Role Models

In cricket one particular trend is really observable. If youngsters see a particular set of players doing well at a certain discipline of the game, they emulate them. Pakistan traditionally produced lots of fast bowlers. But before Kapil Dev India did not have a very good pace bowler. But after Kapil Dev India got a steady supply of pace bowlers. The youngsters were inspired by Kapil's example and took up pace bowling. Hence in the next decades you had pace bowlers like Srinath, Prasad, Ajit Agarkar, Zaheer Khan, Nehra, RP Singh, Varun Aaron, Umesh Yadav and others.

Anil Kumble initially started off as a medium pacers but he took to leg brake bowling, probably directly or indirectly being influence by the examples of BS Chandrashekhar, one of the greats spinners India ever produced. Kids look up for role models, they try to become like their role models in every discipline.

This is the reason why in tennis we see so many champions coming from countries with low population like Australia and Switzerland. Actually tennis being such a popular sport in these countries, the youngsters emulate their heroes, take up the game and some of them become excellent in that sport.

When it comes to kids role models have a big impact of their psyche. They tend to copy even little movement of their heroes, whether it be chewing a gum, hairstyle, way of talking etc. So its very vital that kids have good role models. Like Sachin Tendulkar and Anil Kumble were great role models. Their on field and off field conduct was excellent and many youngsters emulated them.

Moving outside sports we had our former president and scientist Dr APJ Abdul Kalam who was a wonderful role model. His life itself is an inspiration to millions of youngsters in India and across the world and I am sure looking at his example many students will be encouraged to become scientists and do research in the field of Science and Technology.