India’s medal haul at the recently concluded XXI Commonwealth Games at Gold Coast, Australia, has been rich with 26 gold, 20 silver and 20 bronze medals. This has not only been an encouraging development, but has also reinforced the fact that our country has no dearth of sporting talent.When it comes to sportspersons, Pune too boasts of a rich pool of talent. From cricketer Kedar Jadhav to the national women’s rugby team captain Neha Pardeshi, the city has nurtured many players and athletes. Taking this tryst forward, many college youngsters have shown promise in various sports. We met a few of them and engaged in a discussion about their passion, the status of sports in the country and its importance in a youngster’s life.Archery as a sport has started coming into the limelight since the last four years, with the government providing better facilities and coaches. In class VII, when I watched the game, I found it to be unique. I tried my hand at it and in a span of a year, started playing at national-level competitions. Now, I represent India internationally and my goal is to represent India in the 2020 Olympics. I somehow feel women in India are working harder in the field of sports and the result is evident from the recent Commonwealth Games.When I came across archery in school, I was so fascinated that I kept watching people practice. And when the coach approached me asking if I wanted to try it, I was more than happy to do so. I am leaving for the World Cup trials in a few days. Recently, I met Tejaswini Sawant (Indian shooter who won gold at the XXI Commonwealth Games). She has inspired me to try harder and carve a niche for myself in the international sporting stage.During my school days, it was compulsory for us to either choose karate or basketball. Karate was not my cup of tea, so I chose the latter. Watching at my seniors wear the ‘India’ jersey, sparked a fire in me to represent the country someday. I was recently part of the Indian team that played at the XXI Commonwealth Games. It was a very good experience and the support and facilities that the Indian Olympics Association and Basketball Federation of India gave us was incredible. I look forward to making the country proud at more such international games. This proves that sports other than cricket have also started receiving a lot of support. Schools have increasingly started realising the importance of sports in the overall personality development of students. This has started changing the perception of parents. Now, many parents agree that sports can be a good career option too.Since the age of four, I tagged along with my father who played badminton at a club in Chennai. I grew up watching players fighting it out and it did not take me long to follow suit. My focus right now is to win the state championships and reach the main draw of the nationals. The game has taught me that talent alone can’t guarantee success. You have to work hard to succeed in life. Sports also inculcates discipline in you. I feel that the sporting scenario in the country is not very encouraging. A successful athlete is given the status of a hero, while a not-so-successful one has to bear the brunt of societal pressure. They are told that their decision to get into sports was wrong. This attitude needs to change.I used to play basketball but enjoyed running more. So I used to skip basketball practice and go running. I am now a district-level marathon runner and am hoping to get better with each passing day. The Commonwealth Games achievements have inspired every sportsperson in the country and I am no different. I hope to reach that level someday. Running has taught me a lot – patience being the most important. Marathon is not a game of minutes; it requires consistency for at least a couple of hours.I am from Nagpur, a cricket loving city. After coming to Pune in class II, I fell in love with football. I remember the first time I played, I was tackled by a fellow player. A minute later when I got up, I knew football was for me.I have played for my school and college and my hard work was rewarded in 2014, when I got a call from the Maharashtra team to play in the National Indian Futsal Championship. This was a turning point as we won the tournament. People often complain about the ground conditions, playing kits and many other things, but the truth is, if you really buckle up and focus on things that matter, you will be happy to be doing the thing that you love. The recent achievements of our athletes at the Commonwealth Games have been very inspiring. Going ahead, I plan to launch a business model to create a platform that brings all football enthusiasts together.

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