Overcoming all odds to succeed

But for Amrit Thapa, Nepal’s entry in the just-concluded Asian Squash Championship, the sport is his livelihood.

The first thought of Nepal would only take us to the snow-clad Himalayas and earthquakes. And for a player to sustain in the sport from the country, wading through rough tides is more often a norm than choice. 

“We had many private clubs, but many of them shut shop for reasons best known to them. We just have one squash club with four courts for all the players,” Amrit said on the sidelines of the Asian Championship.

It was nature’s turn next to shut down squash clubs. Amrit’s club in Battisputali was ravaged by the earthquake that struck the region last year. “It was reduced to rubble and we had to start from scratch. We took almost five to six months to rebuild the club. We went through tough times and with great difficulty and a lot of help we have managed to get it back on track,” Amrit added. 

While nature and circumstances have forced Nepal’s squash to a corner, Amrit can be lucky in a way. The player knows his path to success. He simply has to follow his father Hira Bahadur Thapa in his footsteps. Hira was Nepal’s numero uno player for decades and took a liking to the sport in an uncanny way. He was asked to manage one of the private clubs and while on duty he fell in love with the sport. He gradually rose from strength to strength in the game and now Hira is the coach of Nepal’s national team. 

“I have the support of my friends and family. My father coaches me and with the help of family and friends I have made it this far,” Amrit said. 

For Amrit, representing his nation is a matter of pride. Nepal have made it to an Asian event after three-and-a-half decades, and Amrit hopes it is just a start of what is to come. “Sadly, I don’t have a world ranking but I have my plans in place to excel in the sport and take up the challenges it can offer, but sadly if not in Nepal, it can be anywhere either in the Emirates or in Europe,” Amrit concluded.