Shiva Keshavan
Encyclopedia
Shiva Keshavan is the first India
n representative to compete in luge
at the Winter Olympic Games.
and an Italian mother. He was born and brought up in the Himalayas (growing up in Manali, Himachal Pradesh
) and attended The Lawrence School Sanawar
. He is married to Namita Agarwal, a former classmate at Sanawar, who is also his sports manager.
He studied humanities
and political science
from 'Cesare Alfieri' University of Florence
and received a Master's degree in International relations
from the University of Florence
. He picked up luge when he was selected at a Training Camp in Himachal, at the age of 15.
He resides and trains in the north Indian state of Himachal Pradesh
, on the foothills of the Himalayas and the home of winter sports in the country. He was (in his words), "offered to represent Italy" in 2002, but refused because "I am an Indian and want to contribute to the country that I was born in".
India seems to be warming up to the idea that it can compete in winter sports: Keshavan was supported by the Indian Government for the Olympic Season of 2009-10 and for the first time, he could afford a Coach. He was being proudly sponsored till February 2010 by SWISS International Airlines and Limca Book of Records. Reebok and I Love Gelato are currently sponsoring him
A luge camp was held in India by Keshavan last summer for 50 young athletes interested in trying the sport.
10 were selected to train in Japan, a grassroots developmental initiative of Keshavan's, along with the Indian Amateur Luge Association.
A few days before the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, Keshavan's sled broke during training. Because he was one-third of India's entire Winter Olympics team, there were not enough resources to fix Keshavan's sled until five of India's leading lawyers chipped in a total of $10,000 U.S. to get the luger some more equipment.
The passion for adventure sports turned into competitive spirit as the Kullu Valley gradually grew into a hub for adventure and winter sports in India. Keshavan was a dedicated skier and went on to win the Junior National Ski Championship in 1995 at the age of 14.
In that year he attended a luge camp conducted by world champion Gunter Lemmerer. Lemmerer had been appointed by the International Luge Federation (FIL) to find talented luge pilots in countries that had no presence on the international circuit. Keshavan was selected as a promising young athlete and given the opportunity to prove his talent on an international stage. He showed his potential as a luge pilot and went on to become the youngest person to ever qualify for the Olympic Games in luge.
Keshavan has represented India in various international events creating numerous Indian, Asian and World Records along the way.
Keshavan has conducted Talent search camps together with the Indian Amateur Luge Association (IALA) and played an important role in developing the Junior National team.
Keshavan runs a consultancy, LINK Overseas Consulting, which he founded along with his wife Namita and two friends from his university days in Italy.
While not working or training, Keshavan loves outdoor activities and spends time trekking in the Himalayas or practicing Kalaripayattu, an ancient martial art and family tradition. He is passionate about physical fitness and living a natural lifestyle.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n representative to compete in luge
Luge
A Luge is a small one- or two-person sled on which one sleds supine and feet-first. Steering is done by flexing the sled's runners with the calf of each leg or exerting opposite shoulder pressure to the seat. Racing sleds weigh 21-25 kilograms for singles and 25-30 kilograms for doubles. Luge...
at the Winter Olympic Games.
Background and education
Keshavan is the son of an Indian father from the state of KeralaKerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
and an Italian mother. He was born and brought up in the Himalayas (growing up in Manali, Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh is a state in Northern India. It is spread over , and is bordered by the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir on the north, Punjab on the west and south-west, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on the south, Uttarakhand on the south-east and by the Tibet Autonomous Region on the east...
) and attended The Lawrence School Sanawar
Lawrence School, Sanawar
The Lawrence School is situated in Sanawar, adjacent to Kasauli in Himachal Pradesh, India. It was founded by Sir Henry Montgomery Lawrence of the Indian Army of British India and was established on 15 April 1847.The school has educated many notable people...
. He is married to Namita Agarwal, a former classmate at Sanawar, who is also his sports manager.
He studied humanities
Humanities
The humanities are academic disciplines that study the human condition, using methods that are primarily analytical, critical, or speculative, as distinguished from the mainly empirical approaches of the natural sciences....
and political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
from 'Cesare Alfieri' University of Florence
University of Florence
The University of Florence is a higher study institute in Florence, central Italy. One of the largest and oldest universities in the country, it consists of 12 faculties...
and received a Master's degree in International relations
International relations
International relations is the study of relationships between countries, including the roles of states, inter-governmental organizations , international nongovernmental organizations , non-governmental organizations and multinational corporations...
from the University of Florence
University of Florence
The University of Florence is a higher study institute in Florence, central Italy. One of the largest and oldest universities in the country, it consists of 12 faculties...
. He picked up luge when he was selected at a Training Camp in Himachal, at the age of 15.
He resides and trains in the north Indian state of Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh is a state in Northern India. It is spread over , and is bordered by the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir on the north, Punjab on the west and south-west, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on the south, Uttarakhand on the south-east and by the Tibet Autonomous Region on the east...
, on the foothills of the Himalayas and the home of winter sports in the country. He was (in his words), "offered to represent Italy" in 2002, but refused because "I am an Indian and want to contribute to the country that I was born in".
India seems to be warming up to the idea that it can compete in winter sports: Keshavan was supported by the Indian Government for the Olympic Season of 2009-10 and for the first time, he could afford a Coach. He was being proudly sponsored till February 2010 by SWISS International Airlines and Limca Book of Records. Reebok and I Love Gelato are currently sponsoring him
A luge camp was held in India by Keshavan last summer for 50 young athletes interested in trying the sport.
10 were selected to train in Japan, a grassroots developmental initiative of Keshavan's, along with the Indian Amateur Luge Association.
A few days before the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, Keshavan's sled broke during training. Because he was one-third of India's entire Winter Olympics team, there were not enough resources to fix Keshavan's sled until five of India's leading lawyers chipped in a total of $10,000 U.S. to get the luger some more equipment.
Luge career
Keshavan's interest in winter sports began at a very young age, being born in a remote village of the Himalayas. His earliest memories of winter sports are when Keshavan and his friends used to make their own skis using wood and metal sheets to play during the winter months. During summer Keshavan and his friends used to prepare roller sleds with wood and bearings to speed down the mountain roads. Adventure sports were an important part of the childhood for Keshavan since his father ran one of the oldest adventure travel agencies in the Himalayas, Pan Man Travels, from 1985.The passion for adventure sports turned into competitive spirit as the Kullu Valley gradually grew into a hub for adventure and winter sports in India. Keshavan was a dedicated skier and went on to win the Junior National Ski Championship in 1995 at the age of 14.
In that year he attended a luge camp conducted by world champion Gunter Lemmerer. Lemmerer had been appointed by the International Luge Federation (FIL) to find talented luge pilots in countries that had no presence on the international circuit. Keshavan was selected as a promising young athlete and given the opportunity to prove his talent on an international stage. He showed his potential as a luge pilot and went on to become the youngest person to ever qualify for the Olympic Games in luge.
Keshavan has represented India in various international events creating numerous Indian, Asian and World Records along the way.
Sport and achievements
- LugeLugeA Luge is a small one- or two-person sled on which one sleds supine and feet-first. Steering is done by flexing the sled's runners with the calf of each leg or exerting opposite shoulder pressure to the seat. Racing sleds weigh 21-25 kilograms for singles and 25-30 kilograms for doubles. Luge...
Pilot, representing IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
internationally since 1997 - Youngest ever luge (men's category) Olympian (at 16 years old) and Sole Indian representativeIndia at the 1998 Winter OlympicsIndia competed at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. The nation returned to the Winter Games after missing the 1994 Winter Olympics.India's only competing athlete was Men's Singles Luge competitor 16-year-old Shiva Keshavan.- Luge:Men...
at the 1998 Winter Olympics1998 Winter OlympicsThe 1998 Winter Olympics, officially the XVIII Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 7 to 22 February 1998 in Nagano, Japan. Seventy-two nations and 2,176 participans contested in seven sports and 72 events at 15 venues. The games saw the introduction of Women's ice...
in Nagano, JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, where he placed 28th. - Sole Indian representativeIndia at the 2002 Winter OlympicsIndia competed at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, United States. India's sole competitor was Shiva Keshavan in the Men's Luge, who placed 33rd overall.- Luge:Men-References:**...
at the 2002 Winter Olympics2002 Winter OlympicsThe 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event that was celebrated in February 2002 in and around Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Approximately 2,400 athletes from 77 nations participated in 78 events in fifteen disciplines, held throughout...
in Salt Lake City, USA where he placed 33rd. - Indian representativeIndia at the 2006 Winter Olympics- Alpine skiing :- Cross-country skiing :Sprint- Luge :-References:*...
at the 2006 Winter Olympics2006 Winter OlympicsThe 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. This marked the second time Italy hosted the Olympic Winter Games, the first being the VII Olympic Winter...
in Torino, ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
where he placed 25th. - Indian representativeIndia at the 2010 Winter OlympicsThree athletes represented India at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. They did not win any medals. Typically for the Summer Olympics, Indian Olympic athletes are supported indirectly , augmented by private support from various sources, including support and uniforms...
at the 2010 Winter Olympics2010 Winter OlympicsThe 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
in VancouverVancouverVancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
where he placed 31st after the first run and 28th in the second run. - Asian Silver Medalist, Asian Championships, Nagano 2009-10
- Asian Bronze Medalist, Asian Championships, Nagano 2008-09
- World Seeding - 42nd
- Personal Best - 14th place at the Nations cup in Altenberg, January 2009
- Top Speed - 149 km/h (Asian Speed Record)
Other activities
Keshavan has been promoting the cause of winter sports in India and has often spoken about the problems hindering its development there.Keshavan has conducted Talent search camps together with the Indian Amateur Luge Association (IALA) and played an important role in developing the Junior National team.
Keshavan runs a consultancy, LINK Overseas Consulting, which he founded along with his wife Namita and two friends from his university days in Italy.
While not working or training, Keshavan loves outdoor activities and spends time trekking in the Himalayas or practicing Kalaripayattu, an ancient martial art and family tradition. He is passionate about physical fitness and living a natural lifestyle.