Virat Kohli’s advice to Arjun Bhati: Stay healthy and inspire others to stay fit

When you meet a sports idol, you expect to walk away with advice that could change the way you approach your sport, perhaps a technical insight or a nugget of wisdom that only an elite athlete would understand. But for Arjun Bhati, an Indian amateur golfer from Noida, it was a simple message from Virat Kohli that stayed with him long after they met.

Sharing a panel with Nikita Kumari and Raj Rani, members of India’s gold medal-winning women’s kabaddi team, at India Today’s HealthWealth Summit, the 22-year-old recalled one of his early interactions with the cricket legend.

“Whenever I met him, he gave me this advice, more than anything else in sports, to make sure you stay healthy and to keep inspiring people around you to stay healthy at all times,” Arjun said.

The young golfer believes that Kohli is probably India’s fitness icon simply because of how he has transformed himself physically and mentally to be at the very top of the sport and even beyond.

“Somewhere, the way he talks and the things he does, both on and off the field, make him, I think everyone would agree, an Indian fitness icon. He is iconic in our country at this moment. The way he has transformed has been very inspirational to cricketers and athletes across sports,” he added.

TIGER WOODS, ANOTHER FITNESS INSPIRATION

Long before Virat Kohli became a source of inspiration, Arjun Bhati found himself looking up to another sporting icon, Tiger Woods. For the young golfer, Woods was someone who showed him how fitness can play a vital role in taking an athlete to the top.

Bhati first saw Woods play at the Delhi Golf Club in 2014, an experience that left a lasting impression on him and gave him something to aspire to.

“I would say Tiger Woods played a huge role in the beginning of my career. He is a famous golfer who changed the game of golf. He revolutionized the sport in every possible way, be it fitness or popularity,” Bhati said.

The American’s influence on the sport went beyond his performances, and his emphasis on fitness helped change the perception of what it takes to be successful in golf. Woods even appeared on the cover of Men’s Health magazine, underscoring his reach beyond sports.

“I saw him play golf for the first time here at Delhi Golf Club in 2014. It inspired me a lot and I wanted to get to a level where I could focus on my fitness,” recalled Bhati.

For Bhati, watching Woods in action was more than just a chance to see the golf great up close. It gave him a personal yardstick to strive for and reinforced his belief that fitness is an essential part of becoming a better golfer.

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