Aditi Ashok: Introduce golf in schools to popularise it

The Ace golfer Aditi Ashok is the first-ever golfer who represented India at the Olympics. She made her debut in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. She also competed in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics where she finished the tournament in fourth place.

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On the eve of the AIG Women's Open (British), Aditi had an interview with TOI. On being asked about the popularization of golf in India, she said that schools can help in popularizing golf. She feels that introducing golf in every school will popularize the sport in India.

Her interview with the TOI:

Aditi said, "The best way to help golf grow in India is to take it to schools. Schoolchildren don't get exposed to golf. In games or PE periods, they play hockey, cricket, basketball, football, etc. Whereas golf is something where you have to be at a golf course."

The 23-year-old also added, "The way to grow it is to expose it to school kids, but it's not an easy job. People have to go to schools, put a mat or net and allow the kids to try and hit and explain what golf is and show them a few videos. If the people concerned can come up with programmes to do that in schools, you will have more kids picking up the game, which is what the country needs."

Aditi was hopeful about her performance in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and she felt that her heroics in the Olympics had the ability to bring golf into the spotlight in India. She felt that the popularity of golf can increase in India like Sania Mirza's contribution in popularizing tennis and PV Sindhu and Saina Nehwal's performances bringing a badminton revolution in India.

She further added, "I hope in the next few years people take to golf, start watching more and following it more online. That will obviously lead to more support and do great things for the sport. Although the population is huge in India, the golfing community is small, so bringing people from outside the community to follow the sport and build that interest will be amazing."

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She also stated, "I didn't win a medal, but Sindhu, Saina, and Sania have achieved great heights. If I could do that (popularise the sport) even without winning a medal that's already a great thing that's happening."

Her advice for the youth:

While asked to give some advice to the youth regarding golf she mentioned, "Everybody has their own journey. My advice would be to not follow anybody's path. Everybody has their own growth cycle. Their learning curve so it's more important to focus on yourself and make sure you are improving every day. As long as you are better than you were yesterday, that is good enough, and you have to be better tomorrow than you were today."