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We are pleased to publish interview with Mr. Anoop Sharma (Civil 1992) who is involved in social/volunteer work and was one of the torch bearers for 2010 Winter Olympics at Vancouver, Canada.
After graduating from IT-BHU, Anoop worked at SAIL, India for few years and then migrated to Canada for further study. He obtained MS in Applied Science and MBA degrees from University of British Columbia (UBC). His work experience includes large industrial projects, internet start-ups, offshore software development outsourcing, and project management / business consulting, etc. Currently he is with SAP.
Anoop is also active in volunteer work for local communities in promoting sports among youths, persons with disability and senior citizens. He has been appointed by government on the board of BC (British Columbia) Games Society and also sits on the board of BC Disability Games Society. He hosts a show at UBC local radio station as well for promoting Indian classical music. Because of his volunteer work, he was selected as one of the torch bearers for 2010 Winter Olympics at Vancouver, Canada.
Yogesh K. Upadhyaya from Chronicle talks to Anoop Sharma about his social work
(Anoop Sharma)
Q-1: Welcome, Anoop. Please tell us about yourself
Hello and thank you for the opportunity for connecting with ITBHU fraternity.
I was raised in a very nomadic environment due the fact that my father was in the central government job with the department of telecommunications and our family would move from one city to another city every 3-4 years cycle. I spent my childhood and teenage years in many cities and provinces i.e. Maharashtra, UP, MP, and Gujarat. It was a great experience because I was exposed to many cultures, languages and education systems which later on helped me tremendously in adjusting in multi-ethnic set-up and in appreciating the diversity we have as a human race.
The trend continued even after graduation as my first posting with SAIL (Steel Authority of India, Ltd) was in Orissa (another culture, another language) and from there when I moved to Canada which has large immigrant population from all over the world.
At present, I call Agra, UP, my home in India where my parents, brother and sister live.
Q-2: Please elaborate on 2010 Winter Olympics being played at Vancouver, Canada. It is glad to know that you were one of the torch bearers.
Carrying the torch was an incredible and a very surreal experience. It was the longest domestic torch run in the history of Olympics. As you know that Canada is a vast country with breathtakingly varied geographical texture i.e. you can find Rocky Mountains, Grand Prairie, Arctic Tundra and what not so passing the torch in some of the extreme conditions and yet touching majority of communities and Canadian populations was an excellent feat for Olympic organizers. The torch relay route was designed in such a way that anyone living in Canada would have to drive maximum for an hour to see the Olympic flame. You can appreciate the logistical challenges for organizers but it worked wonder for the country. The torch relay excited people not only from British Columbia but from all over Canada in getting involved with Vancouver 2010 Olympics at various levels. It united the country irrespective of people’s ethnic origins, creeds, and orientations.
For me, the torch relay has always been one of the most fascinating aspects of any Olympic Games. The suspense around who will light the cauldron, watching passage of flame from one great athlete to another, ritual of lighting the flame in Olympia using the sun rays, and above all what the flame represents – purity, endeavor for perfection, peace, brotherhood and friendship. It all creates a mystical sense.
I never even in my dreams imagined that one day I’ll be carrying the Olympic flame. When I heard of my selection because of my volunteer work in the field of sports, I was at cloud nine. This also shows that good deeds do not go unnoticed.
As I mentioned, it was the longest domestic torch relay and flame changed hands with great Canadians from all walks of life i.e. world renowned athletes, artists, political figures, social workers and of course common men representing Canadian values. Being part of that chain and to see the little flame I carried, turning into big fiery spectacle at the opening ceremony was once in a lifetime experience. During my torch run, I was also moved by the gestures of masses. Many of them I never met before and might not see again, came to me during my run and requested if they could touch the torch or if they can take a picture with me and flame. It was important for them to physically and emotionally connect with the piece of history. In moments like those, I really felt honored to be a torchbearer.
We now know that Vancouver Olympics turned out to be one of the best winter Olympics despite some initial glitches. It ignited patriotism in Canadians like never before. You could see the large crowds across Canada in town halls, community centers, and in downtown pubs adorned in red and white colors and people getting into spontaneous singing of national anthem everywhere. It helped that Canada won record number of gold medals and the most by any host country.
I’m happy that I was part of such an amazing event and will remember my torch carrying experience for rest of my life. I hope that my kids will take some inspiration from it and will grow into better human beings.
Q-3: You are also involved in social work in your local community.
I’m a firm believer that we, as a society, cannot solely rely on government to address all our issues. In my personal experience, I have found that world always becomes a better place because of the efforts of individuals and groups who take upon them to do something about things around them, they find wrong or could be improved.
For me, it all started when I came in contact with “Vivekananda Nidhi”, a group of sincere and dedicated students on BHU campus who were determined to give their time (that is all they could afford in student life) for social causes at the grass root level. I too made a few trips to nearby villages to teach poor kids and did other social work as well with the group. It was very fulfilling and spiritual experience and slowly embedded into my psyche.
As for my current volunteering involvement with the sports, we all know that due to scientific advances and general awareness towards healthy living, life expectancy is increasing in the most parts of the world, and also as the saying goes that healthy mind lives in a healthy body, and therefore I strongly subscribe to the idea of active living either through the sports or hobbies such as hiking, trekking etc. My initial focus was on persons with disability but later on it expanded to encompass youths, seniors and general public.
For more than seven years, I have been volunteering with BC (British Columbia) Disability Games Society, a non-profit society partly funded by BC government, as a board member in creating opportunities for persons with disability which challenge their physical and mental abilities to the best of their potentials. About four years back, through ministerial order, government of BC appointed me on the board of BC Games Society (a government agency) which is responsible for organizing/supporting BC summer, winter, and senior games.
Summer/winter games are stepping stones for young athletes in British Columbia to embark on the journey of high performance sports. At past and current Olympics many alumni from these games have represented Canada. Officials and coaches also get valuable experience at these games. Disability games provide opportunities for persons with disability in recreational and competitive sports and in many cases are the entry points for disabled athletes in exposing them to many facets of professional sports and helping them to go on to represent their community, province and country at higher level games. Senior games promote healthy life style for senior citizens.
I’m very proud of my volunteer work on these boards in providing the leadership to the BC sport system. I get tremendous thrills and motivation when I see the positive impact of these games on hundreds of athletes, volunteers, officials, coaches, and host communities.
I understand that being successful many a times is synonyms with successful careers, accumulation of wealth, and social status, and I’m not saying that these are wrong criteria but if we all can give back to society in whatever capacity we can, the world will be a better place for us and for coming generations and all of us should consider it as a criteria for success as well. It just requires a little balancing act in the life.
Q-4: How do you recall your life at IT-BHU and at University of British Columbia?
The four years I spent at IT-BHU and in Varanasi were the most important years not only for professional development but for spiritual and personal growth as well. Those years, to a large extent, influenced who I am today. Varanasi was the perfect setting for nurturing my creativity through music and theater. I vividly recall numerous night outs at Sankat Mochan temple and Ghats listening to great maestros performing classical music with stunning back drop i.e. enchanting Ganga, floating Deepaks with tiny flames, boats, bathing masses. Adding to this mystic picture would be sounds of temple bells and religious chants. Even today when I play classical music on my radio show, I imagine that I’m sitting at one of the Ghats in the evening while Sun is setting.
As for theater, what a dream time I had while directing/acting several plays/skits for Kashi Yatras, Thomsos (at IIT-Roorkie), National Youth Festivals, Abhivyakties, local festivals etc. I enjoyed performing on stage but it was more fun rehearsing for them in common areas, mess halls, in backyard of Vishwanath temple etc with friends not only from IT but faculties across BHU. Getting first places for some of these performances were just icing on the cake. Of course the culmination was when I received “Excellencia” and “Colour” awards from IT-Gymkhana for these extracurricular activities. Thank You to Prof S. K. Sharma and Bose Dada for teaching me a great deal about theater. I was so much into it that at one point I was planning to join a film school for course in direction.
I think our batch was unique in living the typical student’s life on campus including a little student strike over a squabble with a foreign student, first campus election after a hiatus of few years in which our classmate was elected BHU president to name a few.
As for city, if you are a night creature like me, I don’t think you can find a more vibrant city than Varanasi which doesn’t seem to sleep at all. You can go out late at night and you will find open “Paan Shops” blaring variety of music, folks having chai or thandai or chewing paan in unearthly hours, religious janata taking dip in Ganga or singing bhajans/chant almost in 24 hrs cycle.
Last but not least, I’ll always be grateful for my time at IT-BHU because during this period, I met my Guru Maa to guide me on spiritual path and to keep me grounded.
Q-5: Please tell us about your personal life.
I am married and have beautiful twins, a boy and a girl. I write gazals. I hope all those who got personally written gazals from me during our stay on campus still have them to remember all the good times. I dig Hindi literature, whenever I can get my hands on either online version or a physical copy of Hindi book. Music has been a very important part of my life and one of the ways, I currently enjoy it is by hosting an Indian show on local radio station thus promoting Indian genre especially classical music to Canadian audience. Unfortunately I don’t get to do theater anymore but hoping that things will change in future.
As for sports, like most of the Indians, I’m also not impervious from cricket. Because of large immigrant population from cricket playing countries, we have a small league in British Columbia and I have played in this league for few years representing UBC cricket club.
What else? I guess in short, life is beautiful and I’m enjoying it.
Anoop, it was nice talking to you.
It is my pleasure talking to you too. I just took a wonderful journey down memory lane remembering all the good things and great people I have had the chance to know. It reminds me of Ali Haider song “Purani Jeans” –
Bas yadein, yadein, yadein reh jati hain,
Kuch choti, choti batein reh jati hain..
Anoop Sharma can be contacted at: anoopsharma@hotmail.com
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Education of Anoop Sharma
* B. Tech (Civil Engineering) in 1992 from Institute of technology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India.
*MS in Applied Science (Project Management) in 1997 from University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
*MBA in 1999 from University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
*Certified PMP (Project Management Professional) since 2006.
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(Anoop Sharma running with the torch at Winter Olympics)
(Passing of the Winter Olympic Torch)
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*2010 Winter Olympics, Vancouver, Canada
*BC Games Society, British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
*BC Disability Games Society, British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
* CiTR 101.9 FM Radio of University of British Columbia, Canada
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*University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
(Campus of University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada)
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Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University
Varanasi 221005, UP