COIMBATORE: For anyone aspiring to a career in sports, spending even a day away from pursuing excellence in their discipline is unthinkable. However, that’s just what Ananth Shanmugam will have to do for two years of his life, starting August 2017.
The 19-year-old clinched victory in both of Saturday’s second round races in the Euro JK 16 category of the 19th JK Tyre-FMSCI National Racing Championship at the Kari Motor Speedway.
Just like everyone else on the circuit, he has dreams of making it to the big stage of Formula One someday. But he will have to put that dream on hold as he is duty-bound to serve the Singaporean military for two years, as is the norm for citizens of the Asian country.
“I’ve lived most of my life in Bangalore, So I’m more Indian than Singaporean. But I have a Singaporean passport, having been born there. It is what it is,” he says with a shrug.
He is aware of the toll a twoyear absence from the sport can take. Already, he admits, he is a little on the “older side” to be racing in the Euro JK16 category.
But he has a back-up plan: aerospace engineering. “This is just my back-up plan in case things don’t work out. My parents have always insisted that I not lose focus of studies,” the third year student added.
{{/usCountry}}But he has a back-up plan: aerospace engineering. “This is just my back-up plan in case things don’t work out. My parents have always insisted that I not lose focus of studies,” the third year student added.
{{/usCountry}}But if Saturday’s results are any indication, he may not need the back-up plan after all.