"India Has Talent To Be Among World's Best Skating Nations, Sustained Effort Missing": Anoli Shah To NDTV

India still remains a few steps away from becoming a 'sporting nation'. While the country remains the financial center for a sport like cricket, other sports have found it difficult to find space. One such sport is skating, and there's arguably no one better to understand the sport than Gujarat's Anoli Shah, one of India's most decorated athletes in the sport, with about 400 national and international medals to her name. The challenges for Shah, however, have been monumental. From fighting personal battles of self-doubts to making a living with the sport, Anoli has had quite a journey. 

In an exclusive chat with NDTV, Anoli touched upon some of the most crucial topics of her journey as a speed skating professional.

Q1) About a year ago you said India could be a top skating nation with just 5-10% more effort. Do you think that effort is still missing or has there been a push at some level?

India is a land brimming with untapped potential in sports, and skating is no exception. Although niche sports have taken center-stage in recent years thanks to global exposure and rise of social media, we are still far from the cohesive, nationwide push that's needed. The effort should therefore not just be about training hard but also about building an ecosystem that nurtures talent from the grassroots.

This involves creating top-notch infrastructure, engaging knowledgeable coaches, and fostering a mindset shift where newer forms of sports are seen as viable and respected career paths for athletes. With incremental changes - be it in policy, sponsorship, or awareness, India has the talent to compete among the world's best skating nations. However, to truly achieve this we need sustained, collective effort from every stakeholder