When Vijay Amritraj enters the room, there’s an instant burst of energy. At 62, he’s more vivacious and engaging than people half his age. Perhaps, it has to do with the fact that the former tennis player is back at his alma mater, Don Bosco, Egmore.
“I was in the 1968 batch; things have changed a lot around here,” he says, adding, “In any case, I was such a sickly child that I hardly ever attended classes. My mother used to sit through the lessons, take notes, and teach me in the hospital. We used to joke that we were getting two people educated for the price of one.”
Vijay has achieved a lot since he was 15 and won an inter-collegiate tournament he wasn’t even supposed to be participating in: winning 27 Davis Cup singles and 18 doubles is no mean feat, and he has been an integral part of the tennis circuit ever since. Apart from which he dabbled in acting, and was a U.N. Ambassador of Peace. While he currently lives in California with his wife Shyamala, he keeps busy with the Vijay Amritraj Foundation. In the city this week to speak at Don Bosco School of Excellence’s Parents’ Day event, he tackles the Proust Questionnaire (a questionnaire about one’s personality) for MetroPlus .
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
As I am today, at my age and where I am, it is for my wife and children to be happy.
What is your greatest fear?
That they are not happy.
What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Now knowing the world as well as I do, the fact that I trust everyone and only see the good in people.
Which living person do you most admire?
My mother.
What is your greatest extravagance?
I can’t think of one actually. I don’t have any overwhelming desire to have something.
What is your current state of mind?
I enjoy being extremely busy. I often say I am busy being unemployed!
What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Happiness and contentment; because honestly, there’s not much we need to be happy. If you find that within yourself, you are a much better person for it.
On what occasion do you lie?
(Glancing over at the priests in the room) Well, I am due for a confession! There’s no particular reason, at where I am today; there is no necessity for me to lie.
What do you most dislike about your appearance?
My weight.
Which living person do you most despise?
Lots of them, but it’s not for public consumption.
What is the quality you most like in a person?
The most important is personality, straightforwardness — what you see is what you get. Even when you’re saying something negative, there’s a better way to put it.
Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
Certain adjectives are used very loosely, on occasions which don’t call for it. Man landing on the moon was amazing. The birth of your child is awesome. But we can’t use the same words to describe a cup of coffee. It’s something we learn as we go along, and I keep learning newer words from my boys.
Which talent would you most like to have?
Playing a musical instrument.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
Not much. I’m quite content.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
That my sons call me every day.
What is your most treasured possession?
The first prizes that I ever won in my tennis career.
What is your favourite occupation?
I don’t call anything I do an occupation; I enjoy the ability to communicate with people, irrespective of language, ethnicity, race, colour or religion... Being able to communicate with people who have not been as fortunate or blessed the way I have been.
What do you most value in your friends?
Being easy people to spend an evening with, with literally no concern about what you say.
Who are your favourite writers?
Currently, people like Tom Friedman of The New York Times .
Who is your favourite fictional hero?
James Bond.
Which historical figure do you most identify with?
Having followed the works of Mahatma Gandhi, and having had lunch with Nelson Mandela, I would say both of them.
Who are your heroes in real life?
First, my mother; then the people I’ve met: Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, Pope John Paul II.
What is your greatest regret?
The greatest regret I have is in my sport, but that’s looking at the cup half empty. I like to look at it as half full.
How would you like to die?
With my family around me.
What is your motto?
In giving, we receive.
Questioning Vijay Amritraj
Students and parents got the opportunity to interact with Vijay; here’s what they had to ask, and what he said in reply.
How does one excel in sports?
Teachers might not like to hear this, but you need to be able to play a sport well to be able to learn well. I would say you should stick to one sport and try to excel at that.
If not a tennis player, what would you have been?
I always wanted to be a doctor. My mother told me that if I hit enough tennis balls, someone would give me an honorary doctorate; and she was right! Life has a way of giving you your dreams.
How can kids balance sports and studies?
Indian parents pay so much attention to books; backpacks here are still heavy. Things have changed now. If you achieve in sports, you get opportunities in college, scholarships and time to complete your education as well.
How do we teach children to be good human beings?
The onus is on the parents: children learn and do what they see, so parents should lead by example. Mentor them to be good human beings.
