Shubham Jaglan Overwhelmed by "Dream" Return Home After Double World Championship
Shubham Jaglan returned home after a successful sojourn of Scotland and USA where he won two prestigious titles at the IMG Academy Junior World Championships in San Diego followed by the World Stars of Junior Golf in Las Vegas.
Two weeks, two world titles and all of 10 years old! Shubham Jaglan's story from the fields of Israna Village to the golf courses of the United States of America has been nothing short of inspiring and heart-whelming.
For us at NDTV, who have seen him right from his playing days in Israna, things have certainly come full circle. Here is a toast to Shubham, his family and all the people from his village travelled over half-a-day to welcome their little hero back home. (My Aim is to Break Nicklaus' Record: Shubham)
Disha Chopra: Your entire village is here to welcome their little double world junior champion, must be very overwhelming? (Shubham Ends Sixth in Pinehurst)
Shubham Jaglan: It feels amazing. To see all these people, it's a dream. And it's not the one which I get while I'm sleeping. It's the one which doesn't let me sleep. It's just amazing to see all my friends; they've come so far just to welcome me. I can't describe it.
Disha Chopra: Do you pinch yourself sometimes, thinking, is this all a dream or is this reality?
Shubham Jaglan: I do pinch myself sometimes (laughs)! It was always a goal for me to win a world championship but winning the IMG junior title was just a dream come true. I have been pinching myself ever since.
Disha Chopra: Shubham could have in fact made it a hat-trick of world junior titles but he lost to former tennis star Anna Kournikova's brother Allan. He thus missed out on that Grand Slam of World junior golf titles. Was there too much pressure on you by the time the third tournament came around?
Shubham Jaglan: Yes, there was a lot of media attention on me by then. My coach kept telling me to just forget the junior grand slam as they were calling it and to focus on my game. I tried my best but it was not there. But I'm fine with it: 2 wins in 3 weeks, that's perfectly fine with me.
Disha Chopra: When people get to know that you've learnt your golf playing in sugarcane fields in your village and watching YouTube videos, how do they react? What do they say to you?
Shubham Jaglan: Most of them don't believe it and they think I am lying. But when they see me on TV and a lot of them have seen me on NDTV, they come to me and say, "how did you do it, what was your goal, how did you do it." They are just amazed.
Disha Chopra: People have called you the 'Tiger Woods of Israna' and now many of them are calling you the future Tiger Woods from India. How do you react to that? Is Tiger Woods even your role model?
Shubham Jaglan: Tiger Woods was the one I used to watch and then practice what he does on the greens, on the fields. He's been my role model since and I'm glad that people call me that and have such high expectations of me. I am working hard to prove it every day.
Disha Chopra: Who are the people who have helped you and supported you along the way? What's the team behind Team Shubham Jaglan like?
Shubham Jaglan: The Golf foundation, Mr. Amit Luthra who took me from my village to Delhi to pursue golf. My coach, Nonita Lall Qureshi who was the one who came to my village, saw how I play and what conditions I am living in. I am very thankful to her and I love you ma'am. Also my school - in fact I got into the school because of NDTV. In fact I would also like to thank Ajay Jadeja sir, who comes on NDTV a lot. Sometimes he would play with me and he used to always tell me, "You live in Delhi but don't become like a Delhi kids". That is something which sticks in my mind and comes back to me every time. That one line I will always remember.
Disha Chopra: So in your heart, you will always be a boy from Israna village?
Shubham Jaglan: Yes. Always.
Disha Chopra: Since I first met you about 4 years ago, What's been the biggest change in your life off the greens?
Shubham Jaglan: I've been eating less Indian food first of all. Things have changed a lot. I have been getting so much support. It doesn't really matter to me what I do in the tournaments but the support that people show that really matter to me a lot.
Disha Chopra: What would you like to say all the young kids who don't get facilities and don't have the means but love to play sport?
Shubham Jaglan: All of you- just choose what you want to play and if you want to reach the top you have to be dedicated. To reach the top you have to work harder than anyone in the world.