The ICC (Indian Chamber of Commerce) organised the ‘India Physical Literacy’ conclave 2022 (Physical Literacy at ICC conclave), on Friday. The objective was to discuss the importance of physical, mental, psychological, social, and cognitive health among children and its role in overall well-being.

Aparna Popat, Ace Badminton Player, and Arjuna Awardee, one of the guests at the conclave, while sharing her childhood experience of training emphasised the importance of teachers’ and parents’ responses when kids are disheartened after losing a match. Sharing her personal experience she said, “while practising when I used to miss a shot my mother used to make a disappointed sound and I hated it. I asked her to do anything but not make that sound, because even if I miss, her approval will always be the most important thing for me.” She said, since then her parents were always there for her no matter the win or lose and this has been a very important part of her journey.

She also spoke about how good physical health supports mental well-being too.  While recounting another incident when she asked her mother one day why she never stopped her from playing and her mother replied “you were so happy when you played, how was I supposed to say no to you.”

When asked which was the most memorable game of her career, she replied “it was the 1998 Commonwealth Games, I won an individual silver, which was fine, but our team won the bronze. And every single member of the team went home with a medal. In 2002 I won an individual medal, it was the only medal that year which India won at CWG, it was not a very happy memory but the CWG was a very cherished one. This is team spirit and teamwork.”

Talking to The Statesman’s correspondent, Mr Debmalya Banerjee, Regional Director, ICC, said that “India is a very vast and diverse country, with the help of government we are reaching somewhere but it is humanly not possible for the government to solve the problem of Physical Literacy on an individual level. We support the initiative and do our best to spread awareness. Recently a group of representatives were sent from Haryana by the government to gain training on the topic. Now they will return to their state and train other people so the society can benefit as a whole.”

He pointed out that the initiatives taken by the ICC are paying back but, “any new idea takes time to penetrate”.