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In an age of tele-marketed sports heroes, spontaneity is a rare commodity. This is the age of prepared answers, opinions and behaviour designed to please the advertiser’s market. Consequently, it’s only away from the cameras and expectant public that one may find genuine character. With Saina Nehwal, whose every word and gesture is now news, the genuine shone through at the All England Open two years ago, and it had less to do with badminton and more with her attitude to social commitment.
French journalist Raphael Sachetat had started a charity called Solibad, which would use badminton players to raise money for orphanages in Haiti, Kuala Lumpur and Bali. He was enlisting the help of top badminton stars in Indonesia, Malaysia and England, and as an afterthought believed Saina would fit in as well.
Unsure of how she would react, he’d asked me to approach her with the project idea and was prepared for a long-drawn exchange with her agents. Neither of us need have worried. As soon as Saina heard it was a charity project, she agreed. “If it’s a charity, no problem,” she said. “I’ll do whatever is required.”
Taken aback at this spontaneity, Raphael asked her if she wanted to take a look at the details before giving her consent. “Oh, send it to me later,” she shrugged. “Just let me know what I need to do, and I’ll do it.”
The incident was a revelation. Sports stars do endorse charity projects, but there is the element of a business deal with every endorsement. It adds to their brand value. Saina, on the other hand, had spontaneously reacted to its intrinsic worth – what it meant, rather than what it would do to her image.
Later, during a long conversation before her semifinal, she opened up about what it meant to her. “Charity is the most important thing,” she said. “I told Solibad it would be nice if they started an India programme. I’m willing to give my time and money to any number of charities. There are a lot of people in India who need help. Maybe we can find more Sainas among the lesser-privileged people here.”
Saina’s ready willingness to help charitable causes is an unheralded part of her personality, perhaps because few know about it. While Solibad hasn’t yet begun an Indian chapter for which her services could be enlisted, it has brought on board the top stars of world badminton to raise funds for charitable causes in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Haiti and Vietnam.
Badminton has the privilege of having players who think beyond themselves. Several top stars – including Lee Yong Dae, Peter Gade, Taufik Hidayat, Pi Hongyan, Koo Kien Keat and others – have been helped raise funds for the organisation. Recently, Korean superstar Lee Yong Dae donated 10 million Korean Won (USD 8700) to Solibad during the Korean Open Superseries. “This isn’t much, and I wish I could do more for Solibad, but our time off court is limited and we have to focus on the game, especially in an Olympic year,” said Yong Dae. “But when I saw the flooding in Thailand recently, that really moved me and I wanted to do something for Thailand and these other projects that Solibad is helping.”
Further reading : Saina Nehwal 10 Mantras of Success
