New Delhi: Ahead of National Sports Day, Indian athletes Jemimah Rodrigues, Axar Patel, Praveen Chithravel and Yamini Mourya have looked back at the start of their sporting journeys and shared the lessons they would give their younger selves.
From cricket to athletics and judo, their experiences underline a common theme — patience, resilience and the ability to keep learning matter as much as early success.
India’s sporting journey has come a long way from the era of Major Dhyan Chand to a period in which athletes are competing and winning across cricket, athletics, combat sports and several other disciplines. But behind every medal and milestone is a much earlier phase, when athletes are still learning their sport and discovering what keeps them going.
This National Sports Day, the four athletes reflected on one question: “If you could go back to Day One of your sporting journey, what would you tell yourself?”
Jemimah Rodrigues: Enjoy the game and stay in the present
For Jemimah Rodrigues, a JSW-backed athlete, the biggest lesson has been to enjoy the game and not allow one innings to define her.
“Honestly, I would just tell myself to enjoy it more. When you are young, you want to prove that you belong here. Somewhere in that you forget why you even picked up the sport in the first place. I don’t want to think too far ahead or be too stuck in the past. I’ve learnt that one innings doesn’t decide who you are as a cricketer. Some days it clicks, some days it doesn’t, and that’s fine. As long as you’re giving your best for the team, that matters more than any score.”
Her experience reflects the pressure young athletes often face to prove themselves before they have had time to fully understand their own journey.
Axar Patel stresses patience and consistency
Axar Patel, also backed by JSW, said he would tell his younger self not to rush through the different stages of a cricketing career.
“There’s no need to rush things, that’s what I’d tell myself. When you’re starting out, you want to jump levels quickly. You want to perform in every single game. It doesn’t work like that. Cricket will test you; there will be phases where nothing goes right, and that is part of the sport. You will have great days and then you won’t have days that are great. I’d just say keep doing your work quietly, stay consistent, and when your chance comes, be ready for it.”
For Axar, patience and preparation have been central to dealing with the ups and downs of the sport.
Praveen Chithravel learns to trust gradual progress
Triple jumper Praveen Chithravel, who trains at the Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS), said one of his most important lessons has been accepting that hard work does not always produce immediate results.
“I’d tell my younger self that progress isn’t always going to look the way you think. You can train hard, do everything right, and the result still doesn’t come on that day. You have a bad competition, and it feels like you’ve gone backwards, but that’s part of the event too, especially in triple jump where the margins are so small. My job has always been to focus on executing each phase well and trusting the process, not the outcome. Every season is about getting better technically, physically and mentally, even if it’s by a few centimeters.”
His journey also highlights the growing support available to Indian athletes outside cricket, with academies and training centres investing in coaching, facilities and long-term athlete development.
Yamini Mourya: A defeat does not define the journey
Judoka Yamini Mourya, another IIS athlete, said she would tell her younger self not to fear defeat.
“I’d tell myself not to fear losing so much. Starting out, one defeat can feel huge; you start doubting yourself. But in judo you can’t think too far ahead anyway — every bout is different, and every bout teaches you something, whether it’s about your technique or your mindset going in. Listen to your coaches, break down what went wrong, and get back on the mat. One loss doesn’t tell you how far you can go. I only found that out by staying in it long enough to see it for myself.”
Her experience reflects the mental demands of combat sport, where athletes must learn early to handle both physical and psychological setbacks.
Though the four athletes come from different sporting backgrounds, their messages are similar. Careers are not shaped by one match, one competition or one medal, but by the ability to keep working, learn from setbacks and remain patient.
For Jemimah and Axar, that support has come through JSW’s backing, while Praveen and Yamini have benefited from the training environment and infrastructure at IIS.
On National Sports Day, their journeys are also a reminder that sporting success often begins far away from medals and recognition — with the small lessons learnt on Day One and the determination to keep going.