Commonwealth Games 2022: Interview with Indian squash player Ramit Tandon

The XXII Commonwealth Games (CWG) kicked off with a dazzling opening ceremony on July 28 (Thursday) at Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium amid much fanfare.

Over the course of the next 11 days, between July 29 and August 8, a 215-member strong Indian contingent will compete across 16 disciplines to better the country’s haul of 64 medals (25 gold, 19 silver and 20 bronze) in the previous edition of the quadrennial event held in Australia’s Gold Coast.

Unlike most other sports featuring in the Commonwealth Games, squash isn’t part of the Olympics. For India’s squash contingent, therefore, the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games are the only two events where they can shine on the international multi-sport stage.

If recent results are anything to go by, India have fared well in global squash events. Earlier this year, Indian squash ace Dipika Pallikal teamed up with Joshna Chinappa and Saurav Ghosal to secure gold in both women’s doubles and mixed doubles, respectively, at the World Doubles Championship in Glasgow, Scotland.

Buoyed by the success at the World Doubles Championship, the nine-member Indian squash contingent will look to claim multiple medals in Birmingham. While the pairs of Pallikal-Chinappa and Pallikal-Ghosal are the favorites to win gold in the doubles events, the singles players will chase that elusive singles medal since the sport’s introduction to the Commonwealth Games in 1998.

All three of India’s CWG medals in squash so far have come in the doubles and involve the celebrated trio of Pallikal, Chinappa and Ghosal. The Pallikal-Chinappa pair won gold in 2014 and followed it up with silver in 2018. Pallikal and Ghosal, meanwhile, won silver in mixed doubles on the Gold Coast four years ago.

At Birmingham 2022, Kolkata’s Ramit Tandon will be the only male Indian squash player to appear in all three categories – men’s singles, men’s doubles (with Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu) and mixed doubles (with Joshna Chinappa). The current world No. 36 has won four PSA tour titles since turning pro in 2018. He was also part of the bronze medal-winning Indian men’s team at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta.

How Tandon took a leap of faith and quit a hedge fund analyst’s job in New York to become a professional squash player makes a fascinating story in itself. His journey is well documented in a TEDx talk delivered by him in 2019, which testifies to his eloquence.

In a recent freewheeling chat with Sportskeeda, Tandon spoke about the Indian squash contingent’s medal chances in Birmingham, his personal form and the ways to make squash more watchable in the country. The Columbia University graduate also shared his assessment of teenage squash sensation Anahat Singh, who’s the youngest Indian athlete at the XXII Commonwealth Games.

Here are the excerpts:

Q: There are expectations from the Indian squash contingent, given their decent record in the past few editions of the Commonwealth Games. How have the preparations been for Birmingham 2022?

Tandon: For a multi-sport event like the Commonwealth Games, it isn’t a one or two-week-long preparation. Since squash doesn’t feature in the Olympics, CWG is one of the biggest events for us.

The Indian government has been very supportive of non-cricket sports in the recent past. We had a chat with the Prime Minister on July 20. From an investment perspective, we compete internationally and train abroad, which shows the kind of support we’ve been getting lately. This wasn’t the case before the previous edition of the Commonwealth Games.

We had a two-week-long training camp in Chennai before leaving India where former world champion Gregory Gaultier sparred with us. That will help us a lot. We also have Chris Walker who has traveled with us to the UK and will be engaged with the Indian team during the Commonwealth Games.

Plus, we’ve been training together for some time now and the team bonding has gotten better. I feel the Federation, the government and the players have done well so far to prepare to the best of our abilities.

Q: You were quite inexperienced when you played against Gaultier at the Tournament of Champions six years ago. How does he view your progress?

Tandon: It’s great to have someone like Greg because he retired recently. He has the perspective of a coach as well as a player, which is very rare to find. Normally, you have a lot of good players with their perspectives and good coaches who have been in the sport for many years. Greg has a bit of both now.

I wasn’t a professional squash player the last time I faced Greg. I had just graduated from college and was working as a hedge fund analyst in New York. We trained quite a bit together in Chennai and he had a few points that I could improve on.

It was great to learn from him and he has definitely contributed to my growth as a player. Having someone like him around shows you how professional he is on the court even after retirement. It’s great that we were able to bring him to India and spar with him.

Q: In hindsight, how do you view the decision to turn pro in 2018?

Tandon: I am happy. In terms of viewing the decision, if I go back in time and you put me in the situation I was in back then, I would probably do the same thing (laughs).

That said, if I could change something in the past four years, it would probably be the two years of Covid as it took time out of competition and training. It was a big setback for us. If you take two years out of four, that’s the actual playing time I’ve had.

In general, squash is a beautiful thing. You know, I keep telling people that sport is an education in itself. The emotions you go through in life, the same emotions you go through in one game of squash, cricket or any other sport. I’m really enjoying my time and looking forward to making more progress.

Q: Before Covid struck, you were riding the crest of a wave, having won the Abu Dhabi Open and the Seattle Open. The lockdown was mentally taxing for all of us, even more so for athletes. How did you deal with the phase?

Tandon: As you said, it was a very challenging phase. Everything is time-sensitive for an athlete. Your form, preparation, and tournament schedule are all time-sensitive, so you work against the clock. Nobody knew when the lockdown would end or if there would be an extension of the lockdown. There was no time frame given, which made it extremely difficult to train and figure out the tournament schedule.

Initially, India couldn’t participate in a few events because the rest of the world was out of lockdown, while we were still in lockdown. We all had to find a way around it. It was all about discovering things that were working for me in terms of my improvement when I was training at home and didn’t have access to the squash court. I set myself to repeat those things over and over again. It was more of a trial-and-error method during that phase.

Q: You were born and raised in Kolkata, a city that has an inherent sporting culture. What was the city’s influence on your formative years as an athlete?

Tandon: I started playing squash seriously at the age of eight or nine, but I was into various sports from a very young age. I played a bit of cricket to start off when I was just five or six years old. I also played football quite regularly in school.

I think it was a combination of being passionate about sports and having easy access to facilities in Kolkata. I would see a lot of people playing cricket in Maidan. Then there’s gully cricket all over India, which you’ll find in the Kolkata streets as well.

My school, La Martiniere for Boys, also pushed us towards a lot of sports, be it cricket, football or swimming. I grew up in that culture, being surrounded by people playing these games. I owe my sportsman nature to this city.

Q: Your school has a good connection with racket sports as apart from you, Leander Paes is also a La Martiniere alumnus. Have you ever interacted with him?

Tandon: I did interact with him at a younger age. He's been in and out of Kolkata, but I’ve had the opportunity to speak to him. I took a bit of advice from him on how to deal with the psychological part of sports. He’s a legend in tennis. I haven’t spoken to him in the past couple of years, so I would love to reconnect with him.

Q: Saurav Ghosal, too, hails from Kolkata. When did you first meet him?

Tandon: I’ve known Saurav ever since I started playing at the age of seven or eight. He used to train at the Calcutta Racket Club. He was probably 14 or 15 back then. He shifted base to Chennai a few years later. He’s now in and out of Kolkata. When he’s in the city, we are training partners because then we are dependent on each other to train.

Q: Congratulations on being ranked 36th, your highest world ranking so far. At 29, is Ramit Tandon currently in his peak form?

Tandon: I think in terms of age, yes. I started playing professionally a little late. I feel I’ve entered a stage where the next couple of seasons will be very crucial for me. Thirty-six is a ranking that is very close to the top 20. If I have another good season, it will push me up to the top 20.

I’m not too far away from that. From that standpoint, I am happy with where I am. Hopefully, I can take confidence from this season and then try to get better next season.

Q: Most sports in India have had their watershed moments. It was the 1983 World Cup for cricket, Neeraj Chopra’s gold at Tokyo 2020 for javelin and this year’s Thomas Cup triumph for badminton. What will be the breakthrough event for squash?

Tandon: I believe it’s more about consistency. Even if you think of the Thomas Cup, that’s the breakthrough achievement for badminton in India, but I think the foundation was laid by Prakash Padukone when he won the All England Open. I feel once there’s some consistency and some Indians start winning world titles and we’re competing at that level, that’s what’s going to bring popularity to squash. Eventually, when we do something big, it will be like a Thomas Cup breakthrough moment.

Saurav is ranked 15th in the world, I’m close to the top 20, and we have a bunch of players who are close to the top 50. They are all emerging players and have a lot of time on their hands. It’s just that a few of us have to get our acts right and win a few world championships to make squash more popular in India than what it is today.

Q: How realistic are the chances of squash being included in the Olympics?

Tandon: I’m not too sure. I play squash because I love it. When I was six or seven years old, I didn’t choose the sport thinking whether it was in the Olympics or not. It’s more of a passion project and that’s why you keep doing it.

The workload is quite heavy for an athlete and you need to be prepared to deal with a lot of pain. So even if your sport is in the Olympics and you don’t enjoy it, I don’t think you can endure the pain we go through.

As far as squash’s chances of featuring in the Olympics are concerned, it’s something that the World Squash Federation (WSF) and the Professional Squash Association (PSA) are trying to achieve. As an athlete, I feel that if certain sports, especially racket sports, are in the Olympics, squash deserves to be there as well. In terms of getting it there and the politics behind it, I’m not very up-to-date with what’s happening.

Q: The athletes competing at the Olympics receive immense adulation even if they get close to a podium finish. Do squash players lack motivation at times, since events like the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games aren’t celebrated as much as the Olympics?

Tandon: When we see people on the podium, we don’t just look at their medals or their photographs in the newspapers. We do realize the work that has gone behind that because we put in the same amount of work. Hence, we are extremely happy for Neeraj and whoever wins gold. We believe they deserve fame.

For a lot of people, it’s like waking up in the morning, opening the newspaper and exclaiming, "Oh wow! He has won a gold medal. Congratulations!" But we do understand the years of work, pain, sweat and tears that have gone on behind that medal. For us, it’s more about the happiness of the person and the country.

We never compare ourselves to other athletes. Every sport is different. Although squash might not feature in the Olympics, there’s enough competition. We will find happiness in taking our country to the top level of our sport. I do believe India is still an academic-oriented country. You see Neeraj winning Olympic gold and more youngsters getting into the sport, and you realize that the sporting landscape in India is changing. That’s exciting for me.

Q: The players have been at loggerheads with the Squash Rackets Federation of India (SRFI) for quite some time. Even former SRFI coach Ashraf el Karagui called the Federation ’unprofessional' while quitting his job ahead of the 2018 CWG. Where do things stand now?

Tandon: When Ashraf was in India, I was in the USA. I read a few articles on the issue. To be honest, I’ve always received the support I’ve needed from SRFI. I think the Federation has been doing a good job. The results of Indian squash speak for themselves. We secured three medals at the WSF World Doubles and we have a strong history at the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games.

As a squash-playing nation, we’re now up there with the best nations in the world and that wouldn’t have been possible without the solid backing of SRFI and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. I’ve been on the circuit long enough to see the progress. If you compare where squash was ten years ago to where it is today, there has been an improvement.

There might be incidents here and there that have upset people. Ashraf, for instance, was definitely very upset. Meanwhile, if you call up Greg today and ask him about his experience with SRFI, he might say it was amazing. Every organization can have a bad experience with one or two people. We end up focusing on the controversies and ignoring the other coaches SRFI have hired over the years, who’ve not had a problem with them.

Q: Your batch is called the 'golden generation' of Indian squash. Tell us about the camaraderie within the camp.

Tandon: It’s always fun. Squash is an individual sport. All year round, we travel to tournaments in our individual capacity. We don’t get enough opportunities to be part of group training camps or team events.

I feel it’s a very exciting phase for us to be part of a team setup. It was before the outbreak of Covid that we had our last camp as a team. So it’s great to be back together as one unit and help each other out.

Q: You’ve seen the best of both worlds. What can be done to make squash more watchable and more profitable in India? Can an IPL-style league be an option?

Tandon: Firstly, the media needs to be involved a little more. We require a bit more support. When I say media, I don’t mean news articles or interviews. I’m talking about something like the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL), which is widely televised.

I do believe TV is the biggest medium of entertainment in India. Every household owns a television set and they follow all that’s happening. That’s something Indian squash needs to tap into. I think that will really help the sport reach another level in the country.

Obviously, when there are more viewers, sponsors roll in as well. We need to take the sport to the masses and increase its appeal. We’re a strong squash-playing nation, but we have to be more dominant to get the kind of fame that some of the other sports have.

India is a very patriotic nation. Once people start taking pride in the fact that these Indian squash players are beating everyone out in the world, our masses will connect more with the game.

I think an IPL-style league would be great for squash. Someone has to take up the project. I don’t know if anyone is working on it. But just to start off, there are many domestic and international events happening throughout the year.

We just lost in the final of the Asian Team Championships a few months ago, which had no viewership in India. We took on Pakistan in the quarter-finals and India-Pakistan is always a huge rivalry. If we have TV coverage for those kinds of events, that could be a start before we roll out an IPL-style league.

Q: What is your evaluation of Anahat Singh, the youngest member of your team?

Tandon: She’s amazing! Our Prime Minister called her out during the virtual meeting. For a fourteen-year-old girl to be the youngest in the Indian contingent speaks for itself, especially in a male-dominated country like India.

I met Anahat for the first time at the Chennai camp. She’s a bit shy, but what amazes me about her is that she’s unfazed by all the buzz about how great she is. Even at this young age, she’s a simple, humble girl who plays her squash and goes back home.

Q: Do you have any ambitions of being involved in squash administration in the future?

Tandon: I haven’t thought of it (laughs). I might do a desk job, but I’m not sure if I’ll stay in sports once I’m done with sports.

Rapid-fire round

Q: One tourist spot in Kolkata that you would recommend to your overseas friends?

Victoria Memorial. It’s very close to the club I play at, so I can easily take them to Victoria for a walk.

Q: Your favorite cheat meal?

Sushi.

Q: Your favorite work of fiction?

I do read books, but I’m not really into fiction. My all-time favorite is the Harry Potter series. I’m a big JK Rowling fan.

Q: Saurav Ghosal or you – who receives more female attention?

Saurav is now married, so I’ll take that one (laughs).

Q: A close friend from another sport…

I’m not very close to some of the other athletes because Kolkata doesn’t have a lot of athletes going to the Games. Usually, we hang out with some of the badminton, hockey and table tennis players.

Q: The first thing you bought with your squash income?

An iPhone.

Q: Are you a gym freak?

I do it because I have to, but I’m not obsessed with it.

Q: Your best achievement so far according to you would be…

I’m very proud of my 36th rank. I made the top 16 of the World Series event. It was also very special. An issue I’ve had in the past is I haven’t been consistent throughout the season.

I generally have a few big wins, but then the rest of the season doesn’t go well. This season, though, I’ve been a little more consistent. That’s something I take pride in.

Q: A compliment you’ll cherish for a long time?

I think people find me very humble. The compliments I get in life overshadow the compliments I get in my sport, so I'll always hold on to that.