My Classmates (SAINA NEHWAL edition)

Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan`s Vidyashram---my stepping stone to the world. Where I grew from an insignificant- metre something organism, to something that can be at least reckoned of. The place where I met a myriad of people from different parts of the country. Probably I`m really lucky to have such elite people as my classmates... So now lemme get into the shoes of an archaeologist and trek through the labyrinth of my feeble memory.

Let`s start off with the tip of the iceberg, inevitably that would be Saina Nehwal. Talking about Saina..... She was different, different in every sense. It would feel like she`s always radiating energy when you talk to her. Probably she was the only one among us who knew the value of time. But, her attitude was like any others, never the ego that you would expect from a stereotype international player.
As far as her daily routine went, her day started off with a 20km long trip in a blue LML scooter to LB Stadium at the break of dawn accompanied by her father. There she would attend a rigorous practice session. Then back to school, tracing back the 20km journey. Like any one of us she would be attending the classes. Then again back to the same place for training at 2.30.... Oh boy I thought my schedule was hectic!!

The fruits of her perseverance began to show up; she became the first Indian women to win a 4 star event, then a bronze in the commonwealth and now reaching the QF in the Beijing Olympics, what a feat. Facing the realities, I grew up in nearly the same background but haven't achieved even an iota of what she has. The simple thought that around 8th class or so she got sponsorship and a job in IOCL, and that is supposed to be a dream company here in my college for placements, makes me sick, this is a testimony of how ahead she was than the rest of the pack, but we never recognised that. The thing that annoys me the most, is when I ponder about the recognition she got till now, she is now the World no.16 or the same as Rahul Dravid in cricket. People there are games other than cricket in existence!!!

Now I can’t even fascinate of a life like that of her. Her house has a room full of trophies, gleaming like the amber room at St. Petersburg. Her matches are being played with the likes of Bill Gates and royal family of Denmark in the stands. I still have an image of her playing a match with our PT sir in the school court and how horrendously he was thrashed. See how times change….