From pastime to profession

Tarun Gill's date with squash was purely accidental and with no desire to continue his affair with the game. Four years ago, he started p...

Tarun Gill’s date with squash was purely accidental and with no desire to continue his affair with the game. Four years ago, he started playing the game to shed fat around his waist at the direction of his father Joginder Gill. Tarun, a resident of Malviya Nagar Extension, started visiting the DDA squash courts at Siri Fort. But within three months, by sheer hard work and dedication, Tarun won his maiden title in the under-16 section in the DDA inter-complex tournament.

What started as a pastime became a fixation for the youngster very soon. He then started taking the game seriously and his parents, too, encouraged him. B I Singh, who conducts regular training camps at the complex, took Tarun under his tutelage and fine-tuned his shots.

Tarun never looked back since then, winning several competitions in 1997 and 1997. He went on to win the DSM tournament (All India basis) in the under-19 category in 1997 and followed it with the Chandigarh Open, beating the then National junior champion Juneja in the final. He made it to the quarter-finals in Central India in Indore and was a semi-finalist in the L G Cup in Delhi.

Last year saw Tarun taking further strides, making to the final of the DDA Gala Tournament where he lost to his coach B I Singh in a marathon battle that lasted almost two hours.

The 6ft 3 tall and burly 19-year-old is all set to make his mark in the senior level after some stunning performances in the junior section, at the national level.

Training constantly with his college-mate and current National champion Ritwik Bhattacharya has helped Tarun improve his game and fitness immensely. The two collegiates helped Delhi University reach the final of the recent All-India inter-varsity squash championships in the Capital.

He got into St Stephen’s on the merit of his game and his sports lecturers R K Clement and S K Chakraborthy have been a source of encouragement to the youngster.

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The bespectacled Tarun won the DDA Open tournament beating junior National champion Abhimanyu Jain of Mayo College (Ajmer) in straight games in the final a couple of months ago. “That triumph meant a lot to me and boosted my confidence,” he says.

The B A (Hon) History student is aware of the tough opposition he will face at the higher level. “Now that I have taken to the game seriously, I want to earn a name at the National level,” he says. And he is working hard towards that goal.