On a Thursday night in Mumbai, the Pusalkars are not sitting on the couch. They’re in court.
However, urban India is steadily adopting an active lifestyle to overcome the amount of time they have to spend sedentary. Look around you. Fitness and physical activity are the new buzzwords, and everyone from your 70+ year-old neighbor to your 30-something professional is moving, bouncing, stretching, and maybe playing a sport.
In Mumbai, there is a growing tribe of adults who have adopted recreational sports as part of their daily routine. And an example of this trend is the recent popularity of pickleball, padelball, tennis ball, cricket, football, tennis, squash, badminton, and slowball. In fact, tournaments are held regularly for these sports, and reserving a lawn or court for them has become a separate activity in itself. Families, women, men, couples and singles gather on the court to enjoy a hard week’s work or celebrate the holidays.
In this series, KheloMore will introduce you to various active lifestyles. And who else to start with besides the Putharkar family – Rishi, Puja and the two boys, Veeru and Vihaan. The four of us do tackle, squash, padel, CrossFit, marathons, HyRox, yoga, and more. Sometimes together, sometimes individually.
“My father played squash for India and wanted my brother and I to participate in some kind of sport while we were growing up. I chose a different path, but the seeds of an active lifestyle were sown then,” says Puja, 48. “And I always stayed active through some kind of activity. After my first son was born, I started with a basic gym.”
For 52-year-old Rishi, a busy dental surgeon, an active lifestyle has always been a way of life as well. “Being Gen Monsoon was soccer. ”
It’s one thing to start a recreational sport or get a gym membership, it’s another to stick to it every day, every month, and definitely every year. This is especially true if you are not a professional athlete.
“Well, the two things that keep me going are a motivating partner and the long-lasting happy feeling I get after working out,” says Puja, a textile designer with a grueling work schedule that involves long commutes. “On top of that, I had two boys that I needed to expend energy on, especially when the pandemic hit.” In addition to CrossFit and yoga, she recently started playing padel with a group of women called in on a booking app.
For Rishi, working out “gives me a daily dose of dopamine and endorphins and prepares me for everyday challenges,” he says, adding that he’s hooked on it because he’s been into some type of physical activity for years now.
He also recently tried padel and found it to be a great combination of tennis and squash. He is a marathon novice who recently completed two half marathons and a 21 km trail run in Goa.
Plus, staying physically active has also made our dream family vacation a reality. Together with Veer, 19, and Vihaan, 14, they have taken many active holidays, including a cycling holiday in the Netherlands, a surfing trip to Sri Lanka, and a trekking and fishing trip in the Tirthan Valley. “I’m so happy that we all enjoy the outdoors. In my opinion, this is the most valuable habit I will pass on to my children,” Rishi says with a little pride.
The boys, who are regular squash players, love the intensity and challenge provided during the holidays. Their best holiday is cycling around the Netherlands and Italy, visiting different towns and eating local food. Moreover, being the only girl in this all-male family, Puja has learned to keep up with her family through her positivity. “If you can’t beat them, join them, that’s my philosophy.” And she joined them!
PakarPBN
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