JAGGY SHIVDASANI, 65, was the oldest Indian medallist at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, where he and his team won a silver in bridge. He is also the youngest Indian national champion: he set that unbroken record at the age of 18, winning the Holkar Trophy in 1976.
Shivdasani has won all the national titles multiple times and has represented India in numerous international events. In 1987, he became the first non-American ever to win one of the three major North American team events: the Spingold Knockout Teams.
“Bridge requires technical skills, the ability to read your opponent, hand evaluation, maths, statistics and probability, as well as stamina and nerves,”he says. Edited excerpts from an interview about his experience in Hangzhou:
Q/ Anju Bobby George of the Athletics Federation of India said the Chinese tried to cheat India of medals. Javelin champion Neeraj Chopra said his first throw was not recorded. What has been your experience?
A/ We didn’t have any such experience. The Chinese were more than nice; they played absolutely fair. We beat China in the semifinals. They were one of the favourites and were very, very warm about their congratulations.
Q/ Why did you stay outside the Games Village? Were the facilities inside the village inadequate or the rules too rigid?
This story is from the October 22, 2023 edition of THE WEEK India.
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This story is from the October 22, 2023 edition of THE WEEK India.
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