Like many youngsters in high school, Balaji Reddy was first introduced to cue sports at the local snooker parlour. “I got addicted. Very quickly,” he says. It is quite common for school or college students to spend hours at these cigarette smoke-filled joints, for it is an alluring world. It is a welcome escape from the drudgery of sitting in the classroom, and the joy of sinking a ‘sound pot’ - the perfect shot where the ball thuds into the pocket - induces a feeling of elation which few text books can provide. A quick buck or two can be made through a ‘bet match’, while bass-boosted hip hop tracks keeps the party going.
Most enthusiasts, however, never enter official competitions. Perhaps, the strict rules concerning every detail of the sport - from player clothing to official scoring - in a staid setting does not appeal to the rebellious nature of those who throng snooker parlours. Balaji proved to be the exception, and crossed over to the other side. “I wanted to give it a shot. I was curious to see how far I can go in official tournaments,” he says.
Balaji then entered the T.A. Selvaraj Open Snooker tournament in 2005, and won the title. Then 16, the victory set the ball rolling. He completed his high school at Chennai, and decided to move to Bangalore - the Mecca of cue sports in India - to pursue a law degree. The Karnataka State Billiards Association (KSBA) allowed him to train at their premises under the ‘talent category’, and he soon became a regular feature at State-level competitions. The efforts of the KSBA, he says, made all the difference. “They conducted an Asia camp a few years ago, with specialist coaches from around the world. Even though I was not part of the camp, the KSBA allowed me to watch the players and the coaches in action. I got to see (multiple world champions) Geet Sethi and Pankaj Advani. It was a superb experience,” the 27-year-old says.
Balaji went on to win the State 8-ball pool tournaments in 2010 and 2011, and finished fourth in the Nationals which followed. A three-year title drought followed, which he puts down to balancing academics and sport, before he recently became the first cueist to win the 8-ball and 9-ball State championship in the same year. “Training under (former national champion and veteran coach) M.G. Jayaram helped me tremendously,” he states.
Despite the success, Balaji maintains that the green baize is driven only by passion. A career in law is what he is focussed on. He is diffident when asked if he can make it as a professional. “I don’t think I have what it takes. I have seen people like Advani and (billiards exponent) B. Bhaskar devote their lives to the sport, but they are out of my league,” he says.
Balaji retains the mindset of a casual player at the parlour, and refuses to dwell on his prospects. “I will continue playing. Let us see where it takes me. I want to practice law, and that is my career choice. I wanted to try my hand at organised cue sports, and I am satisfied with what I have achieved,” he says.
