ISBF Distinguished Public Lecture Series | Management and Sports: A Perspective on Careers by Mr. Joy Bhattacharjya

Picture Credits: Vandita Pal

From IMH, a celebration of the arts.

Before I begin, I would like to give a shout out to the OGs, Utsav Jain and Prof. Aryapriya Ganguly who work tirelessly to curate and organise insightful events headlined by absolute talismans, reminding me of modern age Gully Boy Ranveer Singh.

Just like the power of his words break his shackles, and bloom the world around him into a vibrant hip-hop scene; outspoken, unfiltered conversations with witty and level headed people bloom us to think differently and break the shackles that hold us back. The energy in the LR is infectious and all-powerful.

We had the pleasure of being joined by Mr. Joy Bhattachariya on 27th September 2019, a person on top of the live-sport, broadcasting and sports management game. With a diverse and full body of work, from live sports production head at Star Sports, to independent, unfettered journalism for Economic Times and India Today in the recent past, he inspired me with the kind of versatility I want to showcase in my life.

He entertained us with his journey, and what two decades of work in sports taught him, about what goes on behind the camera. He broke the conventionalism in career choice, something parents in India expect from all their children, to venture into something, he knew he would enjoy doing throughout his life.

He explained the value of punctuality in sport, and live streaming that can’t afford to miss the action because, in sport, there is no dress rehearsal. No screening, no filtering, no editing.

As team director at KKR, he proved his prowess, when he told us how he managed player routine, and preparedness, to get the maximum utility from the astronomic prices paid to bag these excellent coaches and cricketers.

I loved his ability to connect his insight with live cricket circumstance, and the flair with which he touched the underdog nerve in all of us: ‘Your biggest problem is your biggest opportunity. Your biggest strength is your biggest liability.’ Cheers.

He took our doubts and reservations with cheerful aplomb, sifting through the intricate details, to enrich all of us. I had a wonderful time. And never noticed it pass by. Thank you.