Pankaj Advani

Calcutta: Pankaj Advani’s is an unusual story: Born in Pune, spending the first four-plus years of his life in Kuwait, relocating to Bangalore after the 1990 Gulf War, dropping anchor in Sheffield to play as a pro in the UK’s snooker league...

Lest one forgets, the 28-year-old Advani has already won eight world titles (the first in snooker, the rest in billiards), a tremendous achievement by any yardstick.

Clearly, Advani is hot property.

A Padma Shri, Advani has received the country’s top awards in sport — the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and the Arjuna.

Articulate and extremely down to earth, Advani spoke to The Telegraph for around 45 minutes at Rajesh Tulsian’s residence during his two-day visit to the city.

Excerpts...

Q You’ve claimed the world billiards crown seven times and the world snooker title once. What goes into the making of a champion?

A lot of factors. The most crucial being financial support and support from the family... If you’re still studying, then the support of the educational institution, too. You’ve got to be passionate and have the dedication. Luckily for me, everything fell into place at the right time.

But what got you interested in billiards and snooker?

Like most youngsters, I used to play cricket, table tennis, badminton and basketball in school (Frank Anthony Public, in Bangalore)... During one of the vacations, in 1996, I saw elder brother Sree play snooker at a pool parlour near our house. I got interested and, for a week or two, I regularly watched him at the parlour. One day, I decided to have a go myself... On the first attempt itself, I potted the ball! My journey had begun.

You owe a lot to Arvind Savur...

Absolutely. I met Savur at the Karnataka State Billiards Association and he transformed me into the player I am. A huge part of my success is due to him.

Incredibly, you’ve been tasting success from the time you were a teenager. Did the titles and the headlines bring about a change in you as a person?

I’d like to think I haven’t changed... But, yes, I’ve evolved as a person and as a player... I’ve travelled the world, something I wanted to do from childhood. In fact, I wanted to become a commercial pilot, as the job would have taken me across the globe... The best thing about sport, you know, is that it teaches you a lot about yourself. Sport helps build character.

Were you good at studies?

I was definitely an above-average student. Of course, when I began playing, it started to get difficult. Yet, I was able to maintain first-class marks and would get between 70-80 per cent... My school was very supportive and, later, the Jain College, where I did my B.Com. Robin Uthappa and Shikha Tandon have also graduated from there.

Among other things, staying calm is important. Does it come naturally to you?

I lost my father (Arjun) when I was very young... But mother Kajal stayed tough and made Sree and me strong, too... She went through a lot... I guess I’ve got my mother’s calmness and mental strength... I’ve always believed that women are mentally stronger than the men.

Outside sport, then, has your mother been a role model?

Yes... She’s the perfect combination of somebody who interferes, yet doesn’t interfere completely. As a mother, she kept track of what I was doing, but also allowed me the space to develop.

Role model in billiards/ snooker...

Savur, my coach... He’s been like a father, a friend, a guide.

Are you your own severest critic?

(Laughs) Others will always be critical! At times, I do get very harsh on myself... It’s when you hit a rough patch that you start introspecting and find answers to questions... There are rough patches and there are purple patches in a sportsman’s career. Sport is a lot like life, with highs and lows. You cannot but experience the ups and the downs.

You’ve talked about evolving as an individual and as a player. Will you elaborate?

They’re very similar to each other... You get to understand that you won’t always win. That you won’t always lose either... You learn from the negatives and the positives around you. Having evolved, I tend not to take myself too seriously.

How do you handle pressure?

Look, usually, a sportsman is at his best when the expectations are the least... That’s the stage when people don’t talk about you and you don’t get criticised. The scrutiny begins when you win something big. I was a nobody before I won my first world title (snooker, 2003), in China. But, after that, things changed. The standard had been set... People expect you to win every match, but that’s just not possible.

The past decade has been phenomenal...

To be honest, I never expected to achieve so much at such a young age. Very early on, I’d announced that one day I’d be a world champion. But, obviously, I didn’t expect the first world title at 18... The eight world crowns mean a lot, but as important has been the process of learning... I’ve learnt a lot and, because I’ve hung out with people older to me, I’ve matured quicker.

For all your success, do you still envy a sportsman?

I’m very happy in the place and space I am in right now... I think I have made more or less the right decisions. I certainly draw inspiration from others, but don’t envy anybody.

Roger Federer’s an inspiration...

Because Federer’s a complete package... It’s not only about his game and his elegance, but the way he conducts himself. I can go on and on with adjectives hailing Federer... He’s the complete sportsperson and the ideal role model.

Don’t champions have a shelf life?

In my field, when you reach 35-37, then fitness comes into play. Your reflexes get challenged, particularly after the age of 40. Steve Davis (56) and Jimmy White (51) are still going strong, but they’re not playing at the same level.

You’re in the elite bracket of Indian sportsmen, with Sachin Tendulkar, Viswanathan Anand, Leander Paes and Abhinav Bindra for company. Is it humbling?

Very much so... I’m grateful to people for putting me in that bracket. But with it comes responsibility and I’m quite aware of that.

To aid concentration, do you meditate?

A bit. I also visualise... Visualise the opponent, the arena, the atmosphere. Sometimes, the visualisation isn’t perfect. On those days, one has to be very careful.

How do you unwind?

When not playing, it’s best to take your mind off the game. I read, watch movies... I’m out of the country for more than half the year, so when I’m back, I catch up with the family... Have a short holiday, maybe in Goa. Right now, I have a break for a month-and-a-half and, in this period, I’ve got to attend a couple of weddings... Mentally, billiards and snooker are exceedingly demanding, which is why one should do something away from the game.

Well, do you get bored?

I don’t, but there are days when you don’t feel like playing... There are days when you have to push yourself... But that’s not an issue... I enjoy the competitive nature of sport and that keeps me going.

As a champion, do you have advice for those, say, 10 years younger?

Don’t look at money and the rewards, for they can be temporary. Whatever you do, do it for the love of sport. Fame isn’t there forever and the very people who praise you could one day bring you right down. Look for harmony and peace in your life.

The final one... Going back in time, leaving Kuwait must have been rather traumatic?

Actually, we were holidaying in the US when everything happened. We couldn’t go back to Kuwait, where my father was into an import-export business. It was tough on the family.