Going strong on a downhill track

Amit Khanna

He is a six-time Olympian. India’s only regular representative at six Winter Games. Yet, in a country bereft of global sporting heroes, he occupies our mind space only once every four years. Shiva Keshavan, the luger, is once again set for a journey he has traversed all by himself since 1997. 

The reigning Asian Champion enjoys the rarefied company being the first Indian luger to ever qualify for the Winter Olympics and win the first-ever medal in any Winter sport. Keshawan finished 37th at Sochi Games in 2014, while his best finish till date was during 2006 Winter Olympic Games. 

In a free-wheeling conversation, Shiva reflects on the upcoming Pyeongchang Winter Games in February, his long journey, luge in India, institutional lethargy and much more... 

How are your preparations for the Pyeongchang Games coming along?

Honestly, I am trying to manage. There isn’t enough money for luge in India and we have been requesting the government and association to make funds available. But this time with the intervention of Union Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore, Rs 5 lakh have been sanctioned recently. 

The gold at Asian Luge Championship could not have come at a better time for you.

The championship race was shifted to Germany from my favourite place in Japan due to technical reasons. The German track was a tricky one. I had suffered a crash here last winter. So, to still win there was a huge morale booster. 

What is your target for the Winter Olympics? 

The newly laid track at Pyeongchang gives me an advantage as I am more experienced now. I would be happy finishing in the top 20. They say during winters in Pyeongchang even the ink of a pen becomes sluggish and fades when you write, but over the years I have gotten used to the extreme conditions. 

This is going to be your sixth Olympics. Which one would you rate most memorable of all?

Nagano 1998, my first Olympics, was overwhelmingly special. The sheer energy of positive emotions that overflows from your being while you carry the National Flag can never be measured.

Will this be your last Olympics? And if so, how do you plan to give something back to the sport post-retirement?

It’s not impossible to continue but deep down I think I have done quite a bit. I should move on and help the younger generation now. 

Once you decide to call time on your career, what do you think will be the most enduring part of your legacy?

I want luge to become an attractive sporting proposition for the coming generation. My legacy will, hopefully, not end with the career itself. Maybe, when I don’t have to worry about my own performances, I can get down to a more focused approach on creating infrastructure and facilities for luge. 

You picked up Luge when you were barely 15. There must be many special memories of it. 

I knew nothing about the sport until I was selected for a luge camp and then there was no looking back. It has been a wonderful journey and what made it interesting was that there was no beaten path to follow.

How the game has changed in India over the years?

Sadly, nothing much has changed. There is still no luge track in India and believe me it does not cost much to have one. What has changed though is that there is more information available about the game and there are more people who follow it now.

How have the governments let the sport down?

The present sports minister is the right man in the right place, but people in the bureaucratic setup do not understand athletes. We need a complete overhaul. Unbelievably, I was allotted funds for 2014 Winter Olympics two months after the Games had already ended.

Tell us about the Italian citizenship offer in 2012. 

Yes, I refused that offer because I realised that I could make the game grow in India. I know I could have had better facilities and much more in Italy, but India comes first for me. 

Luge does not come naturally to anyone. Any advice for budding sportspersons? 

Well, people living in mountains are the most natural athletes in ice-based sports. We just need to evolve a strong mechanism where the athlete can focus on his performance and nothing else.