We bring to you an interview with Abhishek Shetty, Sports Star of Fr. Agnel Business School, Mumbai College (2014-16)
1. Brief Introduction about yourself
I am Abhishek Shetty. I am currently pursuing MBA in Marketing from Fr. C. Rodrigues Institute of Management Studies (Fr. Agnel Business School). I am a BMS graduate from SIES College of Arts, Science and Commerce. I’ve done my schooling from St Lawrence.
2.Tell us something about your interest areas. Which all sports to you play?
I play a few sports like tennis, badminton, cricket but football is my heart and soul. I never miss an opportunity to play football, be it with my friends or in some competition. When I’m not physically playing football, I’m on my computer playing FIFA. I’m addicted to football.
3.What motivated you to take up a particular sport?
I’ve played a lot of football during my school days. I was deeply motivated by players like Ronaldinho, Zidane, and Messi to take up football. The joy I get while playing football is exceptional.
4. Give details about the competitions you have participated in and awards won? (If applicable)
I’ve played in a lot of competitions and managed to win a few of them. I, along with my team, stood first in the Intra College fest “Sprints” in SIES College of Arts, Science and Commerce during my graduation days.
5. How do you balance academics and sports?
It is very important to achieve a balance between academics and sports. I always make time to play sports. I take out at least half an hour every day for it. Playing sports is like a stress buster. It is like a fresh breath of air to me.
6. How important do you think is the involvement in Extra- Curricular activities?
Extra- Curricular activities can work to build professional skills that a classroom alone cannot always foster. The student who is busy with coursework but also needs to balance two other extracurricular activities is more likely to plan out time dedicated to each activity and less likely to procrastinate during downtimes. An extracurricular activity might even have the effect of “recharging” the brain after a day of rigorous schoolwork, allowing students to return to homework assignments with a refreshed mind. From strengthening the mind to promoting better time management skills, extracurricular activities can help students succeed in much more than just their academic endeavours.
7. Comment on the status of sports (you are interested in) in our country and how it can be promoted.
India is a country where Cricket is the favourite sport and it is very difficult for any other sport to make a dominant mark in our country. I believe that India has a lot of potential when it comes to football. There’s a huge amount of talent that is being wasted because of lack of opportunities. However, there have recently been efforts taken by Football Federation of India to give opportunities to players in India like the ISL tournament which allows international players to participate and play with the young talents and give them the experience which in other cases wouldn’t have been possible. We have seen the likes of Messi, Maradona coming to India and play friendly matches, also players like Sunil Chhetri and Bhaichung Bhutia should become the brand ambassadors of Indian football and should help in taking football to another level.
8. Lastly, any message for your junior batch mates?
- Study well, focus on academics.
- Be confident.
- Inculcate smart work habits.
- Be independent, take your own decisions, and do not run with the herd.
- Enjoy hobbies, focus on holistic development, do some extra- curricular activities.