India's leading cueist Pankaj Adv on Tuesday said that if the country calls itself a 'sporting nation' then it needs to celebrate the achievements of all the athletes equally.
"I think it is all about perception. If we call ourselves a sporting nation and we say that we have become a sporting giant in the world of sports then I think we need to celebrate the achievements of all our athletes equally and not just one or two sports," Adv told .
Although admitting he is not aloof from the fact that cricket is India's 'favourite sport', Adv feels the government need to review their policies a bit.
"I understand that every country has its favourite sport and obviously, in India, it is cricket. There is no escape in that fact. But I also feel that when it comes to Olympic or non-Olympic sports, the policies are heavily loaded in the favour of Olympic sports. I feel that the government, whether the centre or the state government, can look at reviewing the policies a bit so that it brings about more equality in the way sport is perceived and supported," he said.
Suggesting a way to popularise the sport of snooker and billiards, Adv said there is a need to have a franchise-based league on television to educate the public.
"Any of the precision sports, which require a lot of concentration and in which India is doing really well in, I think we should back them. The need of the hour is to have sport televised and I feel that the federation needs to get this done as soon as they can. Because a lot of sports being televised with the professional league running so well and so efficiently like kabaddi, table tennis, volleyball, badminton and cricket," Adv said.
"So there is a need to have a franchise-based league on television to educate the public and also give young aspirants a hope that they can make a career out of the game," he added.
Adv recently won his 23rd world title in Myanmar. Reflecting on the same, he said: "The journey has been incredible and I am so glad to have won my 23rd world title. It has been a very successful trip to Myanmar."
( With inputs from ANI )