Today's kids are blessed with parents backing their aspiration to shine in sports

Be it the likes of Viabhav Suryavanshi, a 14-year-old boy who scored the fastest century in the ongoing IPL or the spinners in an IPL match, who are carving a name for themselves with their exceptional sporting skills, it is mainly because of the keen interest and encouragement that they received from their parents.

- STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE

Thanks to the change in the attitude of the parents, and the availability of opportunities for the kids to showcase their talent, is on the rise. This is something which was missing say some 20 or 30 or 40 years ago, when a lad called Prakash Padukone was struggling to make a place under the sun for himself in the world of badminton. The living legend told The Statesman that in earlier times, the parents' focus would be more on academics and career.

"Talent was there, then too, in sports and in every other aspect of life too. But clearly there were not too many opportunities, and especially in smaller towns and villages," Padukone said, warming up to the subject of "Boys thrashing Men" in sports, in cricket and in many other sports too in India.