1) when i gifted a ‘make my smile t-shirt’ –

i love gifting people especially my closest friends and my family.and more so when i buy it with my own money.it gives me immense satisfaction.immense!:) neways but this is a little different form of gifting.i was in delhi for matches.the temperature was around 12 to 15 degrees.it was bloody cold.i was wearing two sweaters and my track top.i was in a tata sumo ,just me.waiting for the rest of the team members to come.all of them boys ofcourse who are mostly always not on time.;) so i was here waiting,listening to my ipod and looking around.it was foggy.suddenly from the fog i saw a mother and may be a 2yr old kid coming.the mother was atleast wearing a saree and a shawl,but her kid was naked,plain naked! in that bloody cold,he was naked! and i was here wearing 2 sweaters and a track top.when i saw that i almost felt guilty.needless to say they were beggars,and in india unfortunately thats a usual sight.and i am mostly not someone who entertains them.but that day i have no clue what happened to me.i just felt so cold,even after wearing so much.i couldnt take it.i immediately thought the kid needs to get covered up.the only thing i had was a white tshirt that said ‘make me smile’.by the time i made up my mind they had gone away.i said no way i have to give him this,so i told the driver that i will be back in 5mins.i ran thankfully they had not gone too far.found them,gave the guy that tshirt and his mom 100 bucks,told her to buy some clothes for him.the kid looked so cute.i mean my tshirt did cover him up completely,the tshirt was sweeping the floor,when he walked.i dont know how much that one shirt or 100bucks helped them.but i slept with a smile on my face that night.it was my best gift so far! the best ever.

2) when prakash sir took me home –

god! i think prakash sir is GOD! and i absolutely know there are no two ways about that.just cant be.so ofcourse when someone so special invites you home its like a dream coming true.i was 16,i think when this happened.i was having a great season,winning tournaments here and there.also i was planning to completely shift my base to bangalore and train there.prakash sir did want me to do that.so just randomly he came upto me on saturday evening and told me to meet him.i thought must be something in general. he said’ i want you to come home,we need to discuss things’.i was like what are you saying??? you are inviting me and only me to your place!!!!i hardly slept that night.finally sunday came.he had told me he will pick me up at 11am.i was ready since 8 only.hahahha….god i was so excited!!he gave me a missed call on my phone,which meant i had to go down.so i did all nervous.i mean sir doesnt talk too much and that time i was too young too.i just didnt want to make a fool of myself.neways i came down and he was standing outside his car.as our eyes met he gave me his smile!ok the next given is prakash sir has the greatest smile on this planet.i smiled back! when we came closer he patted me on the back and opened the door for me,i mean i am 16 he could have said,’ eh you?! sit down’,but ofcourse thats prakash sir so he has to be a pure gentleman.so he silently waited till i sat closed the door and came and sat on the drivers seat.that moment i got ,till sir sat down besides me i used it to say THANK YOU GOD!i was so happy all this was happening.prakash sir is a slow and a very safe driver.he said you can make out how calm a person is inside by the speed of his driving.now-a-days kids are so rash on the road.i nodded my head.anything he says is right.hes GOD! 🙂

we reached home.when i entered i was not too shocked! it was an awesome place,a three bedroom apartment.,with not a speck of dust,ofcourse! i was scared of walking around too much afraid of dirtying the place.when i went further in,he showed me his showcase,i almost stood there for 15mins,staring,not blinking at all.i must be looking like a ghost.that showcase had each and every greatest trophy any sportsperson would hope for.it had the all england,all the padmashree’s and you name it.but the best trophy for me was the one he won for two years beating every sportsperson of every sport in the world as the best sportsperson award.he told me that was the dearest to him.god! it was so inspiring! he always tells us i live my life with absolutely no regrets,i got to know why when i saw that showcase.i can still picture it!

after that he offered me some nimbu paani,and we discussed things.my goals,my plans for the future and stuff.i mean discussing things with prakash sir,i will tell you one thing you cannot lie in front of him.he’s been so honest all his life that theres no place for dishonesty in front of him.he had told me then,that if i ever have a boyfriend,i should go and tell him first.i am still waiting for that oppurtunity as i havent found anything that i can inform him about.hahhaha…..hes just so cool man, unbelievable!

after some two hours he dropped me back home.and ofcourse again he did open the door for me and waited till i got inside the lift.i must be really blessed,to have a person like him in my life.THANK THE LORD!!!!!

3) when balan sir said ‘you will be aditi mutatkar’-

i was pretty young.a budding junior.at that time aparna popat used to play in our academy.needless to say everyone of us wanted to be like her.she was the best badminton player we ever had then.i had finished my practice and stretching and was heading home.

ok before i go further,i will just talk a little about me and balan sir.balan sir was our coach in the early years of my training in the academy.ofcourse hes still my coach and will be forever.though the relationship i and balan sir have is very special.something i cant describe with words or explain.hes my spiritual guru,my true friend,my best supporter,someone who listens to each and everything i have to say with the same enthusiasm throughout.and thats difficult because when i talk i can talk for hours together,and its not necessary that i will make any sense at all.but he still listens and i always know that hes geniunely interested even though most of it is crap.again i must be blessed to have someone like him with me.

ok coming back,i went up to balan sir and asked him,’sir will i ever become the next aparna popat?’ he looked at me for sometime and didnt say anything.knowing balan sir i knew he would say ofcourse you will.hes always just so positive.but what he did say is something i have never forgotten and will never dare to forget.he says” aditi i dont think you will ever be aparna popat.i think people will always love to remember you as ADITI MUTATKAR.just be you,you will do just fine.’ i smiled and i almost wanted to hug him.i have always followed what he said.i never tried to be anybody else.i have been me throughout and i am pretty happy with being me! thank you sir! 🙂

4) when morten frost congratulated me –

MORTEN FROST is the second best greatest player after prakash sir.if you go by the records,morten frost has much better performances than sir.but for obvious reasons for me prakash sir is still the favourite.but ya morten is easily the god of badminton.

i was in my best form ever.i had just played my first gp final,followed it up with a semifinal and was on my way to the third semifinal.i had just finished a long match against an indonesian,and won.i was in my usual corner alone and stretching.from nowhere he came along and said something.i looked back,i couldnt believe it was him and secondly talking to me.he said,’hey aditi?? i was like….oh sorry hi sir….he goes on to shake my hand and says” that was a good match you played there,congratulations!” he smiled and went by…i couldnt even say a thankyou properly i was just speechless.i felt like i had won the all england.i was so on cloud nine.it was a good day! 🙂

5) when my principal called me home –

i have not attended school much.teachers though have always known me for my sport.i was in mumbai for the first five years of school.my principal there was called Mrs. Bijoor.i dont remember having a conversation with her in my five years in school.

but out of the blue one fine day,i got a call from her.she told me that she has been trying to get my number for a very long time.she finally did get it,and got hold of me.she congratulated me on my progress and wished me all the success.i told her i was overwhelmed by her gesture and would love to meet her.she said she has been in pune for the last few years,i took down her address and went to meet her.she was so proud of me.it was one of the most humbling moments of my career.

wish we had more teachers like her.! love u mam!!! “:)

i guess these memories will never leave me.i treasure them so much!more than all the prize money,trophies,fame everything i have got.all these special people have made my life so much more better.i am indebted to all of them all my life.

love you all! 🙂