Micropolix V5 | Jason D'Souza | XIMB | Batch of 2018-20

My introduction to basketball was rather serendipitous. After a back injury, while goalkeeping for my school had sidelined me for two years, there was no way my mother was letting me get back to football. A sudden growth spurt coupled with the backing of my state-level basketball champion of a cousin sister, I decided to give this new sport a try. Ever since that day, for the last 14 years, the four lines spanning 28x15 meters have been a major part of my life.

In these 14 years, I have tasted the highest of highs like playing for my district – Mumbai (North), and being part of the Maharashtra State Camp; and have witnessed the lowest of lows like fractured fingers, swollen ligaments, and twisted ankles. In this roller coaster of a ride, I believe, I have only gained. I found great mentors, teammates, coaches, but above all, I made many friends. The game taught me leadership, humility, perseverance, build my resolve to fight against all odds, and made me feel like a champion.

I decided to take this hobby and make it a part of my career as I worked with a sports management firm for nearly 1.5 years which only helped me take my obsession with this game, to the next level.

As I entered a new phase of life in XIMB, I was apprehensive that the rigour of an MBA curriculum would get the better of me and my love for the game. To my surprise, I not only learned to make time for the game, but I also found like-minded people, who eventually became my teammates and took off on an exciting new journey altogether.

In my first year representing XIMB, our basketball team toiled hard and finished on the podium at every single tournament we were invited to, with a couple of gold medals to show for it. As we enter the second year, now with the additional responsibility of my captaincy at hand, I aim to replicate the success and comradery that we had and take it to the next level.

My journey at XIMB so far wouldn’t be as fun without the game and my goal, post my MBA is to continue on this exciting journey. At XIMB, I aim to arm myself with skills that would help me start my own sports management firm someday and help me fulfil my dream of a sports-loving India - one where a child could pick between being a manager at an MNC or a national level hockey player, and live with no regrets.

Jason D'Souza
Class of 2020
Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar