There must be some magic in the Hyderabad air that produces
sports champions.
Sports champions who are self-effacing. Sports champions who
are humble. Sports champions who push the envelope and deliver hitherto
unimaginable results.
Sports champions who make the country proud.
Think VVS, think Gopichand, think Sania Mirza, think Saina
Nehwal.
Interestingly they seem to prosper and succeed in pairs.
The first pair prospered about 14 years back, in 2001, when
VVS played the greatest test innings by an Indian and Gopichand won the All
England Open, emulating Prakash Padukone’s feat.
The second pair is on the prowl now. Demonstrating hunger,
passion and zeal, this pair slowly but surely is helping the cause for women’s
sports like no athlete has done before.
Saina Nehwal, hitherto the undisputed queen of Indian Badminton
has scaled new heights in becoming the number 1 player in the world.
Sania Mirza has almost risen to the zenith in her chosen
field, that of women’s doubles tennis. At a world rank of number 3, she has
reached where no Indian woman has reached before.
They both came from families that were not wealthy. But, to
parents who realized the precocity of talent that was at home.
Sania’s father, Anam Mirza, the story goes, found it
difficult to fund Sania’s tennis costs, and he had to seek intervention from
corporate houses like GVK to fund her.
Saina’s father, a scientist helped her realise her talent by
encouraging her to take up badminton at an early age of 8. At that tender age,
she had to commute almost 50 kilometers to learn the game.
As personalities, they are as different as chalk and cheese.
Sania is a flamboyant fashionista, Saina an amazing athlete whose racket does
her talking.
While one makes heads turn while her forehand makes the ball
whizz past the opponent, the other unfurls smashes of such power that the
opponent is subdued into defeat.
In a country where we are made to believe that women are
weak, they made bold choices too.
One married a Pakistani, chose to exit the world of singles
and shifted base to Dubai.
The other made a choice of changing her original coach, the
legendary Gopichand and shifted base to Bangalore, a bold decision.
The decisions paid off, giving them massive success and Indian
sports incredible joy.
These two epitomize the new Indian woman, confident,
successful and the best in her chosen field.
Congratulations Saina and Sania, you have done India proud,
you Hyderabad’s daughters.
