KOLKATA: If winning is a habit, then Pankaj Advani has inculcated it from a very young age. Sitting atop 24 world titles in billiards and snooker, there's no stopping Advani who still cherishes his every victory.
"This is a position I never dreamt of reaching when I was a kid. I never knew I would land up with so many titles," he told TOI on the sidelines of the ongoing Bengal Premier League snooker tournament at the Bengal Rowing Club. Asked whether he himself had lost track of the number of titles he had won, the 36-year-old smiled.
"I do keep a track. Every title means a lot to me. I have worked hard for it," he stated. "Each and every title has a special place in my heart and has some significance in my life. They all remind me of all the obstacles that I have to overcome, the defeats that I had to face in my career and the challenges that have been thrown at me, he added.
The Bengaluru boy established himself in such a position that he always starts as favourite in all the tournaments that he participates. But Advani prefers to enjoy the game more than coming under any pressure of expectation. "Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown, but the crown is never guaranteed. The beauty of sport is that anything can happen. But I just look to enjoy the game," he explained.
In spite of winning everything the game has to offer, Advani is never short on motivation as he approaches the game beyond the purview of results. "The game is such that you always try to see whether you are the best. And once you reach that stage, it's all about proving that you always belong there. For that you have to continue improving because if you stagnate others will quickly catch up with you which had happened with me before also," he pointed out.
Although Advani misses out on participating in the Olympics since his game is not included in the global event, he did not feel that makes his achievement any less.
"As a player you want to represent the country at all world level events. But for me the world championship or the Olympics doesn't make a difference. Perhaps the common perception is that the Olympics is the biggest. I am not taking away anything from it, but the Olympics doesn't and cannot always define sporting greatness," he stated. "Any sportsperson will of course want his discipline to be present at all levels of international tournaments, but even if that doesn't happen, you still have enough opportunity to put the flag on your chess and play for the country," said the two-time Asian Games gold medal winner.
