India’s top polo players talk to Aabhas Sharma about the need to widen the reach of the sport
Samir Suhag was only 17 when he first played professional polo. At that time he never imagined he would become the captain of the national polo team. But things were different back then. Polo has always had an elite tag, with celebrity spectators, high tea in fashionable tents and more people watching the players and each other than perhaps the game itself. Now 38, Suhag sees a sport which has been embraced by the rich and famous, but one that he continues to play with the same enthusiasm he had when he started. “Historically, it’s been a niche sport played and patronized by royalty and even now money and glamour are its defining factors,” he says .
Suhag’s army background meant an early exposure to riding and polo. His father and uncle were polo enthusiasts, and he harboured childhood dreams of being a famous polo player. He admits, though, that things have changed for the better since the time when he started playing the game in the early 1990s. “Then the game was less corporatised and played on a much smaller scale.” “It’s a good career option but not a long one, say, like golf,” feels Lokendra Rathore, who plays for the Haryana Polo Club.
Over the last few years, the money has been pouring in. Corporates are partial to the sport as they see its potential as a premium lifestyle event, and use it to showcase their brands. Financially, the sport has never had it this good. Prize money has gone up and polo players now take home handsome pay cheques. About three years ago, sponsorships for polo tournaments were in the range of about Rs 20 lakh. But today the figure is Rs 50 lakh and above. Add to that the money that needs to be paid to the players. Those who ride for teams backed by corporates like Naveen Jindal, the Oberoi Group or Vijay Mallya don’t have to struggle too much for money. “At the top level, money is good,” admits Suhag. But it is an expensive sport. Well-bred horses, mainly from Australia and Argentina, cost between Rs 7 lakh and Rs 20 lakh. Getting and maintinaing the horses is an expensive challenge.
The national team, which played in the Asia Cup in Mumbai in March had Suhag, Piramal and Mariwala leading their charge. When not playing for the national team, they tend to ride for their clubs or teams. Mariwala rides for the Amateur Polo Club in Mumbai. “We need to travel abroad and take part in more international events in order to hone our skills,” he says. In the off season, these players maintain a fitness regime. “I do my regular gym and running exercises to keep myself fit even when we’re not playing,” says Suhag.
An attempt being made to broadbase the sport and take it to the masses. Dhruvpal Godara, a member of the Rajasthan Polo Club believes that the kind of adrenaline rush polo provides is tough to find in any sport. Having an elder brother, Manupal Godara, as a polo player was the reason why Dhruvpal took up polo. “As long as you are passionate about the sport, you will find the right people to back you,” he says.
Polo has an aspirational value to it. Whether for the players or for parents who want their children to take up the sport. For 36-year-old Rituparna Das, who has had her 10-year-old son Akash join the Calcutta Polo Club, the decision was based on her son’s fascination with horses. What deters parents like Dasgupta from pushing their children to take the sport professionally are the high costs. Shyam Mariwala, a 35-year old Mumbai-based textile entrepreneur who rides for the Amateur Riding Club and has represented India in international events realizes that. “But if you have the talent and potential, just like any other sport you will find backers in this as well,” says Mariwala.