Bodybuilding now gains popularity in India: Premchand Dogra

Our Sports Reporter

GUWAHATI: He is undoubtedly the king of Indian bodybuilding. Premchand Dogra, the former Mr Universe and Padma Shri awardee, is in the city in connection with the 30th Mr Sariaghat RG Baruah Classic Body Building Championship which was held today. In an interaction with The Sentinel on Saturday Dogra, who also holds the post of president in Indian Body Builders Federation, feels the game has good future in India.

What is the current scenario of Bodybuilding sports in India?

It’s very encouraging. Now we have good pool of body builders and young generation is taking the game seriously. At present we have 45 state and institutional units and many organizations have started to encourage the bodybuilders in different way like giving job or promotion.

TS: Is it same in the North Eastern regions also?

Yes. Earlier Assam and Manipur were the two states which produced bodybuilders on regular basis. Now Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Meghalaya also joined with them and we are getting quality body builders from those states including women category too.

TS: How the changes were possible?

Look, it didn’t happen in a single day. We have to do a lot of work to reach in today’s position. When we took charge, we discussed on several occasions on how to develop and popular the game in the country. What we found was that there was big communication gap between the officials and the participants. First we removed the gap. Any bodybuilders now can meet us during the competition or communicate us by any way to lodge his complain or can discuss any other problem he is facing. We are always ready to cooperate him. The other thing is that we have given same status to the body builders that generally earlier given only to the officials. Now bodybuilders check in same hotels with the officials, even if it is five star category, when they come to participate in a competition. The cash award is also another factor. Now bodybuilders getting attractive cash award in different competition.

TS: What kind of support the game is getting from the corporate sectors?

The corporate sector too has now started to show interest in this game. There are a few corporate sectors like Hero who extended their support to this game and regularly releasing funds from their CISR activity.

TS: Your advice to the new generation who want to come in this game.

I want to give two simple advices -start the game very early stage like 11-12 years and take only natural diet.

TS: A body builder needs costly supplement on regular basis to keep his body in proper shape...

It’s totally wrong conception. You need quality diet and that must be natural. At the same time if you do regular exercise under the supervision of an expert then you don’t need to spend extra money to become the best body builders in your locality, district or in the country. Young generation should understand that one can achieve success by hard work only and there is no short cut. I feel spending money to purchase supplement in huge quantity is absolutely useless.

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