We were seven children. Not well to do. I was the eldest, we struggled to live. Mother couldn’t speak and father did odd jobs. So to help, I started working when I was 10 as a ball boy in a prestigious club for Rs. 30 a month. The smile I saw in my younger siblings faces when I took some snacks home kept me motivated to work more.
At work, we were about four boys, who were hired to work on the tennis court. But the others would take off to see films or other activities. They would give me Re. 1 to do their share of work. I also became a marker boy and started to do all sorts of odd jobs at Bangalore Club.
Seeing my dedication, the club owners also wanted me to work in their kitchen. In my free time I would wash the dishes and observe how the chef cut the vegetables and cooked. This way I learnt some cooking too. But, the club owner was upset when he saw me working in the kitchen and gave instructions that I should work only on the fields and put me under a kind coach, who started teaching me tennis. He not only taught me to make professional markings on the field, but also to umpire the game, how to play with a left hander, how to play with someone who has a weak serving and all that. Gradually I progressed from being just a ball boy to a marker and then I was called to play with the club members every time they looked for a game partner.
But the earnings were meagre. I got married. My wife and I decided to not have children till my younger sisters were all married. For 15 years we both took care of my siblings and now we have children of our own — a son and a daughter. Our dream is to educate them. I also want them to get into tennis. I know the nuances of the game and can teach them well. In my free time I coach them both. But I dream of them becoming big officers and playing the game as a hobby.
Now I work at XLR8 Club in Kothanur. Life is okay. I play with those who come and look for a play partner and also teach. But this is a tough life. That’s why I believe in educating my children.
