Slam dunking her way to success

Anita has broken into the Indian team, and will travel to Japan for the Asian Junior Basketball Championship, commencing on September 13. She is the only Mumbai girl in the squad. And also the youngest.

Her mother, Sita, is understandably excited. “Anita is the only member in our family to have achieved this much.” The trials and tribulations that Anita encountered in her fledgling career are as follows:

HURDLE I:

1995 in Indore. The school 100m sprintchampion holds a basketball testily. She is 13. Too late to start. Poor ball control. But that year, Anita and schoolmate Priyanka Wankhede fetch Madhya Pradesh the under-13 national title after 10 years. Anita has won her first basketball gold (which she is yet to receive) on debut. With fame comes cynosure. Her teachers taunt, “Anita is good only at basketball, not studies.” Her mother tells her to quit the game. Anita replies by changing schools, to Emerald Heights. And helps MP notch another gold, the national under-16 title.

HURDLE II: Mother Sita takes ill and must go to Mumbai for treatment. Her father quits his job to be with Sita. The Krishnans cannot afford her hostel and school bills. They ask her to quit the sport and move to Mumbai. “I did not want to leave her alone,” Sita recalls. Basketball rides to her rescue. Her school (Emerald Heights) waives her fees and hostel rent. She justifies the faith with a silver medal in the 1997 Junior Nationals. “Dr J Sharma, MP basketballsecretary, helped us. He told us, Anita is international material, she should continue playing,” Sita reminisces.

HURDLE III: 1998. Anita moves to Mumbai where she enrols at St Xavier’s College. She has been asked to report to the 3-month Asian camp at Patiala. Instead of taking pride in her achievements, her college denies her permission. (Flouting a government circular which states that schools and colleges should extend complete co-operation to players). Anita is shattered and wants to back off. Now, it is her mother who insists that she continue.“I told her, even if you lose a year, you should play for India.” She has quit Xavier’s and is set to join Khalsa on her return from Japan. Speaking to her mother from Patiala, she says, “This camp has been good for me. My game has improved tremendously.” Just 16, the India Juniors will have her services for three more years.