Hyderabad: Indian paddler Soumyajit Ghosh was accused of domestic violence and torture by his ex-wife after which the TTFI imposed a temporary ban on him. However, it was later lifted. In an exclusive interview with ETV Bharat, Ghosh has openly discussed about the allegations levelled against him by his ex-wife while stating his return to pro circuit as successful.
How have you been faring during lockdown?
I have been mostly staying at home during lockdown which has now been more than 2 months. Although I am bored staying home, however, I have made some schedule to keep myself fit. I have been trying to do some physical exercises and sometimes I also feel good about this period as now I am able to spend more time with my family. Thus, this period has been good to me. Now everything is opening up and thus I hope that we will soon be able to train again.
What do you do to stay mentally and physically fit?
I always try to think positive and talk positive. I also try to expect the best whenever the situation is demanding and not lose hope. One should always be positive irrespective of what the situation and should wait for the right time when the going gets tough. One can work for an hour per day to be physically fit but the most important part is mental fitness. You should always be positive when you have problems. This is the key to mental fitness. You should have some friends with whom you can share things. I am lucky that I have such people. I have seen many ups and downs and thus I know that these tough situations will pass.
You have been involved in couple of controversies. How did you manage yourself during that period?
See, it is not easy to accept but whatever has happened has happened. I had to forget those things. I can't control it. I can’t do anything that has passed.
Were you aware that your ex-wife was minor?
Let me be very clear she is not minor. There are some things that I cannot tell in public. Right now the matter is going on in court. Leaving what happened, I want to move forward. Currently, I am focusing on my career. I would term this as my second innings. I started well and now I am back to the Indian team. I have also played many matches and even won against Sharath Kamal in the quarter-finals of the National Championship.
How do you see your victory against Sharath Kamal?
It was a great experience. It was amazing to win against a big player. National Championship is a huge tournament. I have won it twice and have also played semi-finals twice. Defeating a big player in the National Championship quarter-finals boosts your confidence. It is good for you when you are making a comeback. I am currently fifth, sixth in the Indian rankings. Now it is time for me to work hard. My goal is to get into top squad. I'm just working on my future.
I am looking forward to the upcoming tournaments. Although last year I had to take permission from the High Court to go abroad, but I used to get permission however it has an effect on your game. You have to be mentally fit to perform well at the international level. I returned to the international level with the Nigeria Open and I played the semi-finals in it and I think it was a big achievement for me. It was a good tournament for me. I am doing well in the domestic circuit as well. I have defeated almost all the players. At this time, I am focusing on improving my world ranking.
