My day is incomplete without a few frames

Manoj Kothari won the World Amateur Billiards Championship in 1990.

Playing billiards is like a ritual to me. For some people, the day begins with prayers or Sandhyavandana . For me, the day begins with billiards. It is a lifestyle. My day is incomplete without a few frames.

When I enter the billiards hall, it is like practising deep meditation. I forget all my stresses and worries. On the table, I am obviously not the player I was in my prime, but the love and passion for the game keeps me coming back to the green baize.

Sportstar used a wonderful photo of mine after I won the world title in 1990. It is the best photograph that has ever been taken of me. In those days, it was very rare to see such a high-quality, high-definition photo appear in newspapers or magazines. Many of my family and friends bought that issue of Sportstar, cut out my photo and framed it. I did so too. That frame still hangs proudly in our homes.

(As told to Ashwin Achal)