Parikshit Joon, a national-level Taekwondo player, trained right from middle school. He joined the Taekwondo team in his second semester of college in Pilani. He admits that though he has always been in touch with the sport ever since he started, it has never been as rigorous as it has been in college. ‘I joined in my 1-2; I have been very regular since then, and I am in my 4-1 now,’ he smiles.

Most of the team members are trained by the in-house veterans, with skills being passed on from one batch to another. When asked what motivated him to train others, he says, ‘When I joined here, I was considerably plump – Naturally, after all that studying through 11th and 12th standards – and initially, I didn’t care much about it. But when I saw the Taekwondo team kicking in the air, being so agile and perfect in their near-mastered strokes, I realised how unfit I was, and eventually, I did regain my fitness. Since then, it has always been inspiring for me to see people who strive to become fit, and to help them out.’ Parikshit believes that once the skill is acquired, it’s the moulding – the number of practice hours – that really makes or breaks the team.

The whole structure of BOSM is such that it is an open ground, where teams with top-level players and all the paraphernalia participate. Nevertheless, he is undeterred by the pressure. ‘Trainers, stamina and technique are just one part of the game. It’s the level of dedication that, I believe, is unique about our team. We have some fresh energy, the second years are in top form, the team does look really good.’

The relatively new team has seen tremendous participation from girls. ‘A lot of girls join in order to lose weight and become fit. Over time, however, most of them back out owing to the strenuous schedule. So, the ones who remain are the ones who’ve really stood by through tough times. And they’re really good at it at what they do.’
  
The conversation forayed into BOSM and upon being asked how confident he was, leading this year’s pack, he nonchalantly replies, ‘I’ve seen three BOSMs, and I can say for sure that, since the inception of the team, it’s only become better, year after year. Our team is a group of people who have stayed strong, through phases good and bad, with utmost dedication. So there’s no room for apprehension.’

We believe so too and wish the team the best of luck for this edition of BOSM!