REBUILDING!!!!

So have been really really really busy in the last couple of weeks actually getting things started again... for starters Saina has won yet another tournament this one was even bigger than the Philippines open that she won so we are really proud of her and now the goal is to make sure she keeps improving we keep moving forward.
my goal for the next couple of months now is to actually have a good group of juniors in place and have not really done that till now because i have never had a precedent to follow and was not sure whether we were going in the right direction or not and didn't want to waste money but now i have a lot of clarity in at least the sports we have been involved with in the last couple of years and so it is just a matter of putting plans in place.
we are presently trying out 20 young archers in bangalore and hopefully will get a couple of good ones coming out of that. i would like to have the same process in all the other sports while adding more sports to the charter so in the process of doing the research. Any suggestions and tips will be welcome since the more people helping the better.

the road ahead....

my schedule is finally slowing down...was on a 4 day holiday and then had to zip to london to discuss the next steps with Mr. Mittal and family so a post has been long overdue.

Anyway things are looking great in terms of what we have achieved so far but now the bar has been raised for London and am excited at the challenge. 

The key for the next couple of months is getting a good group of athletes and a bigger pool. So there are a few core sports as of right now like shooting, archery and boxing and we need to expand those and try and reach out to as many people as possible. Am going to also go down to the grassroot level and help fund those which should create a good cycle of athletes in a few years. 

It is also imperative that we now reach out to the the other sports where we are not so good and start grooming people for the future. They might not be ready for the London Games but maybe the next ones after that. However it is important for the overall quality of sport in the country and hence am going to be looking into that. 

The sport i am eager to help because i don't believe we are far off is athletics because i feel like there are certain events we can do very well in and it is just a matter of getting the right training. So that is going to be my immediate project.

The archery program has already started with our korean coach having a month long trial for finally selecting the group. It is being held at the Jain School in bangalore which has some of the best facilities in the country. 

Change, Change, Change....

life has been busy busy since beijing and we are all coming off the adrenaline highs and life is slowly returning to normal... i would like to dedicate my post today to abhinav... of course we are all proud of him and of course he is the man of the moment... and of course i have now known him for sometime and we are friends... but finally someone has come out and spoken from the heart and shed light on the truth of the matter of indian sport and what a mess it is... i am so proud of the fact that there are very few people who have the guts to say it like it is and very few of our past winners has ever done anything about the whole picture... so here is a guy who has put it one the line and really wants to see a change in the way things happen... the truth is that it is not going to happen overnight but we all have to join hands and really push this through if things are ever going to change in this country... So those of you who don't live here... abhinav was guest editor at the times of india today and has really spelt out things the way they are... and now it is a matter of everyone teaming up and making this change happen. I think the world of this guy and now i am even more impressed with his character and desire to make india a better sporting country....

taking stock

ok so now the roller coaster ride also called the Olympics are drawing to an end (well for me they are already done) so it is time to get things back to normal... am on my way back to india as we speak and now am excited and scared and every other emotion because we have to keep improving and also start over in so many things. I have been so emotionally up and down and am looking forward to a much needed break (which is in 3 weeks) where i will actually have time to sit down and think... in the meanwhile i am proud of what we have been able to do over the past couple of years and now have to strive to get better... my athletes are also now believing in us and our systems and i am looking forward to them actually giving back and helping me out. The mittal champions trust has actually become something much bigger and now has a huge "fan" base of people willing to lend support and help so am happy that we can achieve a whole lot more and am aiming at least 7-10 medals at the next games :)

The time is now...

ok so we are less than 24 hours away from knowing whether akhil can win india its first ever boxing medal...
i am way tooo nervous to write, think, analyze, predict but i am saying this... the guy has a heart of a lion and urge all to pray for his success....
I told him today i am behind him win or lose... he replied to me saying he has "three" more bouts to go.... COME ON.... Lets bring this one home...
The momentum he will generate will bring our other two boxers in with flying colors i have no doubt... so i am expecting at least 3 medals....

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN..... IT IS THE AKHIL KUMAR SHOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes it is independence day and yes the others all had some tough luck so it was left up to my boy to keep the indian flag and more importantly spirit flying high....
And he did that in style... he was up against world champion russian boxer but that didn't matter because akhil has a mammoth heart and that in the end pulled him through.
I actually managed to muster up the courage and go and watch because akhil made me promise him that i would come and he told me this morning i had nothing to be nervous about.... Gosh darn it...wish i had listened to him and not been so nervous all day...
All credit to him and i have no doubt he will keep this going....
On another note, one of my closest friends lost today and he said he played his heart out so had no regrets... what is of note here is that even after he was so disappointed he came straight to support akhil at the boxing... He has been my friend, supporter, critic and means the world to me...but today he taught me that the meaning of patriotism that is sometimes forgotten by us in the individual sport world.... The man is Mahesh Bhupathi and the love he shares for his country and other athletes really has no bounds.

Nail biting and sleepless nights...

life of a spectator is supposed to be fun... but life of a spectator who has feelings for the participants is downright gruelling....
Such has been my life for the last few days with all the kids in action and 4 still to go... the last few days have of course been euphoric and i haven't slept well in the last few nights... first with nervousness then due to excitement....
well now abhinav has gone back and things here (at least for me) are focussed on the rest of my athletes... tomorrow is Mr. Akhil Kumar for his second round bantam fight... he is fighting a russian who has been world champion and so is a formidable opponent...however i have faith and am hoping for a major upset... so am goign to spend most of the night tossing and turning in apprehension but hey i wouldn't trade this for the world...
Being part of an athletes life has its ups and downs but that is the fun part...it is the process that gives you most of the joy...
Please pray for him.... but i have faith...he is in the best shape of his life and looking good...
come on boy.... "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee" M. Ali