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The motivating mothers
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A mother's contribution never ends. What better occasion can there be to salute her than on Mothers' Day? GEETA PADMANABHAN talks to the mothers of some sportspersons in Chennai and writes...
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Sunitha and Joshna Chinappa.
THIS MOTHER'S Day (May 11), we raise our hand in salute to sports moms of Chennai — a rapidly increasing breed that's able to see beyond T-squares and stethoscopes. Here's to moms who choose to let their children find fame and possible fortune in competition outside the classrooms; who pare down their needs, allow their lives to be hijacked so their kids can follow their heart and talent into an uncertain future. Moms who consider supporting the child's sporting activity "the greatest investment they ever made."
Tennis mom Shanthi's rural life leaped on a roller coaster when Arun Prakash volleyed his way from the Officer's Club at Pudukkottai to the courts in Chennai to play at state level. Chennai's KTC offered him sponsorship and training and Shanthi had to move to the city leaving husband and daughter behind. She rented a small house in Thiruvanmiyur to be close to the tennis centre.
"Two years alone in Chennai was tough. Arun was often away practising," says the national junior tennis champ's mom. Schoolteacher dad visited when he could and mounting expenses had to be met. "I had to take Arun to tournaments and his tennis kit had to be replenished. We suffered, but it was worth it. Arun always brought prize money home and for the last three years, the TN Association for Tennis Excellence has helped with coaches and travel. Adidas now sponsors his kit."
Priya Ramesh with Gayatri and Nandita.
If his visa comes through, Arun will spend the rest of the year in New York training at the Dobs Ferry Tennis Academy. "I'm going to miss him," she says eyes downcast. Rowing mom Sandhya Venkat was keen on daughters Urvashi and Urmila taking up some sport. The two U's paddled the muddy water of Adyar and picked up national rowing medals. Urvashi is preparing for the Madras-Colombo Regatta. "Rowing was their choice," says this book lover-photographer-decorator mom.
"Sports teach you to make friends, understand people and accept failure." Urvashi walks in. "The first two years in college I missed seven papers. Mom pushed me to complete them in the final year. I'm glad she did." But the teenagers didn't exactly hug mom when she insisted on booking her ticket for the tournaments. Sandhya says, "There are constant switches and changes in the events. I thought it was necessary to tag along. At Chandigarh, the cold and rats in our room gave us the shivers. I ended up mothering the entire group." She adds grinning, "They said, `Thank God you were there!'"
Her flexi-time job assisting her husband allowed her to rush them from boat to the examination hall often. It's a pool-to-school routine for swimming mom Yasmin Sait who whispers, "A mom's contribution never ends!" When business brought the Saits to Chennai five years ago, Yasmin sent daughters Amina and Saba to a summer swimming camp. The girls quickly swam their way into national golds. Saba has broken the breaststroke record at all levels and has been named the best performer.
Yasmin Salt (right) with Amina and Saba.
"My life is built around their schedule now," says Yasmin. "Saba has been to China twice for competitions. I'm glad I didn't go to work. I don't hold on to them but they need a mother's reassurance when they compete."
"Swimming is time-consuming. It is the toughest sport to train. The girls swim 12 km a day and float between swimming and studying." She is sorry the girls have no social life. "Saba will be competing in the senior nationals in September. They have no time for friends or family weddings. But why should everything be easy?" Still, promising swimmers, she feels, should get government grants. Ramesh Krishnan's mom Lalitha Krishnan was both `involved and detached' when he was courting success with a tennis racquet. "Ramesh was constantly on the move with his dad. I was his PA. I would organise his travel plans, prepare documents, take calls and run the family business. During peak tournament months, we travelled together. I globetrotted with Gowri when she played. We would rent an apartment in London and Dallas and I would cook. Very few Indians played abroad at that time. We felt we were ambassadors from the land of Nehru and Gandhi. We never celebrated Diwali together but were thrilled to hear our national anthem played at Wimbledon."
Sandhya Venkat with Urvashi and Urmila.
Gayatri and Nandita, Ramesh's daughters, are aware they carry a strong family tradition in their racquets. "What was a serious hobby is now a passion," says articulate tennis mom Priya Ramesh. "School and practice — it's a disciplined regimen but you can't be half-hearted about this." Gayatri will be playing in Europe this summer, with dad as her `sparring partner'. "Nandita is going to be home-schooled. I have to provide the support system," adds this part-time editor. "It is a huge investment of resources — emotional, physical and financial. Keeping up their enthusiasm can be emotionally draining. But the kids get excellent exposure to world sports. Competitive sport opens college doors." Gayatri chips in: "Mom helped me with all my school work. I guess I'm lucky. I'll certainly try to do well for her sake."
Joshna Chinappa drew the roadmap for squash mom Sunitha's life when she was just seven. She began to hit her play ball with power and accuracy and at eleven, as mom watched wide-eyed, the prodigy won the under-14 in Singapore and insisted on squashing opponents in Honk Kong. "An NRI couple based in Hong Kong offered to take care of her" and Joshna travelled alone to win the under-13 event. Sunitha saw her daughter as a person with a mind of her own. Conquests in Malaysia, Scotland and England followed. "At 15, her attitude towards the game changed. When she called, her tone would be the same — victory or defeat. Confidence is what I wanted her to pack along with her racquet." "The last three years have been extremely stressful. But Joshna was national women's champion at 14. With wonderful friends and a Swiss company sponsorship, things are easier now."
Viswanathan Anand with mom Susheela.
"Joshna is focussed on squash as a profession. She refused a seat in Harvard and wants to train in England or Australia. I would like her to finish her graduation. In India, anything less touches illiteracy."
As a player (I am mad about tennis!) who represented Presidency College and the University, tennis supermom Maggie Amritraj knew exactly how to keep her three strapping boys out of mischief. She would chase young Vijay and Anand in her car as they ran to Island Grounds at 5.30 in the morning for TA Rama Rao's coaching. "I was the official family driver," she laughs. "Vijay was a weak child (huh?) and I had to go to Church Park and Don Bosco to take down all his work. I ran a business from 10 to 3 and would take them to practise till 10 in the night. Anand won the Junior Nationals at 12. We hit the circuit and began to live out of suitcases. The boys were taught to play for the grandeur of representing the country, which they did for 20 years. Ramanathan Krishnan was their idol. My friends said I was a fool to work so hard with the boys. After 12 years with the older boys, Ashok came into the scene and the whole regimen started afresh."
"Given another life, I would choose this without a change. All over the world people talk of my boys as great players and greater human beings. They never had friends but the three are the best of friends. All that time I spent with them - very strenuous but wonderfully satisfying."
Chess mom Susheela startles you saying, "I wanted Anand to play tennis." Thankfully, Vishwanathan Anand made the right move and stuck to the ancient indoor game.
"In 1982, there were no grandmasters in Asia, and chess brought very little money. Competitive chess was a career gamble. At 13, Anand was playing national chess and winning. But we made him get his basic degree. Plotting board strategies gave him an edge in planning his schoolwork. A compulsory lesson at home was being humble and well mannered. Anand never talks ill of anyone. When he loses it's `I made a mistake'."
"He now lives in Spain. I miss him a lot. I used to play chess with him. Now I am just a mom."
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