Up To Make A Mark

Equestrian Ashish Limaye is all set to compete at the upcoming Asian Games in Hangzhou

- Ravi Raj

Equestrianism came pretty early in the life of Ashish Limaye. But the thought of making a career in what is still a very niche sport in this country did not strike him until his early 20s. In fact, he had to forget about his passion for almost five years, to prioritise education. However, his unflinching love for horse riding couldn't stay repressed for long and in a moment of profound epiphany, Limaye, in his third year of engineering, finally decided to make equestrianism his career.

"When I told my parents that I want to go back to horse riding, their first question was whether I would complete my engineering degree," says Limaye, who will be representing India in equestrianism at the upcoming Asian Games. "The only condition was that I should complete engineering first," he adds.

His resolve to pursue the sport professionally only got stronger when he went to a riding school in Chennai during a summer break. Working there for a month rekindled his equestrian spirit and he was itching to get back into the competitive circuit. But turning passion into a profession is certainly not as romantic as it is commonly portrayed; the journey is fraught with obstacles.