The towering presence of Bhamara enchanted thousands of freshmen at LPU
The day today remained very inspiring and enthralling for LPU new students when 7 feet 2 inches tall & only 20 years old American National Basketball Association’s (NBA’s) first India-born player Satnam Singh Bhamara interacted with them. The towering presence of Bhamara was amazingly enchanting for thousands of freshmen at LPU which unfolded different phases of his struggle and success in a very young age. The tall hoopster from Punjab Bhamara presently plays for a professional basketball team of USA ‘the Dallas Mavericks’ (Mavs). He is one of the 91 players nominated as early entry candidates for the 2015 NBA Draft. At 15+ years of age, he had become the youngest player to represent India at the 26th Asian Basketball Championship in China in 2011.
Landing only yesterday in India after his big inclusion for NBA team, Satnam had his first interaction with LPU students. Towering Satnam asked students to always work hard for the domain they are in. He said: “Whether you are in games, education, profession or any other endeavour always work hard and stay focused on the target to be reached.” Sharing his personal life he told students that he has been training hard in Florida (US) for the last five years along with youths of 39 countries. “I believed in myself, my basketball skills and USA based IMG Reliance Academy identified a future player in me. I really worked hard forgetting all about my family and friends and always remained career oriented”. He also asked students to follow his “mool-mantra” of success by always paying respects to parents, teachers, and mentors in the fields chosen and to ever adhere to their instructions. The 2015 NBA Draft was recently held in Brooklyn (USA) where NBA teams selected amateur US college basketball players and other eligible players including international players. The first Indian to have been selected in the NBA is Satnam Singh Bhamara. He is also the first player since 2005 to have been drafted directly from high school. The NBA Draft is an annual event in which the 30 franchises in the NBA select new players for their teams.
LPU Chancellor Mr Ashok Mittal and Pro Chancellor Mrs Rashmi Mittal welcomed the illustrious basketball player at the campus. Chancellor Mr Mittal said: “I feel proud on having a young yet a player of mammoth international stature at the campus. Rising from a small village to be the player of NBA is in itself a grand success. Interactions of students with such personalities play a vital role in the life of students for their focused future. I wish Satnam Bhamara all the best to bring more and more glory to self, team, state and India.”
