Mohanty: “The ability to stay humble and be grounded is one of the most successful philosophies one can ever adopt.”
It was my pleasure to interview Dilip Mohanty, winner of several national and international tournaments, and the first person from the state of Odisha to become the director of the Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) India. Through the Neelachal Tennis Academy (an academy he established), Mohanti helped establish the Odisha Tennis Premier League (OTPL), and he has nurtured many a young talent.
Ravi: Firstly, thank you for giving your valuable time to The Sports Column. Let’s begin by having you tell us about your background and what brought you into the sport. Who are your role models?
Dilip: First of all, I want to thank this platform for making it possible to share my story. I was born and brought up in Guwahati. My father worked for the Assam State Transport Corporation, and we lived in government quarters at Nehru Stadium because where my grandfather worked.
Tennis is a very costly game, and we could not afford to pay for my tennis lessons. Nevertheless, my grandfather wanted me to learn the sport because he had a passion for it.
Ravi: An Odia among the global elite, what were the significant challenges you’ve faced during your earlier days, and how was the infrastructure back then to today?
Dilip: I am proud to be an Odia. My culture has taught me to be grounded, to be respectful, and, above all, to be passionate.
As for learning the game, I faced another hurdle: I did not have enough money to buy proper equipment and to participate in tournaments. Besides, I didn’t even have a proper diet to be a sportsperson.
Another challenge growing up was India’s tennis infrastructure. When I started, only four clay courts were available in Nehru Stadium, and only three academies existed in Guwahati.
Ravi: You are the first person from Odisha to get the position of PTR Director of India. As someone who shares my roots with your great state, we know how excited and proud you are. Can you share your experiences and roles as the Director and what it meant to tennis in Odisha?
What a career!
Dilip: It’s an honour in 2019 to be selected as the PTR director of India. PTR coach education is considered to be one of the world’s best. It feels great when you are associated with such a big name, and it also allows me to look after the game. That includes listening to the problems of the coaches, improving their conditions, and promoting coaching education. For example, I organized a PTR coach workshop in Delhi in September 2019 and followed up that with offering a workshop in Odisha in January 2020. I aim to upgrade coaches with new skills and techniques. For those who are unable to attend the course because of the financial crisis, we gave them a lump-sum discount. Nobody should be denied because of monetary issues. We are also planning to establish tie-ups with foreign associations, and that will provide coaches with employment opportunities abroad.
Ravi: Can you tell us about Neelachal Sports Foundation and the various activities that happen in Bhubaneswar?
Dilip: Neelachal Sports Foundation is my dream venture. My main motive is to promote and develop tennis. Being from a humble background, I feel that economically backward people with a passion for learning should be supported. I want to provide free facilities to aspiring players who have an intense desire to learn tennis. I organize camps and tournaments as well as arrange coaching workshops. In Bhubaneswar, since 2017, I’ve conducted Odisha Tennis Premier League (OTPL), where national, ATP and ITF players come together. We allow promising local players to play and showcase their talents. I have conducted Men’s and Junior’s tournament in Puri and Bhubaneswar, arranged PTR International Coach’s Workshop in Cuttack, and arranged equipment for poor and needy tennis players in Odisha and Delhi.
Ravi: What strategies and aspects of your training do you think are unique from the rest? And in what way do they contribute to the overall development of an athlete?
Dilip: I think encouraging and motivating players to give their best is one of the biggest things that I do. That includes giving them sufficient time to practice and offering advice about how to improve their play.
It’s complicated because physical, technical, tactical, and mental areas come into play as a player improves his or her overall development. We focus a lot on fundamental techniques because fundamentals can make or mar a player. Another important side is encouraging parents. We understand that not all parents are interested in having their children advance to higher levels of tennis. If we don’t cultivate the parents, many talented players will be lost to the game.
Ravi: Can you tell us about your experience as the National Coach of Hong Kong?
Dilip: I was appointed to that role (High-Performance Coach of the Hong Kong Tennis Association) in September 2010. The appointment was a significant turning point in my career. I got an opportunity to learn a wide range of things from colleagues, who helped and supported me in Hong Kong. There I was involved in coaching a variety of teams, too, including the Davis Cup Team, the Federation Cup Team, the East Asian Games Team, the All-China Games Team, the Asian Games Team, the World Junior Tennis Team, the Junior Davis Cup, the Federation Cup team, the Elite Junior Team, the National Training Squad, the Talent Group, and the talent ID program.
During my tenure at HKTA, I was a hitting partner for the Hong Kong Tennis Classic (2011). There I had the chance to play with John McEnroe, Stefan Edberg, Venus Williams, and Caroline Wozniacki.
But, in saying all of that, it was a hectic time of my life! I engaged in coaching for 8-12 hours a day and traveled extensively with players and teams. Invigorating, I learnt a lot during that time.
Ravi: How do you see tennis evolving in Odisha and India as a whole, and how critical a role do you think a successful administrator plays in the development of it?
Dilip: Tennis has evolved a lot. Odisha has witnessed a significant evolution–not only in tennis but in other sports, too. Today, there are different levels of tournaments organized, such as the ITF–Future 2019 competition conducted in Bhubaneswar and the Khelo India University Games 2020. Also, exposure is greater. We have many successful tennis players from Odisha, such as Anshu Bhyun and Chinmay Pradhan, who hold ATP ranking. Also, we have Kabir Hans (Top 10 in India in Under 16), Rituparna Chowdhury (Top 20 in India in Under 18 and Top 100 in Women’s), Shilpi Swaroop Das (Top 50 in Women’s), Anaam (Top 100 in Women’s), just to name a few. Odisha is a place where people are passionate and hardworking, but (sadly), because of the financial crisis, they do not always come to the forefront.
Talking about the role of an administrator, I must say it is very challenging. An administrator must arrange for sponsors and give sponsorships to those in need, look and find the exact talent, give chances to promising players for more tournaments, and give international exposure for camps and tournaments.
Ravi: To us–the aficionados of the game–Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupati, and their international successes mean a lot. Could you take us through the role they played in your professional career?
Dilip: They influenced me a lot. Their hard work, dedication, passion, and perseverance inspired me.
Ravi: What were your memorable wins on the tennis court?
One of Dilip’s many awards
Dilip: I represented India as team captain in the ITF Senior Italia Cup Tennis Championship, which was held in Florida in 2014. Although I have played many matches and tournaments, the most memorable one was when I was declared the single’s winner at the PTR International Tennis Championship at Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, in February 2017. It was a proud moment as I was the first Indian to win this championship.
Ravi: What is your philosophy in sports and life?
Dilip: I consider being grounded as one of the most successful philosophies of life. Moreover, one should be passionate, punctual, disciplined, and respectful in whatever field they choose.
Ravi: Thank you for sharing your story and thoughts with us today!
