KhelAdhikar

01/01/2020

I was a super active kid, and loved playing all kinds of games. But badminton struck a chord with me. I could play it relentlessly for hours together. It became my passion eventually turning into my profession. The journey of becoming a professional athlete has its own opportunity cost. During school days I missed many classes while participating in tournaments. My social life took a dip. I prioritized practice sessions over parties. The payoff from these choices is a gamble in the uncertain environment of sports in our country. Sports provided me with opportunities to travel and learn from different countries, people and cultures. It introduced me to values that go beyond the ambit of school curriculum. It has taught me humility while winning, determination while trying and grace while losing. It has instilled confidence and belief in my abilities. But the entry into the professional circuit along with sustenance, progress and maintenance of peak performance is a challenging endeavour. The quality of personalized coaching, family support, access to sports infrastructure, facilities along with sports governance has impacted the progress of my career.
I have always taken charge of all aspects in my sphere of control and never shied away from long training sessions, back to back tournaments or compliance with a strict diet regimen. I have put my heart and soul every time I am on the badminton court. My parents, my school, the State Federation and the Sports Authority of Gujarat have always backed me at every step. I just hope one day every child can have the same opportunity and encouragement to follow their sporting dreams.
As a professional athlete, you find yourself in a constant mental battle when you do not see tangible results. But I believe having short term goals and reviewing them constantly, helps in getting you closer to your desired goal. This year my aim is to improve my national and international ranking and to better the graph of my game and fitness. To be an Olympic athlete is everyone’s dream, but as it is said, ‘It’s not every four years, it’s every day’.
(Anoushka Parikh- International Badminton Player, Women and Mixed Doubles) @ Ahmedabad, India

30/05/2019

“In gambling, the many must lose in order that the few may win” – George Bernard Shaw
Esports is a growing at an unbelievable pace across the world. This frenzy of this phenomenon has gripped India as well. There are various pros and cons which are associated with its developments. The issues of the fledgling attempts to regulate Esports in India have already been discussed in the previous blogposts. This week Ishwar Singh Punia, analyses the aspect of integrity issues of Esports with a primary focus on the regulation of betting and gambling industry.

“In gambling, the many must lose in order that the few may win” – George Bernard Shaw Esports is a growing at an unbelievable pace across the world. This frenzy of this phenomenon has gripped Indi…

23/03/2019

Being an athlete in India has its own set of challenges. I practiced gymnastics for years before deciding to study medicine from Bangalore Medical College. Defeciency in infrastructure and allied facilities made gymnastics an uncertain pursuit. But life without sports was unimaginable. Therefore, I gravitated towards athletics and within 6 months, won a gold medal for the South Zone in heptathlon.
During one of the athletic events, I was introduced to Pole Vault. On seeing it, I felt as if I could do it. Within few months of practice, I created a new state record. Then there was no turning back. I practiced relentlessly despite the shifting of the national camp from Bangalore and the difficulties of long-distance coaching. My coach, LS Upadhyay was posted in Delhi and persevered with me, always evaluating my performances through videos. There were days when after a 36 hour shift during internship, I would first head to practice before going home. All the hardwork certainly paid off and I won a gold medal in 2011 National Championships. I also participated and excelled in Asian Indoor and Outdoor Championships.
In 2013, after my internship, the problem of lack of sophistication and expertise for advanced coaching posed a problem yet again. This difficulty opened a new opportunity for me. I got a chance to train under the famous coaches Dan Pfaff and Greg Hull at the World Athletics Centre in Arizona, USA. After persistent efforts of crowd funding, I started training there. This experience introduced me to the technicalities of the sport, I was previously unaware about. But after sometime, owing to a knee injury, I had to go under the knife. The recovery has been gradual and there are recurring bouts of pain and trouble.
Pole Vault is my passion and I will certainly continue honing this art. I have also started mentoring some girls and it is delightful to see them perform well at Khelo India Games. This sport has taught me that to fly high you have to give up everything that weighs you down. And I have decided to make things happen for the betterment of pole vault in the country. (Khyati Vakharia - National Pole Vault Champion and Medical Professional) @ Bangalore, India

08/03/2019

Ultimate Frisbee epitomizes the value of fair play. There is no referee in this sport; players call their own foul and re-do a play if they can’t come to a consensus. The sport is mix-gender and provides an opportunity for all genders to compete together at the international level.

I was introduced to this sport during school and then found members of Chennai Ultimate Frisbee in college. The journey with the sport has continued since and I have been playing it for 9 years now. This sport is a little over a decade old in the country and raising awareness about the sport and gathering audience for it is still an uphill task.

The players have to finance their expenses at national tournaments. Luckily corporate and community support in the past few years has made sending international teams easier. The national federation - Ultimate Players Association India does not receive government support, and the body is working towards meeting the requirements of the government for the appropriate recognition.

Government support can resolve many existing defeciencies. Presently, we do not have access to quality grass fields and are often shooed off the beaches from holding tournaments citing untenable environmental concerns.

Ultimate Frisbee requires immense athleticism, and the players have to catch, dive and run for an entire stretch of 90 minutes. Passing with a disc is highly susceptible to the wind and requires skill-based mastery.

Increased participation will bring in more public, government, and commercial support in the long run.
It is with this mindset I've been coaching junior Frisbee players, mentoring and creating work opportunities for athlete-coaches. I was also fortunate to represent India in U.S State Department's Sports Diplomacy program. Introduction to Ultimate Frisbee was one of the best things that has happened to me and I am determined to make the sport more accessible. I'm excited to continue doing the same and more through my initiative, “Play Nice”. We work on projects that help resolve conflict and improve quality of life.
( Sangeetha Manoharan #81 – Indian Ultimate Frisbee Athlete | Founder of Organisation – Play Nice )
@ Chennai, India

16/02/2019

"The public gives us a lot of respect and support. Whenever we enter any ground to practice cricket they immediately try and make space for us and make things convenient. This is extremely helpful especially when there has been very little effort to develop disabled sports infrastructure in the country. But despite all odds, whether it be lack of recognition from BCCI or negligible government funding, fall short in the face of undying passion of para athletes, enthusiastic public support from private sponsors and benevolent people of Karnataka. Their support along with the amount pooled in by the players themselves is helping the Divyaang Myithri Sports Academy (DMSA) bring in a change in the lives of disabled people through sports.

I used to play wheelchair tennis initially and was ranked 2 in the country. It was problematic to fund foreign tournaments as although Indian Wheelchair Tennis Association is recognized by AITA, there is no aid for the players. This necessitated a change to a different sporting avenue which introduced me to Wheelchair Cricket and led to the formation of DMSA.

The journey has been phenomenal. From people voluntarily pitching in to coach free of cost to playing international tournaments and getting appreciated for our talent and effort makes a lot of difference. I feel DMSA has given a sense of purpose to all of us. There was a time when a Karnataka Ranji player was having suicidal thoughts on his inability to play cricket for the team because of an acquired permanent disability. Wheelchair cricket connected him with his passion and provided a purpose to live. As it is not financially viable for us to just play cricket, we work on weekdays but make it a point to practice on weekend. Recently, we have also started participating in various national and international tournaments. I hope our academy is able to create a sports school for the para athletes. After all, being disabled should never mean being disadvantaged." (Shiv Prasad - Founder Divyaang Myithri Sports Academy and Vice - Captain Indian Wheelchair Cricket Team)


@ Bangalore, India

31/01/2019

For me sports was something, I used to participate in during my college life. I was bit of an athlete then and engaged in activities such as long distance running, hockey and cricket. But with the onset of professional life, my physical fitness hit rock-bottom. Not only I had become the victim of the accompaniments of a sedentary professional life, but was also an addicted smoker. At the age of 49, finally I made the choice to lead a healthy and fit life.
The idea to start cycling came from a friend’s suggestion to participate in Pune’s Adventure Race Trek bike hike of 150 kilometers. This recommendation completely changed the direction of my life. I loved cycling from the very moment I began riding the bike. I was also mesmerized by the different parts of the cycle and enjoyed assembling them. The best part was, it all came naturally to me. Cycling provided me with the joy, thrill, freedom and adventure I had never experienced. Fitness was no longer a forced endeavor but a way of life that I fell in love with.
It has been 8 years since I have been participating in competitive cycling and the happiness it provides me with is unexplainable. On any weekday, my daily routine starts with waking up at 5 am, and starting the day with cycling or any other physical activity till 7 30 am, followed by a coffee break with friends. It is mainly on weekends that I participate in competitions or practice for long durations. The changed lifestyle has had transformational repercussions on my life. I feel twice fit compared to what I felt 8 years back, am fresh throughout the day, and can concentrate better at work. Some people feel I am actually reverse aging!!! Exposure to cycling was a game changer for me. All I would say is, When in Doubt, Pedal it out!- (Prashant Tidke, Partner at a C.A. Firm - P. G. Joshi and Co)

@ Pune, Maharashtra

01/12/2018

The article, written by Rishika Mendiratta which was first published on KhelAdhikar has been republished on The Bridge.

2018 saw the court getting involved in indigenous sports with cultural significance like Jallikattu and Dahi Handi.

30/11/2018

“I love climbing mountains, exploring and living life one adventure at a time. It gives me a unique sense of independence, utmost happiness and a lasting satisfaction from my endeavors. Mountaineering has been an indispensable part of my life since I was 13 years old. It was only a matter of time when random trysts with adventure eventually led me to take a course in Mountain Climbing and convert my passion into an earnest pursuit.

Being the youngest Indian boy, who climbed Mount Everest from North ridge and the first person in the world, who stayed at the top of Mt.Kilimanjaro for 22 hours is surely a great feeling. But my journey has just begun. I plan to successfully complete the Explorer Grand Slam which involves climbing the highest peak of all the seven continents. Presently, I have already completed two continents and am focusing on the next 5. I strongly believe that every mountain top is within your reach if you just keep climbing.

My journey as an adventurer and explorer has been similar to the path of any mountainous destination. It has thrown me its unique challenges and difficulties where no amount of planning is sufficient to prevent uncertain natural externalities. Life is like a climb and there can certainly be no defined criteria for success in any situation.

Despite being the youngest person from Madhya Pradesh to climb the Mount Everest, support from government was never there. I had to mortgage our house to finance my Everest expedition. The success of my efforts did give me accolades and appreciation but still arranging for sponsors and financial aid is a constant struggle. People of Madhya Pradesh having lovingly conferred me with the nickname Mowgli. Just like him, as I take over bigger expeditions I believe we need to, ‘Forget about our worries and our strife, the bare necessities of life will come to us’!!! “– Madhusudhan Patidar - (Everester | Professional Mountaineer | Speaker-TEDx |International Mountain Guide |) Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/patidaedeepak1 @ Madhya Pradesh

22/11/2018

“Sport is part of every man and woman’s heritage and its absence can never be compensated for.” Pierre De Coubertin

The Supreme Court of India on 20.8.2018 agreed to hear a PIL pertaining to the inclusion of sports as a part of fundamental rights. The Apex Court also issued notices to the Centre, State governments and Union Territories seeking directions on this matter. The judicial deliberation on this issue will certainly be a thorough endeavor in the coming months.

There are various facets to be considered while analyzing the feasibility and rationality of inclusion of sports as a right. KhelAdhikar has made an attempt through a report to research on some of the parameters, established and emerging international jurisprudence to understand the viability and appropriateness of such a measure.

The report may not provide all answers and all perspectives but it tries to touch upon some of the pertinent aspects in 70 odd pages.

Please give it a read and let us know your views.
Happy Reading!!!!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wzyCR18Lg28GwkTM61QMNxJEmw-fsGJh/view?usp=sharing

16/11/2018

The good thing is, I know what I want to do.This is because I know my work is helping me inch closer in making a perceptible change in the sporting environment of educational colleges in the country. Although, the exact modalities and mechanism of accomplishing my dream is still a work in progress.

It all began, when I got an opportunity to play for a football club – RUSH in the United States of America for an entire month after standard XII. I was excited, as I was living the dream of so many budding footballers in the country. Soon after the short stint, I was faced with the reality of choosing an academic career path. As is true for many middle class Indian kids, pursuing a sporting career is considered a risky pursuit in comparison to reliable academic pursuits that presumptuously guarantee the possibility of a decent source of income. This eventually landed me into sports management.

But my experience stayed with me. I wanted to make college sports big and profitable for the budding athletes so that academic pursuits do not come at the sacrifice of sporting dreams.
This idea led to the formulation of the sports festival - JUNOON. Presently the prime focus is on football and involves colleges across Mumbai, but the success of the pilot launch of the project in early 2018 is certainly indicative of a definitive expansion to other sports as well. The unique feature of JUNOON is the reward for energetic participation by fans. Such features help in the creation of sports culture. After all, sports festivals are all about celebration of our undying spirit to excel, improve and learn as an active or passive participant. It is time that the sporting spirit of young athletes are nurtured and cherished and JUNOON is a step in that direction. Let the Indian sporting revolution begin!!! – Vinit Shah(Co-Founder&Event head: Junoon Sports festival)
You may checkout their page - https://www.facebook.com/JunoonSportsFest/ and Instagram handle at-
@ Mumbai, Maharashtra

06/11/2018

“The heart, kidney, lungs are being taken out of these reforms”- Justice RM Lodha (on implementation of the Lodha Committee recommendations by BCCI)

The BCCI –Lodha saga has seen many interesting twists and turns in the recent past. The attempts at cleansing the maladministration of cricket in the country has given mixed results and received halfhearted approval from the administrators. On August 9, 2018, Supreme Court of India approved, BCCI's new constitution, formulated largely in accordance with the Lodha Committee recommendations. Although 30 days, time frame was speculated for its implementation by the state associations, it is yet to garner complete acceptance. In this article, Atul Lakshman delineates the history, rationale and a succinct analysis of the revamped BCCI Constitution.

“The heart, kidney, lungs are being taken out of these reforms”- Justice RM Lodha (on implementation of the Lodha Committee recommendations by BCCI) The BCCI –Lodha saga has seen many interesting …

04/10/2018

" I just loved playing sports. Be it fencing, skipping, or handball. I even played handball at the national level. But one day during my high school, my P.Ed. Teacher introduced me to my Rugby coach Surhud Khare. I met him during a match between Pune and Hong Kong's women rugby team. I was completely mesmerized by the aggression, passion and the sheer flow and rhythm of the game.
There was no second thought about pursuing it. The very next day after my board exams I was on the field for training. Since then the association with the game has become synonymous with my existence. The values of respect, solidarity, integrity, passion and teamwork inherent in rugby have permeated all aspects of my life. The journey from chance association to becoming the captain of the Indian women's Rugby Team has been extremely special.
Rugby is considered to be a contact sport. There are misconceptions about it being rough and unruly. But this sport is beyond that. It teaches about the importance of respecting and being grateful to everyone around. You learn that every time you are tackled and get knocked down you need to get up and get going. It is certainly not just a game but a way of life.
My association with the game made me realize that the opportunity of benefitting from sports and physical education is not something which every child in our country equally enjoys. The pervasiveness of technology has diminished its importance as e-learning is preferred over physical education. I am determined to contribute in changing the present scenario. Therefore along with playing rugby, I am helping schools in Pune in designing their P.Ed curriculum through my initiative Beluga Sports. It is startling to see the impact regular physical activity at the primary level can make in their overall development. In India, academics are still given more importance. Sports is appreciated only if it is balanced well with studies. I studied and worked as a computer engineer while playing rugby. I hope our efforts make it possible for many others to chase their sporting dreams" (Neha Pardeshi – Indian Rugby Team Captain. She also runs the initiative Beluga Sports)