Is Kerala becoming irrelevant in athletics?
Kerala is a state that has always left a golden mark in the Indian sports arena, especially in athletics. It is the land that gave birth to legendary athletes like P.T. Usha, Shiny Wilson, Anju Bobby George, T.C. Yohannan, and Suresh Babu. Until recently, Malayali excellence was prominent in Indian athletics. However, today, one has to search hard to find Malayali athletes winning medals at national athletic meets. The state's sharp decline is most visible in the sub-junior and junior levels. If this decline continues, Kerala’s rich legacy in athletics may soon become a thing of the past, and within five years, there may hardly be any Malayali stars competing at the senior level. All these concerns were highlighted in the recent series 'Trackil Ninnu Keralam Maayumbol,' authored by Ansar S. Raj and published by Kerala Kaumudi.
The current situation is largely due to the poor condition of sports hostels and stadiums run by the state government, the sports department, and the Sports Council. Earlier this year, when Kerala slipped to 14th position in the National Games held in Uttarakhand, sports authorities tried to justify the failure with excuses instead of sincerely acknowledging mistakes or finding solutions. As a result, Kerala continued to fall behind in subsequent national competitions. Even states like Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, and Gujarat — which were once far behind Kerala in athletics — have now overtaken us. What’s worse is the lack of serious effort to analyse or understand what went wrong.
Today, many of India’s top athletes are emerging from Tamil Nadu. Their growth is fueled by athletic clubs and academies thriving in small towns and villages. Odisha’s sports development owes much to consistent government support — the state has even come forward to sponsor the Indian hockey team. The Kalinga Sports Complex in Bhubaneswar is always ready to host any national event. Gujarat has made notable progress by building sports complexes with grounds and indoor facilities in every district centre. Similarly, in states like Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, the respectful treatment and recognition given to talented athletes have encouraged more children to enter the sports field.
In contrast, in Kerala, students in sports hostels often do not get proper food, jerseys, or timely training camps. Many athletes are forced to pay out of pocket for travel to national competitions due to a lack of travel allowances. Most stadiums in the state have been turned into commercial venues, barring entry to actual athletes. Sports could be the best way to protect youth from the clutches of drug abuse, but the current environment in Kerala does little to encourage children or their parents to take up sports. If the government and the Sports Council do not intervene urgently and decisively, Kerala will fade into irrelevance not just in athletics but in the entire field of sports. The foundations are already crumbling. A superficial coat of whitewash won’t save the building. Only by identifying young sporting talent and nurturing them can Kerala hope to remain in the race. That effort must begin now, and with urgency.