'Got a government job in CAG via sports quota in Table Tennis': Shivam Solanki

There is a saying that goes 'Comeback is always stronger than the setback,' and in Shivam Solanki's case, it could not have been any more true. 

For Shivam, a sport that he started for fun in his young age became the pathway to a government job is a story that no one saw coming. 

"I started playing table tennis for fun when I was in grade 6. After a couple of years, I started playing it professionally. I got a job in the government services, the CAG (Comptroller and Auditor General of India), through a sports quota in table tennis," he said, in an exclusive interview with The Bridge in the sidelines of Prime Table Tennis Madhya Pradesh. 

Thanks to the support of his parents, Shivam was able to take the sport seriously despite not being good in academics. "I wasn't that great in academics, but my family never pressurized me. So that opened a door for me and I started pursuing table tennis diligently after years of playing it for fun," he said. 

COVID-19 and drawing curtains to TT

Representing Team SensaTTions in the recently concluded PTT MP edition, Shivam spoke about how he quit the sport due to the lack of opportunities during the COVID-19 lockdown and due to his pursuance of an MBA degree. 

But luckily for him, destiny had other ideas. 

"There were very few opportunities in this sport, especially after COVID so I thought about preparing for MBA and stopped playing table tennis. One fine day, I had to go for trials in Kerala and I had an MBA exam the same day. So I attempted the MBA exam in the evening and left for Kerala later in the night," he recalled, and he has since never looked back. 

"I applied for the job as per my friend's suggestion. But I never knew fate had such good things lined up for me and then everything fell in place," he added. 

His comeback into the sport ensured he was able to compete in the right tournaments that helped him fulfil the criteria for a government job under sports quota, and to no one's surprise, his parents were delighted about their son's success. 

"When my parents heard about my government job, they were overjoyed. They have spent a lot on me and my table tennis career and supported me thoughout my journey, so it was a very fulfilling feeling for them," he said, with a beaming smile across his face.

"Here is a rule in jobs via sports quota where we only need to attend the office from morning to afternoon. After lunch we head over to our sports training to ensure our fitness to be able to play in tournaments," he added, talking about his sustenance in his table tennis career.

Rise of opportunities in table tennis and PTT's role 

For Shivam, who found opportunities few and far in his formative years, the rise of the sport internationally and domestically has ensured the development of this sport across the spectrum, including the grassroots. 

The best example of that is the advent of PTT, a domestic franchise league targeted towards the grassroots development. 

"Prime Table Tennis is a great initiative and thanks to its grassroot nature, people will stop thinking that sports has no career. PTT has created a very positive environment for the young players and helped unleash their full potential," said Shivam, when asked about the league's role in helping Madhya Pradesh's table tennis. 

This being the first time the tournament is held in MP, and at the iconic Abhay Prashal in Indore, it served as a great platform for paddlers across the state to showcase their talent and work with high-level coaches and players. 

Speaking on this, Shivam said "It is helping a lot in promoting table tennis in Madhya Pradesh and now, more people will choose to play this sport professionally," and further added that the unique format has made it even more interesting. 

"The playing format of PTT is very unique and impactful. It ensures no game ends up with a one-sided result. A top player playing in a team doesn't guarantee the victory for the team which adds another layer of thrill to the game." 

With the sport growing from strength to strength, initiatives such as PTT aimed at strengthening the grassroots will only cause further growth and will encourage parents and kids in taking up sports as a viable career option.