Ever the businessman,
Rashesh Shah, the chairman of
Edelweiss Group, says he looks at his contribution to
sports as an
investment.
At an event to celebrate the Asian Games and Para Asian Games athletes before the India contingent heads to Jakarta, the fitness enthusiast said that while there is so much to still be done in terms of support and resources in sports, things were looking up.
Teen Spirit: Kylian Mbappe And Other Sports Stars Who've Won Our Hearts
Kylian Mbappe
By Viandra D'souza
It’s been two weeks since France became world champions, but conversation around their young phenomenon – 18-year-old Kylian Mbappe (in pic) – refuses to die down. Turning the lens on other teenage sports wonders.
(Image: AP)
Hima Das
Age: 19
This Indian sprinter created history early this month at the IAAF World Under-20 Athletics Championships in Tampere, bagging the gold medal in the 400m final. The 19-year-old Assamese girl became the first Indian to win a track event at an elite world competition. She crossed the finish line in 51.46 seconds and is now tipped to better Manjit Kaur’s 14-year-old National record of 51.05 seconds.Anish Bhanwala
Age: 15
The young Indian shooter became the country’s youngest ever gold medal winner at the Commonwealth Games in Australia in April. The Haryana boy shot down the CWG record in the final with a score of 30 including four series of 5 each. By winning the gold, Anish bettered team-mate Manu Bhaker, who had become the youngest Indian Commonwealth Games gold medallist when she emerged champion in the 10m air rifle finals in the same tournament.Katie Swan
Age: 17
Swan shocked World No 36 Irina-Camelia Begu to become the first home player into the second round at Wimbledon this year. She may have crashed out 6-0, 6-3 to 29 seed Mihaela Buzarnescu in the second round, but her name is now on the radar of tennis fans around the globe. Swan, ranked 204th in the world, raised home spirits with a 6-2 6-2 win over Begu. The glamorous 19-year-old signed Andy Murray’s sports management agency, 77 in January this year. Swan’s career prize money to date totals £99,306 and given her form, is set to grow.
(Image: AP)
Chloe Kim
Age: 17
Pyeongchang might have been Kim’s first chance at Winter Olympics, but the teenager’s performance was far from that of a debutante. Qualifying for the 2014 Sochi Games at the age of 13 solidified her as one of America’s best snowboarders, but she was more than two years short of the Olympics’ minimum age requirement. At 15, she became only the second half-pipe rider ever to earn a perfect score of
100. Now 17, she’s an Olympic gold medallist after a brilliant performance in South Korea, and the new face of winter sports in the States.
(Image: AP)And who according to Shah gives the biggest returns to their investment?
Women athletes. Shah explains, “We checked for the best areas of investment; we are a financial company after all and always look for the best returns on our investments.
“Historically in India, women were discouraged from playing sports but we have a lot of sportswomen who have come very far. We decided to focus on that when we started 10 years ago. We thought that segment shows real achievement and grit, even though there are so many odds against them.”
Every Time Sourav Ganguly, Pele And Michael Phelps Inspired Newcomer Athletes
The Guiding Force
Famous sport-stars like Sourav Ganguly, Pele, Michael Phelps and many others have always guided their juniors and peers in an unusual way.
Here are the athletes who have let their gestures and words help out.Hand In Glove
Ken Rosewall and Roger Federer
Before each Australian Open, tennis great Ken Rosewall writes a heartfelt letter to Roger Federer and leaves it for him in the players’ locker room. These letters, Federer has said, are “very special” to him.
(Image: Getty & AP)
Game Plan
Sourav Ganguly (right) and Virender Sehwag
Once a captain, always a captain. Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly stands true to this adage. At a press conference in November last year, he recalled the advice he gave Virender Sehwag, who used to struggle to bat against Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Shoaib Akhtar. Ganguly, who also played as an opener, advised the Delhi big hitter that he was behind the pace and needed to work on his game. While Ganguly admitted that he did not know what Sehwag did with that advice, he did make a comeback as a better player.Inspiring Advice
Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel
Formula One champion Schumacher inspired the four-time champion and compatriot Vettel to get into the sport. The two met for the first time at a go-kart race where Schumacher was handing out trophies as a chief guest. The German F1 champs went on to participate together for their country in the Race of Champions, an exhibition series. They won it six years in a row. Vettel revealed last year that Schumacher would often give him advice that worked in many situations.Open Door
Michael Phelps and Grant Hackett
In September, last year, Phelps opened the doors of his home to Australian Olympic swimming champion Grant Hackett, who suffered a mental breakdown a few months ago. He let Hackett stay at his Arizona home and helped him battle depression. They would play golf, go for a swim and talk about life and their kids.
(Image: AFP & Getty)
