Meeting Saina Nehwal

Date: August 8th, 2009

Venue: Hotel ITC Kakatiya, Hyderabad
Event: Launch of Saina Nehwal as Brand Ambassador of Deccan Chronicle and Odyssey
Experience: Awesome

I was happy to meet Saina Nehwal, India's top shuttler and ranked No. 6 in the world. She is an enthusiastic, down-to-earth and a sweet youngster. A very determined and dedicated sports person. Deccan Chargers Sporting Ventures Limited have entered into Sports Personality Management and Saina is the first sports personality to be signed by them. Deccan Chargers' first undertaking was to rope Deccan Chronicle and Odyssey as Saina's official sponsors. It was a privilege to meet Saina's distinguished coach, Pullela Gopichand.

Saina was very happy with the support and encouragement provided by DeccanChronicle. Though she was recovering from a bout of chicken pox, she played extremely well in the World Badminton Championships held in Hyderabad last week. Saina became the first Indian woman ever to reach the quarterfinals of a World Badminton Championship. She lost in the quarterfinals, but I am sure she will have more opportunities and more victories definitely await her.

What does SUCCESS mean to you?

I am always baffled when I think about SUCCESS. When I introspect and ask myself, "Am I successful ?"; I find it hard to describe! Because "being successful" is dynamic and situational.

Success can mean different things to different people. I may have name and fame, but no money; I may have name, fame, a fantastic career and money but no good health or personal life; I may have money, great friends and family, but no time to spend with them; I may have none of those mentioned, but I am peaceful.

Presently, I am having a great time at work. But I am suffering a lousy back ache, which is killing me. I am terrified about it and worried. I feel there is nothing like having a fit body and peaceful mind. I crave for it. The day I find them both, should be "Success" for me.

Finishing my morning household chores, seeing my kid off to school on time and reaching office at 10.am is "mission accomplished". And getting back home without getting stuck in traffic is "heaven". The routine stuff gives me a feeling of success for that moment.

So again, when I ask myself, Am I successful?...I really don't know.

I request my readers to enlighten me, by telling me "what success means to you". Please folks, be good and answer...see ya.