Basketball: Sports help you learn the importance of winning: Neetu Chandra

New Delhi June 21: Indian Basketball Fans organised an exclusive chat with national award winner Bollywood actress and producer Neetu Chandra.

Neetu has featured in box office hit films like Garam Masala, Traffic signal, Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! to name a few - but very few know that she has also been a national level basketball player and 4-Dan black belt in Taekwondo.

Neetu recently attended a webinar that was organized by Integrated Basketball Players (IBPA) and Indian Basketball fans where she interacted with many basketball players. Praising the initiative the actress turned producer praised IBPA and Indian Basketball Fans for putting in effort to promote Basketball in the country.

In an exclusive chat with Lakshmi Kant Tiwari, founder of Indian Basketball Fans, Neetu said, “I still love to play Basketball. I continue to play it may be not professionally but the love for the sport is still there. Once a basketball player always a basketball player.”

Answering a question as to how difficult it was to play basketball in Bihar during her time she said, “Bihar did not have a superb infrastructure for sports especially basketball during my time, but, where there is a will there's a way. I believe hardship helps in creating the fighter in you. If the time and tide are not in your favour that is the best time to build character and that is what has made my character. Even though there were limited facilities, I managed to play basketball at the highest level and not only that I also am a 4-Dan black belt in Taekwondo. So I have played the individual and team sport and both of them have helped me shape my character.”

Neetu also pointed out that the role of parents is also very important in a sportsperson’s life. “I would request all parents to allow their kids to take up at least one team game and also martial arts if possible because s. It helps you with teamwork and many things that will help shape you inside out in life. I love winning and this winning spirit is because of basketball.”

On why she did not try to play professional basketball Neetu said, “I never thought of playing professional basketball as there was no facility, no coaches and no one to guide us therefore, I guess I could never think of taking up the sport professionally.”

Neetu also said that ill treatment of players also pushed her away from the game. “When I was young I used to follow PT Usha a lot. She was a celebrity back then and when the news of her being offered a clerks post in railways came to me I was shattered and maybe that was the time I thought there was no future in sports. Treating a legend like PT Usha in such regard will never have a positive impact on upcoming sportspersons not back then and not today.”

“Things have changed a lot today, players are getting recognition but still cricketers get far more attention and a game like basketball lacks it, which needs to change.” she added.

Neetu who is also associated with NBA said, “ I am associated with NBA but i feel ashamed because in my home state Bihar NBA has no presence. I have urged the NBA to start something in Bihar and hopefully they will be doing it soon.”

When asked if she wished to make movies on Basketball she said, “I have big plans to make movies related to sport. Sport has always helped me in my ups and downs and I believe it plays an important role in everyone’s life. I want to create movies related to sports and I can say that I will soon come up with a movie like this.”