Sports, IAS and Probability of Success
Original post on May 4th, 2022 on Wix.
At the start of this year, I decided to write a post once every month.
Clearly, I am not very regular. But that's okay. I don't get many readers anyway.
To me, it is more important that whenever I write, it has to be spontaneous and there should not be too much thinking behind it. If it is not free-flowing or coming out of my own experience, I don't think it is authentic. That's why I wait till something triggers me to write.
This week one discussion happened while watching an IPL match that made me write today.
Umran Malik and Rinku Singh got their well-deserved recognition in this IPL as they helped their teams win their high-pressure matches.
A common thing between Umran, Rinku, Siraj, and a few other known sportsmen is the humble background they belong to.
Umran's dad is a fruit seller in Jammu, Rinku's father works to deliver gas cylinders and Sriraj's father was an auto rickshaw driver.
They are not an overnight success but a success of many sleepless nights that got recognition recently.
The impact and the reward when such people become successful is, that this success ensures none of their family members have to ever undergo the hardship and sacrifices they have made in the past and they can now happily have both meals in their peaceful home.
The bigger impact of their success is, that it gives that extra motivation to lakhs of parents and children who are grinding every day just to keep working on their dreams. They need this motivation. I needed this in 2000.
I remember there was a time in my family when we were undergoing financial stress.
My father was finding a way to start a medical store. My mom ran a small PG+mess business to support us. My elder sister was trying to earn her college fees through a mehandi art business. My other sister was playing basketball 10 hours a day to make it to the India team, which was the best way for her to get a railway job. I wanted to crack a good engineering college so that I didn't have to run my declining STD PCO shop.
When you are in such a phase that you are craving to break out of something, such stories of success like Rinku's, help us to push a little further and we get the confidence that our problems are so much smaller and the chance of success is so much higher.
When it comes to playing professional cricket or any sport, it is highly irrational and risky if one starts looking at the probability of success. It makes no sense whatsoever if you think of chances of success. Logically speaking, one shouldn't even try.
And if you belong to a family background where basic necessities like food, shelter, and education are tough for parents to provide, then risking all options to give your dreams a chance is gutsy and practically speaking an example of bravery.
I have been thinking about other such stories and could not stop thinking, about how every year, whenever UPSC results come out there is one such inspirational story where parents risk everything that they have for that one success, that has such a low probability, that most of us would round it off to zero and move on.
Like this story of Govind Jaiswal. Govind cracked UPSC with AIR 48.
His story is unique as his father is a rickshaw puller in Varanasi. He once had 35 rickshaws and had to sell 20 of them to save his wife in 1995 and another 14 in 2004-05 so that Govind could prepare for UPSC. The only rickshaw left was the way to earn their daily meals.
I find it so inspiring and always look forward to such stories whenever UPSC results come out.
In fact, this was actually the subject of our discussion:
"Which of these paths- Becoming an IAS officer or becoming a cricketer is tougher? And which one needs more resources to increase ones chances of success?"
While both are unique in their own way and having financial support helps in getting the right coaches or teachers, I felt sports need fewer resources but the probability of success is also low due to high competition. Further, backup options in sports are minimal.
Resource wise I feel education is way more costlier. Books, stationery, and so on are tougher though in sports shoes and nutrition required for physical strength can be very expensive. Possibly that's why we will never see a Rinku Singh story in Tennis or F1.
I know, everyone has a different talent and finally they should choose what they like and are good at. But yes, everyone also has self-doubt and needs that extra luck. At that moment, it is easy to forget talent and what one likes.
The cost of risk is best known to those who failed and fell on the wrong side.
Just imagine, what if IPL wasn't there? Do we get to see Rinku or Umran? Possibly no.
The discussion obviously could not be concluded. These were my thoughts and my friends also had their points of view.
But I like that both(IAS, and Sports) are great levelers and provide an opportunity for many, who are unfortunately made to start way behind the starting line set for most of us.
Look forward to more Rinku and Govinds in the making!