Manav Thakkar recalls early beginnings from small basement room ahead of 36th National Games

Undeterred
by
snide
remarks,
Manav
quickly
mastered
the
game.
Talented
and
determined
that
he
was,
in
less
than
five
years,
he
was
ready
for
a
fascinating
journey,
if
not
the
world.

In
no
time,
he
stunned
the
sport’s
aficionados
in
the
country
by
becoming
the
World
No.
1
in
the
junior
category
and
then
in
the
Under-21s
too.

Come
Tuesday
(September
20),
the
22-year-old,
still
skinny
and
bespectacled,
will
be
hoping
to
showcase
his
prowess
to
his
friends
and
family
when
the
36th
National
Games
kicks
off
on
his
home
turf.

Yes,
most
amazingly,
it
will
be
the
first
time
that
Manav
will
be
competing
in
a
major
tournament
in
Surat.

“It’s
true.
It
is
the
first
big
event
for
me
here
and
I
will
give
my
best.
We
have
a
good
team
and
are
confident
of
doing
well,”
Manav,
who
was
part
of
the
2018
Asian
Games
bronze
medal
team,
said.

Manav,
whose
father
Vikas
is
an
ophthalmologist,
admits
that
opting
for
a
sports
career
ahead
of
medicine
was
a
bold
and
not-so-easy
decision.

“I
was
11
when
I
left
home.
I
felt
homesick
and
missed
home
food.
But
things
got
better
once
I
started
performing.
Today,
all
my
family
members
are
happy
that
I
chased
my
dream,”
he
revealed.

Manav,
the
only
paddler
from
Gujarat
to
qualify
for
the
World
Junior
Championships,
has
fond
memories
of
his
‘alma
mater’ and
continues
to
train
with
his
coach
Vahed
Malubhaiwala
in
the
same
15×30
feet
basement
room
whenever
he
is
home.

“There
is
a
lot
of
emotion
attached
to
the
small
room
where
I
first
learnt
to
play.
I
have
a
great
bonding
with
my
first
coach
Vahed
Sir
and
I
love
practising
with
him,”
he
gushed.

Manav
used
the
facility
to
keep
in
shape
during
lockdowns
forced
by
the
Covid
pandemic.
“My
house
is
very
close
to
the
Sufaiz
Academy.
I
practised
4-5
hours
daily,
for
45
days
non-stop.
It
helped
me
stay
in
touch
and
keep
fit,” the
IOCL
Grade
A1
officer
said.

Malubhaiwala
is
also
happy
to
see
his
student’s
progress.
“It’s
heartening
to
see
Manav
do
so
well
in
life.
He
is
training
well
and
performing
well.
My
family
and
I
are
proud
of
the
fact
that
Manav
keeps
coming
back
to
the
humble
small
room
from
where
it
all
started.”

Manav
and
all
his
supporters
will
be
hoping
that
a
new
journey
to
something
even
more
special
will
start
with
the
National
Games
in
his
hometown.

Source:
Media
Release