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Republic Day 2025 | Angad Bedi and Shantanu Maheshwari reflect on the pride of representing India

ByMugdha Kapoor
Jan 26, 2025 07:55 AM IST

This Republic Day, Angad Bedi and Shantanu Maheshwari share with us the deep emotional connection to showcasing India’s talent and spirit on the world stage.

Representing India on a global platform is a proud and transformative experience for many. Angad Bedi and Shantanu Maheshwari share their personal journeys of triumph, sacrifice, and the deep emotional connection to showcasing India’s talent and spirit on the world stage.

Angad Bedi, Shantanu Maheshwari
Angad Bedi, Shantanu Maheshwari

Angad Bedi

“There’s no bigger feeling than representing your country at the highest level. Yeh sabke naseeb mein nahi hota hai,” says actor-athlete Angad Bedi who represented India at the 2023 Open International Masters Athletics Championship in Dubai, where he won a gold medal in the 400-meter race.

“As proud countrymen of India, we all aspire to represent our country at some level. I’m sure it’s not just me but jab bhi baccha bada hota hai, parents zaroor sochte honge ki mera baccha Hindustan ke liye kuch kare. I remember my parents contemplating putting me in the Army but cricket happened to be a very forceful source of energy in my house, but unfortunately, I could not fulfill that dream,” says Angad, who played cricket up to Under-19 level for Delhi.

Angad continues, “However, there was always a burning desire within me ki cinema to main karunga, but that was not enough. I wanted to do something at the highest level. Eventually, God gave me an opportunity and I grabbed it with both hands. I trained for it and set my eyes on that medal.”

He further shares that he won the medal “the most unfortunate circumstances”. “I lost my father (Bishan Singh Bedi, former cricketing legend). Meri race dad ke chauthe ke din thi in Dubai. So for me, apart from it just being a gold medal that I won as a 400 metre sprinter for my country, it will be the highest honour, ever. I don’t think I can ever better that because it was an extremely emotionally moment for me. It was my father’s dream for me to represent the country, also mine. He wanted me to do it in cricket. I ended up winning a gold medal in sprinting. So, I feel that as long as you get an opportunity to represent your country in whichever way possible, you should stand up and be the man counted for,” he wraps up.

Shantanu Maheshwari

“For me, representing India is not just an opportunity — it’s a matter of prestige. It’s something few get to do, and with it comes an unspoken responsibility: representing over a billion people who have the freedom to express their opinions, whether to criticise or appreciate,” says actor-dancer Shantanu Maheshwari who has represented India at the World of Dance Championship in 2015. which his crew Desi Hoppers won.

Shantanu Maheshwari with his dance crew
Shantanu Maheshwari with his dance crew

“When we first dreamed of showcasing India on the global dance stage, the dance scene in India wasn’t as big. But we were determined to put India on the map in the world of dance. At the time, many of our own people mocked our dreams, belittled our efforts, but we stayed focused and pushed ourselves beyond 100%, knowing that we had to prove to the world the potential India holds. And so, we went on to win a gold medal, competing against 14 other countries showing the world what Indian dancers are capable of,” adds, Shantanu, who along with his crew also represented the country at America’s Got Talent in 2016 and at the NBC World of Dance reality show, judged by actor-singer Jennifer Lopez , singer-songwriter Neyo and dancer-choreographer Derek Hough in 2018.

“Suddenly India became a hot property on the dancing map. We continued representing India on global platforms, pushing forward with the same passion and commitment by showcasing our culture in hip hop dancing. Today, we are thrilled to see the change — India is now proudly represented on world stages, and the dance scene in our country continues to grow stronger,” he ends.

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