CSC Staff Bags Medal in Tennis
Ashwin Bhaskar started playing tennis at the age of nine. Tennis for him is a therapy and an outlet from daily humdrum. He was a part of the IIT Delhi team that bagged a bronze at the inter IIT Staff Sports Meet held at IIT Khargapur recently.
In an interview with Dr Vanita Srivastava of the Communication Cell Ashwin advocates the need to take up a sport activity for a balanced physical and mental growth.
Edited excerpts of the interview:
When did you start playing tennis?
Well, I was always enamoured with the tennis matches on TV. But my real romance with the sport started when I got my first racket at the age of nice. Since then, tennis has been an integral part of my life. I started representing my school at various events, even joined a training academy to hone my skills. In the last few years, I have been able to play with different players. Besides bolstering my confidence, this has helped me get a broader picture of the sport.
Over the years, how has tennis helped you grow?
Tennis has helped me balance myself both physically and mentally. I look at it as a therapy to evaporate my stress . Besides, I have learnt that success and failure in any domain are fleeting.
Who is your role model in tennis?
Roger Federer has always been my role model.
How did you prepare for the inter IIT meet?
We had daily practice sessions in the evening. During the weekends we used to practice in the morning. Besides field practices, I also browsed through a host of videos of good tennis players, mostly on You Tube and tried to understand their style of playing.
Your father was also with you in the team. Were you nervous?
My father picked up the sport after watching me play at the age of 40. His presence in the team was a booster as this was my maiden participation at the IIT sports meet. These kind of platforms help in cementing family relations.
Were there any tense moments during the match?
Not really, everything was almost smooth. But we had some anxious moments during the League matches as one of the main players of our team could not make it. He finally joined us for the semi finals.
What do you generally target at while playing?
I personally prefer rallies. I strive to keep every ball within the court, this helps to build the points.
What are your weak points in the sport?
I need to improve my ‘vollies’. This calls for more intense practice sessions.
Do you play any other sport?
I like to play badminton.
Lastly, what does this medal mean to you?
It really means a lot to me. I am hopeful that next time we are able to get a gold.