Modi.