76-year-old takes cue-sport commitment into its 51st year

It’s not always about winning. It’s also about the fun you get from playing, that is the real reward,” says septugenarian Vijay Ved. One couldn’t agree more with that when it is revealed that this gentleman has been playing competetive billiards for almost 51 years on the trot reaching the final just once.

“That was in 1979 when I reached the final at an event played at the Parsi Gymkhana. I, however, ran out of luck as my opponent was none other than Subhash Agarwal one of the finest players India has ever produced,” recalled Ved, who was on a family vacation to Lonavala and would get down to Mumbai for the matches and go back after he reached last-16 stage. “Losing to Agarwal didn’t hurt me as I enjoyed the challenge of coming down to Mumbai to play my game,” says the 76-year-old.

Ved fell in love with the colourful balls on the green baize during his college days at St. Xavier’s in 1951. “Some of my friends used to go to play billiards at Central YMCA near Regal. After a few visit to the table, I started liking the game and then started bunking lectures for billiards,” informed Ved.

In fact billiards was the only game Ved coud have played. “I had developed asthama during my school days. It is hereditary in my family. I, therefore coudn’t play any other sport though I enjoyed playing table tennis earlier,” says Ved.

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