The importance of dedication and commitment - Mr. Viren Rasquinha

Continuing the spirit set by India’s achievements in the 2020 Summer Olympics and Paralympics, the DAIS Leadership Series was pleased to welcome Mr. Viren Rasquinha on 30th September 2021. Former captain of the Indian national hockey team, Olympian and Director and CEO of Olympic Gold Quest, Mr. Rasquinha covered stories of his rise to being a professional hockey player, the importance of dedication and commitment in his life and his journey helping the next generation of athletes excel at the biggest stage with the Olympic Gold Quest.

As a young boy in Mumbai, Mr. Rasquinha had the opportunity to participate in many sports, especially football and hockey. At St. Stanislaus High School, Bandra, under coach and former olympian Marcellus Gomes, was where he started developing his hockey skills along with learning valuable lessons like discipline, commitment and believing in yourself.

Along with sports, Mr. Rasquinha also excelled in school, placing 13th in the Mumbai SSC Merit list during his high school years. When faced with the decision of whether to prioritize studying or his passion for hockey, Mr. Rasquinha, along with the support of his parents, chose to pursue his passion.

After an illustrious career playing for the Indian national hockey team, winning the Junior World Cup in 2001 for the first time ever in the history of Indian hockey and representing the country at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Mr. Rasquinha chose to retire at the age of 28 to go on and earn his MBA from the Indian School of Business.

Returning to the sporting world, with his newly discover business acumen, Mr. Rasquinha now leads the Olympic Gold Quest, a Not for Profit Company, which is committed to bridging the gap between the best athletes in India and the best athletes in the world thus helping Indian athletes to win Olympic Gold medals.

Designed to be an interview-style conversation, Mr. Rasquinha’s talk not only included his journey from being a young sports enthusiast to being an influential figure in Indian sporting history, but also his experience working with some of the best Indian athletes, such as P.V Sindhu and Mira Bai Chanu, and the untold stories behind their achievements and what he learned from their sacrifices and dedication.

The talk garnered a plethora of questions from intrigued students as well as teachers, and Mr. Rasquinha happily responded to these with the same energy and gusto as that of the audience members asking them. May it be about prevailing issues like mental health in sports, or ways of maintaining focus during tough times, Mr. Rasquinha was quick to give us relevant and informative answers. The talk was very inspiring and surely inspired budding leaders and athletes to continue on their path to victory.