On my pinboard - Pankaj Advani

Billiards and snooker player

Pankaj Advani, a 16-time world Billiards and Snooker champion, has been nicknamed the ‘Golden Boy of India’ and ‘Badshah of Billiards’. And for good reason.

A two-time Asian Games gold medalist, six-time Asian Champion and an Australian Open winner, he is a holder of 29 national titles. His overall tally consists of 54 gold medals in major events.

He is also the recipient of several awards, including the Padma Shri, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award and  Arjuna Award. Pankaj is huge movie buff and an ardent fan of Batman.

Come April and he will take part in the Asian and World Championships.

Filmmaker
Christopher Nolan

“More than actors, I am a huge admirer of director Christopher Nolan. He has made some amazing films such as ‘Inception’, ‘Interstellar’, ‘The Prestige’ as well as ‘The Dark Knight’ series. Nolan portrays relationships well and most of his films are thought-provoking. However, my favourite film is ‘The Dark Knight Rises’. I must have watched it at least 75 times. Every time you watch it, you learn something new. The director always manages to beautifully bring out different facets of human personality in all his works.” 


Inspiration
Arvind Savur

“My inspiration has always been my coach, Arvind Savur. I started playing
billiards and snooker at the Karnataka State Billiards Association when I was ten years old.

 I once spotted Arvind Savur playing there and the kind of shots that
he was able to produce and the knowledge that he possessed impressed me a great deal. I asked him if he could train me.

 After we began the lessons, I realised that my scoring ability improved
and my tactical awareness went up a few notches. The best part about our
relationship is that we understand each other really well. I feel my success as a player is largely due to his contribution.”

Travel
Riga

“I loved my visit to Riga in Latvia. It is an amazing city that is known for its museums, concert halls and vibrant culture. As I am a vegetarian, I was a bit concerned if I would find a vegetarian restaurant there but fortunately, we found an Iskcon restaurant. The outdoor cafes are good and the weather always seems perfect. The Livu Square is filled with the choicest of restaurants and night clubs. And the people there are extremely hospitable. That visit, like every travel experience, helped me evolve as a person.”

Singer
Bryan Adams

“I can’t get enough of listening to Bryan Adams. His songs like ‘18 ‘til I Die’, ‘Summer of ‘69’ and ‘Run to You’ are evergreen tunes. I can sing along with almost all his songs because I know the lyrics by heart. Listening to music elevates my mood and lifts me from any low point. I am also a huge fan of Adele. You can feel the emotion in her voice when you hear her sing. I am fond of different kinds of tunes, whether hip hop, RnB, alternative rock but I am not much of heavy metal fan. In Bollywood, I find Arijit Singh and Sunidhi Chauhan, to be two very powerful singers. Their singing really touches the listener.”

Food
‘Paneer makhani’

“I can’t get enough of anything that has ‘paneer’ in it but
‘paneer makhani’ definitely tops the list. And whenever I return from a long trip, the first thing my mother Kajal does is make ‘palak paneer’ for me. My friends always say that they would never share a plate of paneer with me because there wouldn’t be any left for them to eat. Generally, I am not an experimental eater but I am fond of all cuisines and I am happiest with a plate of ‘idli’ and ‘dosa’ for breakfast.”

Books
‘Spiritual Links’

“I am not much of a reader but whenever I travel, I always carry with me a small book called ‘Spiritual Links’. The booklet is linked to the thoughts and philosophy enunciated by Radha Soami. The different stories written in them are easy to understand. The teachings have taught me a great deal. One of the many things I’ve learnt after reading them is that life is very simple if we make it that way. But it can get complicated if we are continuously ruled by our desires. The book has taught me to find happiness in simple things.”