Category Archives: Sports

Khanapur girl part of World Para-Badminton Championship

Amazing Feats, Records, All, Sports, World Opinion

Arati (22), a specially-abled player, was born with one hand. From a tender age, she had a passion for sports.

Arati Patil playing badminton. (Photo | EPS)
Arati Patil playing badminton. (Photo | EPS)

Belagavi :

Arati Janoba Patil, a native of Nandgad village in Khanapur taluk presently staying at Uchgaon village in Kolhapur district, has been selected for the BWF World Para-Badminton Championship, to be held in Switzerland from August 20-25.

Arati (22), a specially-abled player, was born with one hand. From a tender age, she had a passion for sports. It didn’t take long for determination and hard work she has abundance of, converting into success.
She grabbed the attention of selectors when she proved her mettle in several state, national and international-level badminton competitions.

She bagged the silver medal in Asian Youth Para Games held in Dubai in 2017, and a bronze medal in Victor-Denmark Para-Badminton Championship held in Denmark in 2018. She won bronze again in Uganda Para-Badminton, an international event held in Uganda in April 2019. Her consistent good performances in international events made selectors choose Arati for the world badminton championship.

Arati was born and raised in a poor family at Nandgad village, which happens to be the birthplace of great patriot Sangolli Rayanna. Needless to say, people of Khanapur sing praises of her success.
Speaking to Express, Arati said, “Support and encouragement of my father Janoba, uncle Nagendra Sambrekar and coach Sunil Dewang helped me reach this level in badminton. Although our financial condition was not good, my father arranged money by taking loans for my training and travel expenses to participate in international competitions. I could not have achieved this without my family’s support.”
Arati is one among 21 players who will represent India in World Para Badminton Championship. A team of 30 including coach, manager, physiotherapist will leave for Switzerland on August 15. Physically challenged sportsmen from about 50 countries will take part in the event.

Financial support needed

Only 22 participants including coaches have got travel and other expenditure from the government, while the Paralympic Committee of India has conveyed that the remaining eight players have to bear their own travel and other expenditure.

Although Arati has been selected in the Indian squad, she will not be paid. Arati needed about Rs 2.5 lakh for her expenses of travel and stay, and her family is facing great hardship to arrange this sum. Her father who is a construction worker is struggling to arrange the same.“My father has already arranged Rs 1 lakh by taking a loan. I am in need of Rs 1.5 lakh,” said Arati. Philanthropists could help this budding sportswoman participate on a global platform and give her a chance to make the country proud.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Karnataka / by Sunil Patil / Express News Service / August 03rd, 2019

Soccer love drives this CEO to coach kids

Business & Economy, Sports

Instamojo co-founder Sampad Swain takes to football to unwind from work stress.

SampadBF30jul2019

Bengaluru :

Numerous meetings with investors, clients and his own team members is how Sampad Swain, CEO and co-founder of Instamojo, a Bengaluru-based fintech company, spends his weekdays, along with heated discussions with his in-house software developers and product engineers. Though he enjoys his role as an entrepreneur, his regular football practice keeps him going in a busy work life. “I work for around 10 hours during the week. My job as a start-up entrepreneur is thrilling and satisfying. But we also need to invest some time for other interests. For me, it’s my love for sports. I love to play football during my free time and also coach children in the weekends. It keeps me active and feels refreshing to take a break from work,” says Swain.

The 37-year-old father of eight-year old twin boys, finds coaching children as interesting as playing football. Today, coaching has evolved from a hobby to serious responsibility for Swain. “Coaching started off as an offshoot hobby. One evening, I had taken my kids out for football practice, and when I saw them playing with their friends, it struck me that I had not played in a really long time. I joined the little champs and started playing along. I also taught them little tricks along the way. That’s how I picked on this hobby. Since then, I go to the ground as often as possible during weekends, coach and play with them. It has been almost a year since I started pursuing this as a weekend getaway hobby,” he says. The sessions are held mainly on Saturday evenings or Sunday mornings at a playground in Koramangala. The tech geek also justifies his reason for coaching just kids. “It is fulfilling to coach enthusiastic children, there is so much to learn from their energy and ideas.”

Being a fan of Cristiano Ronaldo, he flew down to Russia in June 2018 to watch the FIFA World Cup. “Ronaldo is my all-time favourite soccer player, simply due to his positive attitude and strong work ethics. In a field like sports, talent may have probably 30-40 per cent role to have a successful career, but the rest is determined by one’s work ethics and attitude. We have a lot to learn from him. This helps me at work too,” he says. Though he is a football fanatic, Swain has not taken this sport as a competition. “Football has always been my first love. Back in the day, I spent a lot of time playing football with my society friends, and this was mostly on the road or a nearby playground. I picked up the sport on my own and built on my skills by observing the senior boys in the school football team,” he says, adding that he has never pursued football as a competitive game. “That’s one lesson I’ve learnt in life – you need not pursue everything with a competitive spirit. Sometimes, it is completely okay to pursue something simply because you enjoy it,” he says.

The entrepreneur also has a message for those who give up their hobby or passion because of their busy work schedule. “Pursuing a hobby is as important as performing well at your job. Some of us really love our jobs, but we need something to break away from our regular routine, and a hobby can help with this. It not only helps as a stressbuster, but gives us something more to look forward to in life.”

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by Lesly Joseph / Express News Service / July 30th, 2019

Bengaluru boy scores goal to land spot in Homeless World Cup in UK

Records, All, Sports, World Opinion

BookASmile, the charity initiative of BookMyShow, will be sponsoring Satish’s all-expense paid trip.

20-year-old Satish Kumar
20-year-old Satish Kumar

Bengaluru :

When Satish Kumar failed his SSLC exams a few years ago, he was so dejected at the thought of not knowing what life had in store for him. But a few years down the line, the 20-year-old, who chose to give his everything to football, has managed to make a name for himself. About a month-and-a-half ago, Kumar “couldn’t believe” that he had been selected to play in the Homeless World Cup in Brute Park, Cardiff, UK, an annual football tournament organised by the Homeless World Cup Foundation, a social organisation that advocates the end of homelessness through the sport.

Currently in Nagpur to undergo the second round of training before he leaves for Cardiff in mid-August, Kumar will be going on an all-expense paid trip sponsored by BookASmile, the charity initiative of BookMyShow, which has partnered with Slum Soccer to take 16 beneficiaries to Cardiff to attend this week-long football festival.

“I had lost my motivation after failing my 10th standard board examination. When I didn’t pass my exams, people suggested that I should take up a job. But since I had been playing football since I was in Class 6, I decided I should give it a try. But my family wasn’t convinced thinking that there was no life in this. But I wanted one chance to prove myself. And that required a lot of hard work. Reaching where I am today, despite family apprehensions, has been a big achievement,” says Kumar, who recalls having requested a coach in his area to teach him the sport.

Every once in a while, Kumar–  whose father works as a painter, which helps takes care of only their basic expenses – takes up a handyman job of washing tiles which gives him Rs 300 a day. And with his earnings, he purchases gear – boots and stockings from locals stores –for himself. He’s been lucky to have got shoes from a well-wisher. “The turning point in my life came when I played the Bangalore league A division and qualified for the Bangalore Super Division in 2018,” he says.

Kumar’s gone from one achievement to the next, including playing the Slum Soccer’s National Inclusion Cup where he showed his talent and got selected to attend trials for the upcoming Homeless World Cup and has been finally selected as one of the representatives.

A typical day now includes two-and-a-half hours of practice in the morning and evening, which has intensified ahead of his departure. “We were told that the courts in foreign countries are different from the ones here,” he says, adding that at home he teaches underprivileged kids the game twice a week. “I want to show them how I reached where I have and what I did to be here,” he says.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Sports> Football / by Vidya Sagar / Express News Service / July 08th, 2019

Shalini Saraswathi: The blade runner who lost her limbs, not her spirit

Amazing Feats, Records, All, Sports, World Opinion

Shalini’s struggles began after she travelled to Cambodia with her husband on her fourth wedding anniversary in 2012. She came down with a mild fever, which was wrongly diagnosed as dengue at the time.

Shalini Saraswathi
Shalini Saraswathi

Bengaluru :

Shalini Saraswathi cherishes her life too much now. “When you have come too close to losing your life, you realise not to take things for granted,” says the 40-year-old para-athlete.

The blade runner, a quadruple amputee, won the bronze medal at the national-level parathletics held last year, and is now aiming for the 100-metre and 200-metre sprints in 2020. She will also be inaugurating Mercy Drops, a community resource centre that will promote the culture of sharing, on June 7.

“I never considered myself to be an athlete at all,” says Saraswathi, who was diagnosed with acute Rickettsial – a rare bacterial infection – in 2012.

“After two years of bed rest and trying to figure out how to go about my life, I met coach B P Aiyappa, who then trained me. During the first year of getting my life back on track in 2014, I would walk around Kanteerava Stadium to get a grip on my prosthetics. By the second year, I had got my blades and started running for 90 minutes daily,” recalls Shalini, who also participated in TCS 10K marathon.

She now practises every morning, before heading off to work at a BPO.

Shalini’s struggles began after she travelled to Cambodia with her husband on her fourth wedding anniversary in 2012. She came down with a mild fever, which was wrongly diagnosed as dengue at the time.

The Bengaluru resident, who originally belongs to Kollam district in Kerala, finally got the right diagnosis and her treatment began, but she was forced to undergo amputation.

During the course of treatment, Shalini also lost her baby, which affected her physically and mentally. As gangrene attacked her, she suffered multiple organ failures.

“Initially I hated myself for the person I had become. It was a journey to be okay with who I am,” recounts Shalini.

Her husband, family and friends have been her support throughout her journey.

Explaining that the challenge for her earlier was to accept the person she had become, she adds that she still struggles with wearing her prosthetics every day, or coming to terms with the fact she cannot drive a car anymore.

“To overcome it, I sometimes write dark poetry and verbalise what I am going through,” she says. “I often cry. Mourning is the best way to overcome your losses.”

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by Preeja Prasad / Express News Service / June 01st, 2019

Riders on the storm

Records, All, Sports
Parvati Byramji horse trainer, during morning training session for Race Horses | Photo Credit: K_MURALI_KUMAR
Parvati Byramji horse trainer, during morning training session for Race Horses | Photo Credit: K_MURALI_KUMAR

Shiny coats, frisky tails and thundering hooves are part of South India’s first woman horse trainer, Parvati Byramji’s daily routine

Every morning, between 5am and 9am, Bangalore Turf Club (BTC) gets ready for the day ahead. We notice a jockey thundering up as we await permission to enter the Club. Parvati Byramji, one of South India’s women horse trainers and daughter-in-law of the legendary trainer Rashid Byramji, shows us around. During the 10 minute walk to the lunging area, horses with shiny coats are being taken for training through the Turf Club.

Parvati instructs her team while they exercise their two-year old horses. “Easy, easy,” she says loudly, yet calmly, as she pays close attention to each horse. Dark brown, grey and black horses are being led to lunge around the field. As we observe them we understand each horse has a distinct personality. While some are calm, others are stubborn. However, all of them are handled with utmost care by Parvati and her team.

Parvati’s eyes light up when she sees a grey horse waiting for her turn to train the horses.“I always take advice when picking a horse. My father-in-law says the first rule of thumb is you have to like what you see, and I liked her a lot.”

After five minutes, each horse is patted gently all over the body as a form of shabaashi (congratulations). Parvati says every trainer has a string, which means the number of horses they train. “I train 19 to 25 horses everyday.” She ensures the horses are fit and obedient. “My day typically starts at 5.15 am, and goes on till about 9 am. In between I go to the yard to write down the next day’s work, including the treatments and the feed. That is on a normal day. There is more work on race days. “If you are lucky, you win, if you are unlucky, you come second, because there is nothing worse than coming second,” she adds with a laugh.

As we speak, a stunning, light brown colt is led into the the lunge pit. He gracefully trots around the pit while Parvati keeps her composure and commands respect. After a few minutes in the pit, she steps out saying, “I used the Monty Roberts technique to establish communication and trust without equipment.”

As we make our way to the stables, which are spotlessly clean, Parvati says, “I always loved horses. When I was 11, I lived with my family in Mumbai. My father found an ad for amateur riding classes. Once I took that class, I discovered I loved riding. I became a member there. Then at 16, I got the love of my life — a horse named Sir Dickson. There was a senior trainer called Pesi Shroff, a famous jockey, who was kind enough to give me this horse. My story began with Sir Dickson, because he taught me more about horses than any book or person.”

Parvati earlier made her foray into polo. “At one point, I was the only woman polo rider in India. I played the sport for the Amateur Riders Club versus the National Defence Academy and we won it. Then I got a polo scholarship to go abroad.” However, a twist of fate would change everything. “I had to bring Sir Dickson from Mumbai to Coorg. We didn’t want him to be alone, so I approached Darius Byramji (Rashid Byramji’s son and a leading trainer) for help. He asked me to ride with them. I never left. I married Darius.”

She recalls a memorable incident that played a part in her getting into horse training. “A senior trainer, Puttanna was sitting on the stands, while I was busy on the field. When he said he admires me, I said but I know nothing. He said in Kerala, they pay a person who belongs to the family to go around the estate, doing nothing but overseeing. So you think you are doing nothing, but you are doing a lot. It was then I thought I could do this. Darius said let us make it official to become a horse trainer.”

Parvati appeared for the ‘Assistant to Trainers Exam’ around 2013 to 2014. “I aced it! I then appeared for the ‘Assistant Trainer Exam’ in October 2016, and this time the exam was more difficult. I aced it again! I then appeared for the Trainer’s Exam in 2017, and received my license the same year,” says the 39-year-old Parvati. She, however, states that being a woman makes no difference. “It is not about whether you are a woman or a man, it comes down to the job that you do.” However, at every instance she gives credit to her team of workers.

There are several hurdles to being a horse trainer, believes Parvati. “The upkeep of horses is expensive, and the sport is heavily taxed. There is the challenge of infrastructure too.”Parvati debunks the misconceptions around poor treatment of horses: “We treat our horses extremely well. There are random checks of our stables, and we are closely monitored by the BTC, in house, and the Animal Welfare Board from the Government.”

(A column where we experience the lives and people of the city)

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Bengaluru / by Sravasti Datta / May 23rd, 2019

Bengalurean pursues soccer dreams in Spain

Amazing Feats, Records, All, Sports, World Opinion
The footballer from Bengaluru has a foot in the door - an opportunity to play for the reserve side of Madrid Club de Futbol Femenino, a La Liga Division 1 side. She feels that’s all she needs to kick open that metaphorical door to be a full-time professional
The footballer from Bengaluru has a foot in the door – an opportunity to play for the reserve side of Madrid Club de Futbol Femenino, a La Liga Division 1 side. She feels that’s all she needs to kick open that metaphorical door to be a full-time professional

Brishti Bagchi has a dream. One that sees her kicking a football on the sun-soaked pitches of Spain. And unlike many, she even has a chance to realise it.

The footballer from Bengaluru has a foot in the door – an opportunity to play for the reserve side of Madrid Club de Futbol Femenino, a La Liga Division 1 side. She feels that’s all she needs to kick open that metaphorical door to be a full-time professional.

But the stumbling block remains finances, forcing her to turn to crowd-funding.

“I made the reserve team in Madrid and I want to return there in August,” she puts it matter-of-factly. “So I have to go back and train for four to six months with the reserve team before I can play for the first team.”

“Yes, because I have a visa based on that. The visa would be a student visa and I have the license to compete for the reserve team. Only once I make the main team and get a contract can I get a work permit and be paid. But until I do, I have to take  care of my expenses.”

Brishti, playing for Bangalore United FC in the ongoing Indian Women’s League in Ludhiana, had a trial towards the end of 2018 with the Spanish club. After being scouted during her time with Dallas City FC B in the Women’s Premier Soccer League in the United States, she was picked for the reserve team at the end of her trial.

Having played in the National Association for Intercollegiate Athletics league for the Oklahoma City University side before moving to North Texas University Club while pursuing a degree and research in Kinesiology, the attacker knows the level needed to make it as a professional.

“I had a trial for Houston Dash (in the US). I made it to the second round and they said international players have only four spots in the team and they were taken,” she opens up about her path.

The 25-year-old, coached by BUFC coach Chitra Gangadharan during her early years for SAI, was in the state and national circles before moving to the US. has knocked on many a door to help pursue her passion. The midfielder started a fundraising campaign on Milaap where she has detailed her ambitions and struggles. So far she has raised Rs 3,55,400. There is still a long way to go.

“This is a short-term investment so I’m hoping for a corporate sponsor.”

While her future remains in the balance, Brishti is keen to help in raising the popularity of women’s football and don the national colours. “Women’s football in India definitely has gone up. I think there is more hope but there needs to be more support. I know they are working on it and hopefully it will happen in the future,” she says.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Sports> Football / by Sandeep Menon / DH News Service / Bengaluru – May 15th, 2019

Bengaluru golfer girls dream of swinging high

Education, Records, All, Sports, World Opinion

Not long ago, a Bengaluru teenage girl went on to impress the best of the golfers. The girl, Aditi Ashok, is now an established player on the Ladies PGA Tour.

Bengaluru :

Not long ago, a Bengaluru teenage girl went on to impress the best of the golfers. The girl, Aditi Ashok, is now an established player on the Ladies PGA Tour.

Two other Bengaluru girls – Rishika Muralidhar and Avani Prashanth –  are also dreaming to reach the same heights as Ashok in the coming years.

Muralidhar, 13, has consistently performed in the junior circuit – in India and at the US Kids golf. Recently, she topped the Category B (13-15 years) in the Indian Golf Union Southern India Ladies and Junior Girls Golf Championship at the Clover Greens Golf Club. Muralidhar played a fine game of 3-over, 1-under and 2-under over three rounds to complete the tournament with level par. She also had a bogey-free round on Day 3 to emerge on top. In the combined Category A and B standings, Muralidhar was placed third.

“This was my first competition in the ‘B’ category and I felt I did well. The target is to now improve. As the distance of the golf course is going bigger in the ‘B’ category, it will be a challenge to master the strokes but with hard work, I will get better,” says Muralidhar, who trains under Ashok’s coach Steven Giulian. “I will be playing mostly in India for now besides two international competitions and get better.”

Avani Prashanth
Avani Prashanth

The other Bengaluru girl set to impress is Prashanth, a grade seven student of Greenwood High International School, with two wins in two weeks. She won the Category C (11-13 years) at the same tournament. Prashanth played rounds of 3-over, 2-under and level-par to finish with a score of 211 – nine strokes ahead of her nearest competitor. She led the tournament field on all three days and played the only under par round of the tournament in the age category, in a tournament field comprising of 21 players at the start of the tournament.

On Friday, she continued her good run, winning the Category C in the IGU Rotary Karnataka Ladies and Junior Girls Golf Championship at the Eagleton Golf Resort. She played rounds of 6-over, 2-over and 4-over to finish with a score of 228, two strokes ahead of her nearest competitor Ananya Garg.

Prashanth, who has been playing golf since the age of three, has been among top five at the US Kids Golf World Championship at Pinehurst North Carolina in 2014, 2015 and 2016 in U-7, U-8 and U-9 age groups, respectively. She has also been among the top five in US Kids Golf European Championship in 2016, 2017 and 2018. She also won the Order of Merit in 2015 and 2017 by winning all the tournaments conducted by South Zone Junior Golf under the auspices of the Indian Golf Union.

Now, Prashanth aims to better her skills. “I want to represent India at the 2024 Olympics and win a gold medal. I want to become a golfer of repute in women’s golf,” she says.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by Express News Service / May 04th, 2019

Mysuru auto driver’s 19-year-old daughter sprints her way to Italy

Amazing Feats, Education, Records, All, Sports, World Opinion

The daughter of Manju, an auto driver and MB Rukmini, a homemaker, hails from KR Nagar, and was inspired to take up in sports professionally by her elder sister MR Anusha, also an athlete.

MR Dhanusha. (Photo: EPS)
MR Dhanusha. (Photo: EPS)

 

Mysuru :

Financial obstacles need not come in the way of dreaming and achieving big, proves 19-year-old MR Dhanusha, an athlete from Mysuru, who is the only girl to have qualified from University of Mysore, to represent India at the 30th Summer Universiade World to be held in Napoli, Italy from July 3 to 14.

The daughter of Manju, an auto driver and MB Rukmini, a homemaker, hails from KR Nagar, and was inspired to take up in sports professionally by her elder sister MR Anusha, also an athlete. So far, she has participated in more than 30 nationals; 50 state events and hundreds of district-level heptathlon events, a track of events consists of seven combined events, which include, 100 metre hurdles; 200 metre dash; 800 metre run; high jump; shot put; long jump; and javelin throw.

Unlike most of her college mates and friends, Dhanusha, a first-year BBA at Basudeva Somani College spends most of her time on the field practising track events. “Heptathlon events are tough and require stamina and endurance. I practice relentlessly for 8-9 hours a day. My dream is to win a gold medal for India,” she said.

While she was considered an extra player during school days, it was in middle school that she started participating in taluk-level events and was selected to undergo training in the Department of Sports and Youth Services for five years. “That was the turning point in my life,” she said.

In the history of the University of Mysore, she is the only girl to win gold at the All India Inter-University event held at Japan and this is the second time she has qualified to take part in the World University event.

“She is the only athlete selected from Mysuru to participate in international events. Despite hailing from a poor family, her achievements are remarkable, and we are confident that she will win more medal for our country,” said M Puneeth, coach, Sports Authority of Karnataka.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Karnataka / by K Rathna / Express News Service / April 17th, 2019

City Muaythai Fighters Win Medals At World Championships

Records, All, Sports, World Opinion

MuayThaiBF30mar2019

Four Muaythai Kickboxers of Team India won four bronze medals for the country at the Professional and Pro-Amateur Muaythai World Championships held in the city of Korat, Nakhon Ratchasima province of Thailand, recently.

The Championship was organised by Muaythai and Muayboran Sports Association of the world (MTBSA) in which more than 26 countries participated.

This is the first time that city fighters have won these many medals at the World Championships. Out of the four fighters who won medals, three are from Academy of Martial Science, Mysuru, affiliated to Mysore District Muaythai Trust and Mysore Combat Sports Association and one from Tamil Nadu, Chennai.

Bronze Winning Team — Pranav Kaushik – Junior Mini Light FlyWeight; M.R. Darshan – Feather Weight; Surya Sagar – Super Light Weight and C. Vethandh – Heavy Weight.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Sports / March 2019

Bengalurean hopes to pedal his way to Guinness World Records

Records, All, Sports, World Opinion

26-year-old Ashis Kumar, is set to hit the road with an aim to break the Guinness World Record in the category of ‘Longest Journey by bicycle in a single country (Individual)’.

So far, Ashis Kumar has cycled over 7,200km on a bicycle in India
So far, Ashis Kumar has cycled over 7,200km on a bicycle in India

Bengaluru  :

Come June and Bengaluru-based cyclist Ashis Kumar is set to hit the road. The 26-year-old is working with a single-minded focus to break the Guinness World Record, currently held by Australian cyclist Benjamin Woods in the category of ‘Longest Journey by bicycle in a single country (Individual)’.

While the Australian cyclist created a record of 18,922 km in February 2018, Kumar plans to pedal over 30,000 km across the country during a two-year span to clinch the title. But he is turning to the public to raise a sum of `5 lakh (which will cover accommodation and food expenses), which will help him in his attempt to create a world record. On his journey, he will also be spreading awareness on #Rally4Rivers and MARD (Men Against Rape and Discrimination).

Inspired by a cyclist from Hyderabad, Nagaraj, whom he met two years ago, Kumar said, “I was motivated to cycle after hearing his travel stories and experiences.

I saved some money that I earned from my part-time job with an adventure company, as well as from organising treks for the corporate, from which I bought a basic model of MTB and started cycling,” said Kumar, who has cycled over 7,200 km on a bicycle in India so far, and even clocked 3,450 km between October 10 and November 23, 2018.

Despite a long ride coming up, Kumar says he hasn’t ridden his bike since November 2018. “For me, it’s more about mental stability than physical strength. In fact, when I used to speak to travellers, motorcyclists and cyclists, who told me that physical strength isn’t all that important, I did not agree. But when I started long rides, I realised they were right,” said Kumar, who is seeking a response from public on his email address a.ashiskumar22@gmail.com.

While he doesn’t fear wild animals as much, he worries that he might be robbed or stabbed by someone, despite not having faced any untoward incident till date. “I carry my laptops and cameras, and worry that I might get robbed or stabbed. But I don’t feel so scared when I pass by wildlife,” he said.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by Akhila Damodaran / Express News Service / March 27th, 2019