Gymnast Raj Bhavsar wants to train Indian kids and give back to his country of originIt’s been a difficult but a memorable last fortnight for Raj Bhavsar. He has travelled across continents and won a silver medal at the Moscow World Stars, and now he finds himself in India on a short trip to meet his family. “It’s been a tiring journey but I am enjoying every bit of it,” he says.
Not many would have heard of Bhavsar. So here is a brief introduction. The 28-year-old was born in Houston, Texas. He started gymnastics at a very early age and since then has represented the USA at several international competitions, including the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where he won a bronze medal.
Speaking about his interest in gymnastics, Bhavsar says that he was an extremely active child and would constantly do things like back flips — which resulted in his breaking quite a few things in the house. “My parents were so fed up that they enrolled me in a gymnastics class, and since then there has been no looking back.” The initial years were full of hardships, but Bhavsar never gave up. Being of Indian origin was never a hindrance, he says — in fact, it made him work even harder.
His ultimate dream was to win a medal at the Olympics, and that also came to pass after a fellow gymnast sustained an injury. In 2004, Bhavsar was on standby just in case one of the main team members dropped out at the last minute due to injury. His chance never came. Four years later, it was the same story. But this time, at the last minute, there was a withdrawal and Bhavsar was roped in. “Things just fell in place at the right time and we won a bronze medal.” He says that when he didn’t get a chance in 2004, he felt quite low, but that didn’t deter him from working hard. “It was a dream come true for me to be on the podium. It really was an unforgettable experience.”
This is Bhavsar’s third trip to India, and he hopes that this one is fruitful in terms of helping young and upcoming gymnasts. Bhavsar has been to Allahabad, Delhi, Mumbai and Baroda. “It was great interacting with the kids, and hopefully my accomplishments will inspire them to do well in gymnastics.” He met gymnastics federation officials as well, and says that there has been some talk about helping them in some capacity or the other. “I do intend to get into coaching after I am done with my career, and would love to help out young Indian kids.” So far, he says that he has had a wonderful time in the country of his origin. “There is a lot of talent here which needs to be nurtured carefully,” he adds.
Though Bhavsar is aware of the problems which kids in the country face, he says “There has to be emphasis laid on exercise and physical fitness from an early age.” The myth that Indians are good at very few sports needs to be broken, according to him. Also, he says that it’s not difficult to concentrate on academics and sports at the same time. He says that being in America didn’t mean that it was less challenging or relatively easy.
To be a successful gymnast, Bhavsar says that being fit and athletic are essential, but that, above all, one needs to get the right sort of coaching as well. He trained under coach Kevin Mazeika, who, Bhavsar says, played a vital role in his career. “You need someone who can back your abilities as well as be there as a guiding light.” Five years ago, when he missed out on the Athens Olympics berth, Bhavsar says that it was his coach and parents who urged him to not give up. “That was a low point in my life,” he says.
Bhavsar knows that he has reached the pinnacle of his sport, and by the time the next Olympics come around, he will be 32 — not the right age for gymnasts.
“I love the sport and will keep on going as long as I am enjoying it,” he replies, when asked about future plans. One thing which he is sure of is that he wants to help out budding Indian gymnasts. “I will be more than happy if someone from India does achieve global recognition in gymnastics,” Bhavsar concludes. Well, now that he has lived the American dream, perhaps it’s time now for him to realise his Indian dream.
