These are very few times when a sports person gets to spend time with his family. It is either during off-tournament days or when they are injured. Even then, they are focused on preparing for their next tournament or recovering from the injury. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic, sportsmen and sportswomen have got the opportunity to spend time at home, without any practice schedules or injuries to look after.
UP Yoddha (Pro Kabaddi 6&7), Railways Men's kabaddi team
Shrikant Jadhav, who was a part of the Indian Railways team that won the 67th Senior National Kabaddi Championships in Jaipur, is at his home near Ahmednagar in Maharashtra. Waiting for the next Pro Kabaddi season to start, let's find out what Jadhav has been up to.
How are your days given the lockdown due to the Carona virus pandemic? Is there any advantage of being in a situation like this?
I am happy to get such a long break; the time allows me to bond better with my family. I am spending time with parents, sister, and her kids and it is a wonderful feeling. It is after a long time that all of us are getting so much time to be together, especially given my Kabaddi training and tour schedule.
What is your daily routine to maintain fitness when the training and games restart?
I generally go out for a run and do some basic exercises. I spend the whole day at home and then by evening play with my sister's kids. I try to teach them a thing or two about Kabaddi. Also, help my mother in household work and once in two days, I have to go to the farm to check on the crops.
How do you maintain a proper diet, given the large amounts of time we spend at home?
It was very difficult to maintain a diet when you are at home and not practicing. But I make sure to eat sufficient fruits, to ensure a proper intake of minerals. Honestly speaking, I have been hogging food since I don’t get to eat Ghar ka Khana (home-cooked food) often especially when I am out on tour.
What films/shows are you watching online?
I am a big fan of South Indian movies and watch a lot of movies when I am just sitting at home all day long.
Following the outbreak, what's the most paranoid thing you've done for yourself or others?
I took this opportunity to help the migrant workers here in my town. We distributed grains and cereals to the needy. Together with the members of my village, we donated several kilos of rice, wheat, dal and other necessary items required to cook a regular meal, mainly to the daily wage labourers.
