Lessons of Life through sports

The benefits of sports are innumerable. If you’re under the assumption that the only benefits of playing sports are physiological, think again. A person who plays a sport picks up many qualities including teamwork, accountability and leadership skills. In fact, many successful individuals around us are high performers because of a sport.

When it comes to Bollywood’s acclaimed lyricist Gulzar, there’s more than what meets the eye. He loves playing tennis; the sport keeps him busy, active and child-like.  

The 84-year-old’s victory in the Bandra Gymkhana Tournament recently is a testimony to how seriously he takes the sport.

“Whenever I play tennis, it keeps the boy inside me alive,” says Gulzar, adding, “I have many friends who play tennis and we all practise every day in the morning. Over the years, the sport has broadened my horizons and taught me how to take a defeat.”

For a municipal Commissioner, B. Janardhan Reddy, the day isn’t complete without a game of badminton. In fact, he ascribes his successful stint to the sport stating that the more he plays, the more he works.

“I picked up the sport when I was attending University. And there’s been no looking back since. I have been playing badminton for the last 25 years,” shares Janardhan.

He further adds, “I worked in several places as Collector and Joint-Collector; and in all those places, I made sure I played badminton. When I used to be extremely caught up with work and did not have the time to play during the daytime. So I used to play at 11 pm.”

Even in his mid-50’s Janardhan Reddy continues to win championships.

What does playing badminton mean to him? He replies, “The best part of sports is that it is a great leveller. I may be the Commissioner at the office but when I go to a badminton court, I play with everyone. So people (opponents) are respected. That’s what badminton taught me, to treat people equally,” adding, “Even today, I play badminton for one hour and it is a stress buster. The hormones that are released early in the morning help in maintaining emotional balance. It helps me in making decisions at work.”

For ENT Surgeon Vidyasagar Dumpala, training in martial arts and karate helped in improving his concentration and performing long surgeries. Vidyasagar won Bronze medals in the Kumite category in Spain (2015) and the World Championship in Ireland, recently.

“Karate was my hobby and I enrolled at Okinawa Martial Arts Academy under Master Shihan Saikumar. And now karate is part of my life,” he reveals. Vidyasagar felt karate would be an ideal way to stay fit for doctors. Apart from it being an art of self-defence, he states that karate made him stay more focused and calm.

“As a doctor, I have to be on my toes all the time and run around during an emergency. So karate helps me stay composed and focused during a crisis.” he reveals.

“I practice for an hour every day. I have been taking part in international competitions over the last few years. All the years of practice have now enabled me to strike a work-life balance,” explains Vidyasagar.