Category Archives: Volunteering

December 18, 2014 · 11:10 pm

Exploring Frontiers of Social Enterprise in Bangalore

I am writing from Bangalore, India where I recently visited Sneha Care Home, a “home away from home” for HIV infected children. Sneha Care Home is a part of the Sneha Charitable Trust, an initiative by the Brothers and Priests of the Roman Catholic Order of St. Camillus who are collectively known as Camillians. Today’s International Red Cross originates from the work of Camillians.

The purpose of the visit was to listen, observe and exchange ideas between Sneha Care Home staff, volunteers and students. Over the course of four days, I was fortunate to gain valuable classroom teaching experience with children between the ages of 6 to 13; observe extracurricular activities such as student clubs; introduce new physical education elements emphasizing dynamic stretching and exchange ideas with Brothers, Priests and staff.

Sneha Care Home orphans Playing Sports

At the end of my stay, I met with Father Mathew Perumpil, Director of the Sneha Care Home who just returned from a visit to the USA. He spoke at length of macro and micro issues and we brainstormed together about ways in which Sneha Care Home may have a wider impact in addressing HIV AIDS at the state, national and international levels. Overall, it was a very inspiring visit and again challenged me to find ways of connecting the dots with my experiences in the field of social enterprise.

Blending Service and Sport in the City of Joy

Thanks to my second cousin Daniel Ghaznavi, owner of Taam, an upcoming restaurant in Kolkata, I was able to spend an action packed week of service and sport in Kolkata.

Eager to build on last summer’s volunteering experiences, I chose to spend 3 half-days volunteering at Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity where volunteers from many nationalities, including Indians, registered at “Mother House” to be assigned to sites around the city. My volunteer site was Prem Dan, a residential facility for elderly, abandoned and neglected men and women.

Another reason I was keen to visit Kolkata was because it is home to one of the oldest private squash clubs in the world – the Calcutta Racket Club. Thanks to the members and Head Squash Pro, I was able to conduct a junior clinic for 30 beginners for 2 hours with the help of 2 local instructors. After sharing tips on technique and drills, I also conducted a 3 hour clinic at the Tollygunge Club, a private club with 4 glass-back squash courts for 10 juniors and adults.

Visit to Calcutta Racket Club

Looking back, it was a privilege to be able to volunteer and teach squash in what is understandably the “City of Joy.”

Honoring the Game

I have been overwhelmed with emails from around the world and so pardon this slow blog entry. I am grateful, humbled and honored by the United States Olympic Committee’s recognition as the 2011 Developmental Coach of the Year for coaching student-athletes at Concord Academy while simultaneously serving as Director of Kidsquash, a community squash program situated at Harvard University.

On the day I received news of the USOC recognition, I attended a Massachusetts Squash event at Dover Squash and Fitness in Natick, Massachusetts where I was fortunate to reunite with Jahangir Khan, (a legendary squash champion from Pakistan who dominated the sport in the 1980s) and thank him for inspiring me 23 years ago to want to play the sport during an exhibition match against Chris Dittmar in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Engrossed by the long, lively and exciting exchanges between Jahangir and Chris, definitely made an impression on me at a young age, but I never expected it would lead to a national recognition for coaching at Kidsquash and Concord Academy.

Jahangir Khan and I after his exhibition match at Arabian Homes in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. 1989.

Jahangir Khan and I at Dover Squash and Fitness in Natick, Massachusetts, April 2012.

The award is a testament to the bright, inquisitive and imaginative student-athletes at Concord Academy as well as the aspiring squash players who participate in the Kidsquash program. Both groups have challenged me to find new ways of teaching and growing the sport of squash. I would like to reach out to thank fellow coaches, faculty, staff, students, parents, alumni and members of the Greater Boston community who have all contributed to the USOC’s recognition. In particular, I would like to give my deepest thanks to my family members, in particular my parents, and friends for their support. Also, my mentor and colleague – Coach Bajwa deserves a special thanks for believing in me. I hope this recognition demonstrates the values of teamwork, fair play and opportunity for all.

Category Archives: Volunteering

Blending Service and Sport in the City of Joy

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