SPORTS
Dangal 2.0
Fighting for a dream
A father-daughter duo’s
determination, hard work and
passion, paved their way to success.
In a quiet corner, in HPCL Data Centre, Hyderabad,
Indrajit Mookerjee quietly types away yet another
document. Decorating his desk are numerous
photographs of him receiving trophies and
awards from various eminent personalities. The
photographs speak volumes of his glorious past and
a career filled with achievements.
Indrajit, a former international badminton player, has
represented India at the All England Championships,
the biggest stage in Badminton. At the peak of
his career, he seemed unstoppable. He was the
West Bengal State Champion for nine consecutive
years, from 1985 to 1993. He represented India at
various international platforms including the Asian
Badminton Championship, the SAARC Games and
many more.
“We didn’t have much exposure back then. If we
were lucky, we would get selected to play. What I
really enjoyed was the competitive spirit,” he recalls.
Born in 1966, Indrajit started playing badminton when
he was just 11. What drew him to the sport was the
speed with which one had to play to succeed.
“It is the fastest racket sport. You require fitness,
concentration, planning, stamina, flexibility and
a wide range of skills to compete at the highest
levels,” he says. His first major taste of victory was
when he became the Under 15 and Under 18 State
Champion, both at the same time. This was the
beginning of his remarkable career, which took him
from the courts of Kolkata to those across the globe.
14
ISSUE 1 2018