It’s not often the case that the interests of parents and children fall in line. But Preethi B and her parents are an exception to that. Born to parents who are sportspersons themselves, Preethi didn’t have to worry about how to convince them to pursue sports, unlike most other kids in India. In fact, her parents were so encouraging, that they even shifted cities to support her dream.
Chitty B, Preethi’s mother encouraged Preethi to take up swimming at a very young age, so that she would be fit and healthy. Soon, she got really good at it and started participating in local tournaments. But living in a small village in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, there weren’t enough opportunities for her to move forward. That was, until K Mukundan, a swimming coach from Chennai, saw her at a district tournament and was instantly taken aback by her skill in the sport. “He talked to my parents and said that only if I moved to a city like Chennai, I would be able to train well and advance my swimming career. My parents were more than happy. Mukundan sir even helped me get admission in a school and I joined the Orca Club to train.”
In just one year of her stay here, Preethi has managed to climb to the number one spot in the Under 17 category at the national level. How’s that for an achievement.
With events one after the other, Preethi doesn’t get enough rest and says that it sometimes affects her performance. But thanks to her mother’s pampering, she manges to stay strong and fit. “I was advised to give her normal village food. We go home every week to Kanchipuram and get vegetables and pulses grown locally,” says Chitty.