The efforts of India’s cricketing great and mentor of Sunrisers Hyderabad in officially launching the V.V.S. Foundation, aimed at lending a helping hand to the deserving, mostly from the underprivileged sections, got a major fillip when IT Minister K.T. Rama Rao made a personal contribution of ₹10 lakh towards it.
At a panel discussion at the ‘Black Tie’ fund-raiser event at Taj Krishna, the venue partner, Mr. Rama Rao said he was a big fan of Laxman ever since he followed that epic knock of 281 against Australia in 2001. “Though there is not even the webcast, we were still follow it and always be inspired by that great innings,” he said.
The Minister stressed on the importance of dreaming big and that he was determined to help his father and Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao realise the goal of making Telangana the best State in the country.
Film star Samantha Ruth recalled the struggles during her childhood when it was difficult to meet both ends. “Once I was successful in school topping the exams, I realised the importance of education which is the biggest tool to dream big and work the hard way to realise it,” she said.
“The day I wanted to be an actor, though many were not willing to support the idea, I only thought of that day in and day out. So it’s imperative to dream big and find the ways, despite hurdles, to chase it successfully,” she explained. The actor also reminded the gathering of how she was also into giving back to the society in her own way and glad that she was part of the V.V.S. Laxman event for a noble cause.
Sunrisers captain David Warner also spoke about the way one should face challenges to be successful.
“I was a naughty boy in school who could bat both left and right-handed. But once my school coach felt I should be better off as a lefty, I stayed focussed. I worked really hard to establish myself as a Test player too despite being branded as a limited-overs’ specialist to start with,” he explained.
India’s star cricketer Yuvraj Singh touched an emotional chord when he recalled his childhood when his father was a taskmaster and the dreaded phase battling cancer.
“In my childhood, I used to wonder why my dad was like that. But now I realise the importance of being disciplined to be successful in any aspect of life,” he said.
Head coach of Sunrisers, Tom Moody, and Sri Lankan Muttiah Muralitharan stressed on the importance of mental toughness and visualisation to execute one’s goal.
Laxman’s close friend and badminton coach Pullela Gopi Chand, who flew from Mumbai to Hyderabad to be present at the event late in the evening, talked about the challenges he faced as a player and then as a coach. “To be successful, one has to stay clear of the distractions and focus on the job on hand. Mindset is the key in scripting one’s success story. If the thought process and the goals are clear, the job will be easier as we have to be selfless and enjoy other’s success,” Gopi said.
