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Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Hindustan Times
Sania Mirza on life after retirement: ‘Not competing at the professional level, but still part of the ecosystem'
After hanging up her tennis racket, Sania Mirza isn't done with the sports world. She is trading in her tennis shoes for a pickleball racket, and she's loving every bit of it. Sania says she is still deeply connected to the professional sports ecosystem, adding that pickleball is gentler on her body compared to tennis. Also read: Sania Mirza says breastfeeding was harder than pregnancy as she opens up about motherhood: 'I breastfed for 3 months' In a candid conversation with Hindustan Times Digital, Sania shares her journey post-retirement, revealing how she has discovered a new passion in sports and is navigating the challenges of balancing her professional life as a mother. After announcing her retirement in 2023, Sania is now working on building a robust ecosystem for sports globally. 'The entire life is an act of balance. Even when I was playing, there was a balance. And now, there's a balance that I need to find, and obviously, being a working woman, an entrepreneur, and a full-time mother, I think that's a balance that you just kind of need to find. But you just manage your time well,' Sania tells us. The 38-year-old continues, 'You just try to have a good support system around you, and you balance it, and you just try to segregate and compartmentalise time as well as possible. And yeah, after retiring as well, I mean, I've always been connected to tennis. I was also connected to the world of cricket with the WPL, and now, I am part of pickleball'. Here, Sania emphasises that sports is an integral part of her life, stressing, 'No matter what, sport is in my blood. Obviously, I'm not competing at the professional level, but I'm part of the professional sporting ecosystem'. 'I do play pickleball, maybe once a week or once every 10 days. It's a good cardio session for me instead of just going for a run or something like that. And, you know, one of the reasons that I stopped playing tennis competitively was because of just my body not being able to... And pickleball being a smaller court. It's easier on the body as well. So I really enjoy it. I have a lot of fun,' says the mother on one. At the moment, Sania is enjoying pickleball both personally and professionally. She recently backed the first-ever Global Sports Pickleball Open in Dubai, which was hosted in collaboration with PickleTurf Pickleball Club Dubai and the Dubai Sports Council. Sania considers promoting sports a privilege. 'Being an athlete for me, being involved in any kind of sport, and to grow any kind of sport is really close to my heart, and to be honest, there's nothing different with pickleball as well. With Pickleball, maybe a few years ago, people thought it was a fad and it's something that would go away, but I think pickleball is here to stay. It's a sport that has caught the imagination of a lot of people,' says Sania, who is also sports ambassador for Dubai. Pickleball is the latest racket sport captivating Bollywood stars, with Ranbir Kapoor and Aryan Khan among its growing fanbase. Ask Sania about the growing popularity of the sport, she says, 'Right now, it is being played more recreationally, but it's going to be played more professionally very soon. I think that, when I was growing up, tennis was a growing sport in the region; that was obvious, and you can see the growth of tennis where it's reached now. And pickleball is probably at those early stages of its life now as well.' 'It's more to just do, being a racket sport and playing a racket sport. There are similar experiences, but more than that, it's a lot of fun to play. Pickleball is something that it's a community sport,' she adds. Sania had previously expressed regret over missing out on special moments with her son Izhaan during his childhood due to her demanding tennis schedule. Now, she is trying to make up for it. 'Mom guilt is so real and no matter how much you do or what you do, you just kind of feel like you're not doing enough sometimes. But it's important to remind yourself as a mother that you're doing your best and nobody cares about the child more than the parent does. So at the end of the day, you just try to make the most of the moments that you do have the most of the time, you try to spend as much time as possible,' says Sania, who was previously married to Shoaib Malik. Explaining it further, the six-time Grand Slam champion shares, "And I think quality time is probably the way to go. And that's really what we try to do as well with my schedule, even with his schedule, with his schedule. You know, he's got school for most of the day and then, he's got his activities'. 'So we just bond a lot. We watch movies, we've got a movie day. We have a Sunday brunch right after his football match, which he usually has every Sunday. That's kind of where we're at. In terms of how we spend time together. As a mom, being there for a child and just spending time with them is, honestly, sometimes more than enough. You don't actually have to do anything,' says Sania as she signs off.
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Miss World 2025 winner Opal Suchata Chuangsri talks about getting breast cancer at 16, acting plans
Opal Suchata Chuangsri has scripted history by becoming the first Thai woman to clinch the Miss World crown, and she is determined to use the win for a good cause. She says she wants to raise awareness and shun misconceptions around breast cancer and not chase any acting dream. Also read: Meet Miss World 2025 winner Opal Suchata Chuangsri: 8 things to know about first woman from Thailand to win the crown Sitting in her hotel room in Hyderabad, shuffling through all the paperwork which will help her get back home, Opal spoke to Hindustan Times Digital about her aspirations and shunning the 'beauty without brains' misconception. Thailand's Opal was crowned Miss World 2025 in Hyderabad on Saturday. Opal was crowned Miss World Thailand 2025 on April 22, just a week before she departed to Hyderabad to participate in the 72nd edition of the Miss World. Opal admits that she is still waiting for the feeling of winning the crown to sink in. 'It feels like a dream. It's so unreal. I was so shocked when I got crowned. Now, all I think about is just how the people back in my country would be so happy. This is the first crown for Thailand... My journey has been for three years in this pageant field, so this is a big milestone in my life and my career,' Opal tells us. Reflecting on what the crown means to her, the 21-year-old shares, 'It marks another point of success in terms of how my country is on the international stage... Also, about how I address the social issues which are relevant to other countries. It's basic healthcare for women. So, the crown marks another success stage of my 'beauty with purpose' voice is bigger with more spotlight shining on me.' Opal is using her platform to promote breast cancer awareness through her Opal For Her campaign. And it stems from personal experience as she got a breast lump removed surgically at the age of 16. 'When I had my breast lump removal surgery, I was 16, and we were unable to compete at the time. However, I started raising awareness with people around me because it's not very common that it happens at a young age. I was very shocked about what happened to me. That's why I wanted to speak up about it'. When she joined pageantry, Opal realised the power of her voice, as she admits, 'before that, I was an ordinary girl with no platform, trying to raise awareness with people around me'. 'When I got the chance to join pageantry, it turned out to be a bigger opportunity for me to speak up,' she says. Opal admits that there are still many misconceptions attached to breast cancer. 'A lot of people have an understanding that breast cancer or cancer in general, mostly happens to those who are above the age of 30-40... That's not true... Also, people think cancer can't be cured... It is curable if you detect it early. These are some things that I would like to address,' she says. Opal recognises that her Miss World win can open numerous doors, including a potential entry into Bollywood. But she's focused on her mission to raise awareness about breast cancer and doesn't want to get sidetracked from her goal. 'I'm quite far away from the industry. Since I'm in India and I was crowned in India, maybe there will be an opportunity to offer in the future. But I will work on that after I finish my reign as Miss World... Winning the crown comes with a responsibility and opportunity,' she shares. Opal continues, 'It is really important to really prioritise all the things that I need to do during my reign. Since there is a spotlight on one, I want to address the social issues that need to be told to the world'. These days, a lot of people think beauty pageants demean the concept of beauty by setting unrealistic standards. However, Opal doesn't agree with this. 'In Miss World, we all looked different. So, there are no such standards of how we look. Because none of us look the same. People in this world have already learned that we are unique in our ways. We need to tell younger generations that it is important to find beauty in themselves. There is no need for a feeling for them to fit into certain standards,' she says. 'We should look at ourselves and set ourselves with our standard of being better than we were yesterday,' asserts Opal, adding, 'we all have flaws, and now we're starting to accept that imperfection is perfection'. At the moment, Opal is excited to get back home. 'I'm still working on it. I will reach home hopefully soon. My people are going crazy right now. I'm very excited for the homecoming,' she ends.
Hindustan Times
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Kalki Koechlin shares tips and tricks for how moms can sneak in some much-needed self care: ‘Takes creative thinking'
In 2025, it's hard to be a woman who is concerned not only about the state of affairs in the world but also about the impact of pollutants on the environment, especially if you're a mother and earning a living. And who better knows that than Kalki Koechlin, who has been vocal about pressing issues some others shy away from. But how does one remember to take a break, breathe in, and dare I say, even indulge in self-care or just spend some me-time in the midst of all that? She tells Hindustan Times Digital all about it. (Also Read: Taking a mental health leave from work: Here's what you need to know) Kalki says that when she gave birth to daughter Sappho, the first seven months were spent holed up at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 'There was no pressure to go back to my tiny body because people didn't see me, and we all know actors are always expected to look a certain way. While it initially felt like the stomach would never go, I did eventually get my body back after a year. It was also impossible then to have some severe routine because I was too busy breastfeeding, cooking and cleaning. My priority was just sleeping,' she says. Eventually, after the world opened up, Kalki says it took time for her daughter to understand why she needed some alone time. 'She didn't understand that boundary when I worked from home, eventually. It was challenging when she couldn't access me for a few hours. My partner (Guy Hershberg) has sometimes taken colouring pencils and paper along with her to parking spaces under our building, so she's excited and distracted. It took some creative thinking as parents. Now, if Mama has to go to work, she deals with it,' says the actor. A post shared by Kalki Koechlin (@kalkikanmani) One more thing Kalki swears by is to detach herself from her phone whenever she doesn't need it. 'We're all attached to our phones, but my rule now is to keep mine in a separate room when I sleep. I have a proper alarm clock that wakes me up, though my daughter does it before that (laughs). This ensures that I'm present while finishing my daily routine, I don't even check my phone before that,' she explains, adding, 'At work also, I give it to the spot dada and ask him not to give it back to me so I'm in the moment.' But more than anything, no matter how much me-time she charts out or finds unique ways to detach from her phone, Kalki says therapy is key to staying on top of things. 'Parental anxiety is real, so is anxiety in general. And I have accessed a lot of therapy in the last couple of years, which has helped a lot. I have also understood that I cannot solve everything. I can instead do my bit to solve systemic issues by supporting my staff when they need it, or being in touch with my local animal rescue centre. I can do something in my locality to bring about change,' she rounds off.
