Interview- Meet Tejal Kulkarni

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We had the good fortune of connecting with Tejal Kulkarni and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tejal, how has your background shaped the person you are today?

I come from an Indian middle class family. Till the age of 9 I was just following a normal routine of going to school and studying. Then my mother had put me to dance class but my father had a deep love and passion for sports, so he made me join Lawn tennis class on weekends. After few days whenever it was dance class time I used to make some excuses to avoid it and instead asked my parents to take me on Tennis court. Then I completely switched to tennis as I used to enjoy being on court and soon this turned into a professional journey as a tennis player.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

After a major injury, I couldn’t play tennis for a long time. Meanwhile I got an opportunity to be umpire for a junior national tournament and there the Tennis Association Head offered me to get into officiating.

Choosing a sport as a profession often invites societal skepticism, challenging stereotypes about academic prowess. In school days while playing tennis it was always assumed that my weakness in studies was leading me to focus more on sports. However the reality is stark contrast. Balancing rigorous training schedules involving play, yoga, fitness, and swimming, athletes also dedicate time to academic pursuits. Even though I had started officiating early during my graduation, I never compromised on studies and instead completed my Master’s in Psychology with high CGPA.

However this societal mentality has always continued and now as a tennis official, I encounter skepticism about the legitimacy of my profession as a non-white-collar job. Despite earning well, societal perceptions persist. Balancing passion and income, I face constant queries from relatives and friends, grappling with their traditional views on job validity. Overcoming this skepticism demands resilience and a steadfast belief in the value of sports officiating and so even after completing my Master’s in Psychology I am unable to accept it as my full profession keeping my passion for Tennis aside. My earnings may not follow conventional paths, yet the fulfillment derived from contributing to the sport’s integrity outweighs societal misconceptions. I embrace the uniqueness of my career, seeking understanding and recognition beyond conventional benchmarks and I have been awarded the ‘Most promising Tennis Official Of The Year 2023 by Maharashtra State Association and have received an appreciation letter from Government.

In my professional journey of officiating I have got to explore various pockets of Tennis like refereeing, umpiring sometimes as a digital scorer or as a tournament manager. My officiating journey has also taught me to be an independent as well as strong women as I travel to many places alone and stay alone in hotels in new cities for tournaments.
The joy found on tennis court became a defining element, transforming a simple childhood routine into a fulfilling career as a tennis official.

I’ve always been passionate about tennis officiating and contributing to the growth of the sports field. One of the areas I’ve identified for potential improvement is in understanding and addressing the psychological aspects of the game. Tennis is not just about physical prowess; it also involves a mental battle on the court. To enhance my capabilities in this area, I’ve decided to pursue a sports psychology course. My goal is to gain a deeper understanding of how athletes, including tennis players, approach competition mentally, how they handle pressure, and the psychological factors that can influence their performance. By integrating sports psychology into my skill set, I aim to foster a better understanding of player behavior, enhance communication with athletes, and contribute to creating a more supportive and conducive environment on the court.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?

My tennis journey started because of my father and he has consistently supported me throughout. Tennis is a very financially draining game and coming from a middle class family it was not easy to afford this game professionally. However my father always encouraged me to play tennis and never asked me to switch to studies even in High school