It has never been easy for me to answer this question, and it makes me uneasy to explain what it feels like to be born in one country and brought up in another - amidst a completely different culture and people.
Although I am an Indian, a significant part of who I am is somehow deeply rooted in the beautiful Sultanate of Oman. Being a third-culture kid has allowed me to enjoy the best of both worlds. I will never be able to choose between them both. I believe that both cultures have significantly influenced me to become who I am today and have made me a highly adaptable, culturally savvy, and open-minded individual.
Sport has been deeply rooted in me since my childhood; it has essentially become an inherent part of my being and my identity. I was actively involved in Cricket and Athletics in particular. At the age of 13, I walked into a nearby Cricket Club, and it was at that moment that I discovered my passion for Cricket and thus began my cricketing journey. Over the next couple of years, I trained very hard to develop my skills, attended various training programs in Oman and India, and represented various clubs and my school in a plethora of tournaments. I further decided that I owed it to myself to take it to the next level, and that is when I got my first opportunity to appear for the Oman U-19 National Team trials when I was in class 10th. I was pumped and very eager to make it into the team, and I had a decent domestic season to back up my confidence. With the selection trials spanning over a month, many players got eliminated along the way. It was the last session - and I had survived all the way and was confident that I would get selected - but that didn’t happen, and I was disheartened and felt dejected.
I still distinctly remember crying my lungs out through the phone, informing my parents that I could not make it. I had withdrawn into a cocoon for over a month, with zero motivation to get back onto the field. But then, I realized that I could not, and would not, give up so easily - because giving up is not something my parents have ever taught me. I decided to give it another try and trained hard for an entire year. I analyzed my mistakes, rectified them, and polished my existing skills. I knew I had to make it when the next opportunity arose. I had incredibly supportive parents who would accompany me to the training ground, early in the morning, every day, for over a year.
The time for the trials had come again, and this time, I knew I had to make a difference. I easily cleared the first rounds of selection and moved on to the trial matches. It was crucial for me to put up a top-notch performance to secure my spot on the team. I knew I had a lot of people backing me and was feeling confident as a result of all the training and hard work I had put in for over 2 years. I ended up with an impressive score of 4 wickets in the 10 overs that were given to me while conceding only 30 odd runs. I was elated and knew that I had caught the attention of the selectors. Over the next week, I nervously waited for my call up to the team. And on 23 November 2017, I got my call. I had toiled for years, day in and day out, putting my blood and sweat into the training sessions, and the moment had finally arrived for me to reap the fruits of the sacrifices- the missed movies and outings, the early mornings, sweltering afternoons and chilly nights.. I distinctly remember the joy and pride on my parents’ faces. I knew how much they had to sacrifice in order to get me there.
The feeling of representing an entire nation, donning the national colors, for a country that had essentially been my home for over 15 years, was fulfilling- it was a privilege that cannot be matched with any other experience.
After over a year, I graduated from school and decided to return to India to pursue my higher education. While I wanted to be a cricketer with all my heart, I wanted to do it at the highest level, donning the Indian blues. But I knew that the journey wouldn’t be a walk in the park, I knew that the probabilities were not in my favor. It was around this time that I got to know about the Integrated Programme in Management (IPM) offered by IIM Rohtak. I was intrigued by the opportunity as I dreamt of pursuing my education at a premier institution. I took a heart-wrenching decision to give up on my dream to be a cricketer and represent India at the highest level. I entirely focused on my IPMAT preparation for over two months and attempted the exam and the subsequent WAT-PI rounds. After over 2 weeks, the wait was finally over; the results were out and to my delight, I had cleared the process and made it to the program. But I was at a crossroads; I had to take a very tough decision of choosing between chasing my passion for cricket and joining the program. After considering my options and having long discussions with my parents, I finalized my decision to leave cricket behind and move forward with my higher education.
And today, having spent over 3 years at IIM Rohtak, I am filled with immense gratitude to have received the opportunity to learn and grow along with numerous meaningful experiences and memories. Being here at IIM Rohtak, I have not given up my passion for sports and constantly grabbed opportunities to be involved in sports. I am currently a part of the Sports Committee at IIM Rohtak, nurturing a sporting culture at the institute and sharing my passion for sports with my peers.
As for the future, I see myself playing an integral part in the Indian Sports Industry, albeit from the management and business side of things, rather than on the field. I aspire to contribute substantially to the growth of the Sports Management scene and further strengthen the sporting culture and structure in the country.
Today, when I look back I realize how important it is to have the right focus and the determination to stick to your decisions because your life gets shaped on the basis of the choices that you make throughout.
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