Sports presenter Charu Sharma is a familiar face in the Indian television scene. His name is synonymous with cricket and every cricket fan in the country is familiar with this dynamic television host.
   While most often we see him sitting with a group of cricket analysts and experts, Metrolife recently caught this amiable and articulate Bangalorean teeing off in a sport of a different kind.

Are you a regular golf player?
Well, I wouldn’t say ‘regular’...I am enthusiastic, ambitious but not really regular (laughs). It’s only because I don’t have time to play very often. Sometimes its difficult to carry my golf kit around wherever I go.

So do you like golf more than cricket?
Actually its my favourite sport. No disrespect to other sports but I just happen to love it. I think it’s a universal game, it is played almost everywhere, which makes it easy for someone like me who is travelling all the time. I can’t always play a team sport or something, whereas golf can be played wherever I go.
I think amateur golf is a lot of fun. No one plays to win as such and that’s the best part. It’s about just enjoying the game. Anyone out there who is in it to win is on the wrong track.
What do you think of the cause you are supporting here today and would you extend your support in the future?
I think the UN as an organisation has an excellent reputation. I definitely believe in the cause. As for extending my support, I’m willing to be there any day.
In fact, I was supposed to be going over for the Sri Lanka- Pakistan series which starts today and I had said that I won’t be able to make it for the first match.

How was the Cricket World Cup experience this year?
Well, I was obviously disappointed. But then, one has to be objective and professional. Like in any other profession, where people have to work with the same consistency irrespective of whether they like the project or not, I also had to continue with the rest of the World Cup whether or not I was personally disappointed.

Do you think the popularity of the game will actually come down?
No; I think all that is happening right now, is just a knee-jerk reaction. People forget easily and move on, it’s part of life. If India performs well in the upcoming series, support will go up again.

But do you think other sports need the kind of support that cricket gets?
What support are we looking at? As far as the government is concerned, I think they need to concentrate on basic infrastructure, poverty and other issues before they actually turn to developing sports in the country. So I don’t think it is on their must - do list. As for private sponsorship, well, we face that in every country...It’s like asking why is American basketball or baseball get more sponsorship than any other sport in the US.