“Never faced pressure about my studies” - Dino Dhankhar sheds light on his journey, support from parents and the growth of polo in India

The sport of Polo is slowly but surely finding its feet in India. Regular competitions are held now and then across the country with many people taking a keen interest in the game and participating in these competitions.

The sport made an appearance in the 1900 Summer Olympics but was soon taken off the list of sports in the most esteemed competition, with its last appearance coming in 1936. With sports like Cricket, Lacrosse and Baseball making a return in the Olympics, one can say that a return for Polo is not too far away.

The sport in India has had many athletes playing the game, with experienced players like Gaurav Sehgal and Naveen Singh playing perfect mentors to prodigies such as Dino Dhankhar.

Speaking exclusively to Sportskeeda on the sidelines of the friendly game between La Martina and Guards Polo Club during the Lakmé Fashion Week x FDC, 19-year-old Dino Dhankhar shared how he got into the sport of Polo and what the game needs to grow more in India.

Read excerpts from the interview below:

Q. What are your thoughts about the exhibition match that was held today and about your performance in it?

A: It was a great match, a professional team from Guards Polo Club flying down from the UK and Malcolm Borwick captaining them. He is a great player, scored seven goals and it was a good experience playing against him.

About my performance, I was lucky that I played with senior players who have represented India before. They put forth some great passes and I managed to score them. Hope we could play more exhibition matches like these in India to help grow the sport.

Q. Tell us about your early life and how you got into the game of Polo.

A. I am the first generation Polo player in my family. I have been riding for a very long time now. My parents gifted me my first horse when I was 5 years old, so I have a good connection with horses.

When I got through the ranks in the sport, I realized that there are different sports related to the horse, but Polo has a different thrill. The bonding between you and the animal, the adrenaline rush and how the game moves is very different from the various equestrian sports around. That's why I chose to go with Polo.

Q. What are your thoughts about the future of Polo in India and how can it grow in the other parts of the country?

A. If you see sports like Cricket and Kabaddi, you see big sponsors coming in and getting big tournaments and endorsements. Reliance coming into the Polo industry and partnering with a prestigious organization like La Martina from Argentina, the home of Polo, for a long time helps us grow Polo.

We need more sponsors like these to help the sport grow more in India. This will help to build more teams, find young talent and get Polo in India at a better stage.

Q. Being a Polo Player at just 19 years, how does a day in your life look like?

A. I have been blessed to be supported by my family and have never faced any pressure about my studies. They were happy about what I was doing and seeing me grow in this sport, they have been immensely supportive.

The day starts with some early morning practice by the farm near the school. Then, school and practice again in the afternoon. If you love the sport, you have got to juggle things if you want to play the sport professionally.

Q. Dino, this was your first night arena game. What was your experience like?

A. It was an amazing experience. The weather does get a bit better and you can play peacefully in front of a great crowd. It is a different scenario and it is great that exhibition games are being held at night and it is a bit different for the sport.