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Tennis star Sania Mirza on the values she is passing on to her son this Eid: Be extremely grateful for..
Back in Hyderabad from Dubai for Eid, Sania Mirza speaks to HT City about childhood memories of the festival and the values she hopes to pass on to her son
India’s tennis star Sania Mirza, now based in Dubai, is finally getting to celebrate Eid the way she once missed — at home in Hyderabad. After years of travelling during her playing career, the retired athlete says the last few Eids have been “really special” with family and friends. “I’ve missed a lot of Eids because I was travelling when I was playing. So the last few years have been really special, to be able to spend so much time on this special day with family and friends. For me, Eid is all about sheer khurma, being with my loved ones and celebrating its values,” says the 39-year-old.
For this mum to seven-year-old Izhaan, Eid has taken on a deeper meaning: “It’s been really special to imbibe the values of Eid and Ramzan that my parents gave me and pass them on to him. . The fact that we fast for one month, Eid is a celebration of the sacrifices we make. But it’s also important to remind ourselves how blessed we are, to be with our loved ones, under one roof, with good food. Gratitude is key,” she says, adding, “The one thing I’d like to tell Izhaan is that, we’re very fortunate that we get to celebrate it in many ways. There are so many young kids and young people, and just people in general who don’t have that kind of privilege. It is important to remind ourselves how blessed we are to be able to be surrounded by our loved ones and our family under one roof, in a warm bed and with good food. To be extremely grateful for everything that we get and to be extremely grateful to God for everything that we have been blessed with.”
The former doubles World No. 1 fondly recalls childhood Eid's spent in the Old City: “It was about going to Charminar, buying bangles and new clothes at Laad Bazaar, meeting cousins and eating a lot of haleem. Then the next day waking up in the morning and, after prayers, getting dressed up. Lunch would be at my aunt’s house with the entire family. Eid was always about happiness, togetherness and being with loved ones.”
