Excerpts:
You were part of the triumphant Indian team in the SABA championships 2015 and your views on that exposure
It was a good tournament for India. India retained the title. I got adequate exposure by playing against South Asian nations such as Nepal and Sri Lanka. It gave me the confidence that I can also do well at the higher level. I played well in the final against Sri Lanka and it was a nice learning experience.
How did you take up basketball and who introduced you to this sport?
From a very young age I was interested in sports. My uncle played kabaddi and seeing my height he encouraged me to take up basketball in 2006. I attended a summer camp and later joined the Sports School in Coimbatore (9th & 10th standard). Later I joined SAI Sports Centre, Mayailaduthurai, and trained under the guidance of coach Bhaskar.
My big break was when I represented the State in the Youth Nationals in 2010. In 2011, I represented Tamil Nadu juniors at the National championships in Mumbai where we finished runners-up. In the 2011 Youth junior Nationals we won the gold. I was part of the gold-winning senior team in the New Delhi championships. In 2015, in Rajasthan we finished runners-up and in the National Games at Kerala we finished runners-up. I got a big break when I represented India in the SABA championships in Bengaluru in 2015.
Your views on the present condition of Indian basketball
Indian basketball is presently looking up. The standard of the game has improved tremendously. The players are young and they are willing to learn. India has been doing well at the senior and junior levels. Indians are playing in the NBA and Japanese league which shows that our sport is moving forward.
What are your future plans?
My aim is to represent India and play well for the country. I want to work hard and want to contribute to the Indian team’s progress. I play as a power forward and want to learn new techniques and improve my skills.
What needs to be done in order to improve the standard of the game in the country?
