On October 16th I attended the eagerly awaited book launch of my hero Kabad Jayanth, who personifies academic brilliance blended with sporting excellence. My search using various AI tools led me to discover that there is no other IITian or IISCian than Jayanth who has not only been the National Champion (Table Tennis, 1974) but also represented the country in the International Stage.
This autobiography is informative, engaging and insightful for multiple reasons. It not only provides a 360-degree view of his sporting journey, but also describes the tough path to getting a green card in the USA and how that shaped his post-sporting career despite earning his third post-graduate degree in the States. The trials and tribulations on his way to building a successful wealth management business in the USA, while capturing multiple facets of his personal life including his family, values, and mentors that played a major role in shaping him are additional facets of this narration.
For me this book stands out for its four distinct traits; i. it is objective to the point of being self-deprecating despite his outstanding achievements, ii. the humility where he credits most of his achievements to people around him and the “unseen” hand, iii. the details captured in his US trials and tribulations provides the reader almost a movie like vividity, and finally iv. the transparency where he takes us into his thinking and decision-making process.
For sports enthusiasts and administrators this book will hold immense value as he describes the politics and favouritism that plagued the 1960s and 70s sporting world, which has only intensified with every passing decade. Being among the first set of sportspersons who was arrested for protesting, his views need serious consideration. For the large number of Indian families that is seeing their child struggle with the Green card challenge, this book provides a vivid description of the constraints and mental struggles that a person goes through. In sharing his experience in building a successful wealth management business in an ethically vulnerable space, his focus on values and integrity are lessons that go beyond any one industry and is relevant for all students and entrepreneurs.
This book is a must read for all reflective individuals who want a better sports culture in India, and want to have a ring side view of what it takes to achieve academic brilliance blended with sporting excellence.
Happy reading as we get insights into the life of one of the best talents in the academic, sporting and business world to learn and practice.
