Khazima — the exceptional journey of India’s carrom World champion

 The banner on the entrance of a dilapidated constructing with a thatched roof over it reads: Ella Pugazhum Iraivan Oruvanuke (all glory belongs to God). On the banner is an image of a younger woman who has simply made historical past within the sport of carrom.

As you enter the constructing — it’s a training centre run by Mahboob Basha in Cherian Nagar, a 10-15 minute stroll from Tollgate (a north Chennai neighbourhood) — a frail woman, carrying a darkish tracksuit and a blue India jersey, walks briskly and introduces herself.

She then enters a corridor that has six carrom boards with hardly any house between them and begins chatting casually with the children, aged between six and 16, who’re all busy taking part in.

M.B. Khazima, who not too long ago bagged three titles — girls’s singles, girls’s doubles (with V. Mithra), and girls’s crew championship — within the Carrom World Cup within the San Francisco Bay Space (USA), has a no-nonsense lifestyle and sport.

The daughter of an autorickshaw driver, it has been a journey full of struggles for the Chennai lass. All that appears to be over, for now. In recognition of her exploits, the Tamil Nadu Authorities awarded the youngest World Cup champion on the planet with a money prize of ₹1 crore.

Mahboob Basha, father, coach, mentor, and information to the World Cup champion, is the driving power behind his daughter’s rise. He struggled financially and sought assist to make sure his daughter may participate in tournaments. When the COVID-19 lockdown struck, the household confronted additional hardships.

Tough section

“Throughout lockdown, I couldn’t trip my auto and began promoting tea for a residing. It was a really troublesome time. Seeing our household wrestle, my son, a former junior nationwide carrom champion, started to work in a personal firm. We’re indebted to the Tamil Nadu Authorities, the Chief Minister Mr. M. Okay. Stalin and the Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Udhayanidhi Stalin for serving to us financially,” mentioned Basha.

Impressed with Khazima’s sensible efficiency within the World Cup, the State Authorities has promised to renovate the teaching centre and work is predicted to start out quickly.

“We now have round 40 gamers, a lot of them are medallists on the State and Nationwide stage, now. When the renovation is full, we count on greater than 100 to affix us. It is going to be an honour if Udhayanidhi Stalin cuts the ribbon,” Basha mentioned.

Having skilled all her life at Cherian Nagar, Khazima doesn’t wish to transfer out of the realm. “My father has been right here so long as I can bear in mind, and I used to be born right here. I wish to purchase a brand new home in and round Cherian Nagar with the cash the State Authorities has given us,” mentioned the World champion.

When Khazima reached San Francisco for the World Cup in November final 12 months, she was not in her finest spirits.

“I used to be not feeling nice for a few days. My father was not with me. And furthermore, I didn’t just like the meals and the climate circumstances, which had been very chilly and naturally, the time distinction didn’t make it any simpler. However slowly I started to get higher,” mentioned the Federation Cup champion.

After a quite straightforward path to the ultimate, the place she met two-time World champion Rashmi Kumari, Khazima was examined to the bounds by the 12-time Nationwide singles champion. Within the summit conflict, Rashmi led 19-0 within the third and ultimate sport earlier than Khazima flipped the scripts to win the crown 25-24.

Well timed help

“At the moment (0-19), my thoughts was clean. All I used to be pondering was ‘when will the match recover from’. Trailing 0-19, Rashmi wanted simply six factors to win. I remembered what my father used to inform me. ‘Each board, try to take 4 factors, you may be within the sport’. I did simply that.

“At each board I took 4 factors. At 24-each, I regained my confidence whereas Rashmi began to really feel the strain and I capitalised on it. My preparations have been to win the singles title and I’m very completely satisfied. It’s all attributable to God’s grace,” mentioned Khazima, whose visa was rejected twice by US authorities.

Khazima wouldn’t have participated within the World Cup if not for the well timed assist from the State Authorities. She approached Mr. Udhayanidhi Stalin to finance her journey for the World Cup and inside a day she was sanctioned ₹1,50,000.

“No carrom participant earlier than me has acquired such an enormous quantity. I’m very completely satisfied. I’ve seen and heard many good gamers dropping out of the game attributable to monetary causes.

Grand reception

“Once we arrived on the Chennai airport after the win, we had a grand reception. All this makes me proud and completely satisfied about my achievement and in addition offers me hope that the game of carrom has a shiny future,” gushes Khazima, who’s on a scholarship with Indian Oil Company.

Khazima seems to be ahead to the day when carrom will probably be broadcast on tv and watched by followers aplenty.

“When cricket is performed, it’s watched reside by everybody. I wish to see carrom being broadcast reside. It isn’t that carrom is devoid of scholarships and job alternatives.

“Earnings Tax, IOC, ONGC, and others present job alternatives if a participant performs nicely,” mentioned the 18-year-old, who’s a first-year scholar of B.A. Company Economics on the Justice Basheer Syeed Ahmed Faculty.

Khazima began taking part in carrom when she was six years previous. She participated in lots of tournaments within the cadet class and when she was 9 years previous, she began collaborating within the senior class, which helped form her sport and magnificence.

The spark

The spark was supplied by her brother Abdul Rahman, a former junior nationwide champion, and it pushed her to take the game critically. Since her brother had to surrender the game to assist the household, Khazima was eager to win the World Cup for him.

“I’ve by no means received towards him (Abdul). Even now he doesn’t get frightened of me whereas taking part in. After lockdown, he stop the game to maintain the household. He needed to win the World Cup. I instructed my father, ‘I’ll win the World Cup’.”

Khazima is sweet in nearly all facets of the sport: thumbing, straight pictures, and reduce pictures.

Her full sport is due to her mentors, former India participant B. Radhakrishnan and Maria Irudayam, a nine-time Nationwide champion and two-time World champion who’s now the Secretary of the Chennai District Carrom Affiliation.

“Radhakrishnan sir doesn’t play anymore. Even now after we go to the Senior Nationals, individuals enquire about him. When he performs, individuals begin watching him. I needed to be like him. Irudayam sir gave us particular teaching in the course of the World Cup, which helped me in robust conditions. Maria sir helped me financially as nicely,” mentioned Khazima.

Vibrant future

In accordance with her, India is among the main international locations in carrom and the nation can attain higher heights with higher services from the state governments and correct help from the central authorities.

Having seen her father wrestle to make sure she may pursue her sporting desires, Khazima has pushed him to cease working and vowed to maintain the household going forward.

Basha’s car stays parked outdoors the home, absolutely lined. He has not renewed his licence for greater than a 12 months now. “I do probably not miss driving [the autorickshaw]. However I want to take my daughter [in it] to tournaments in and round Chennai, if attainable.”