India’s Very Own David Beckham Competes at Khelo India Games

It is not just England who have a David Beckham, for India too, now boasts of its own 17-year-old David Beckham from Andaman, who is creating ripples at the ongoing Khelo India Youth Games as a cyclist.

(Photo: IANS)

• Beckham started cycling in Delhi in 2017.
• Beckham lost his father due to the Tsunami in 2004.
• His mother passed away owing to an infection in 2014.

It is not just England who have a David Beckham, for India too, now boasts of its own 17-year-old David Beckham from Andaman, who is creating ripples at the ongoing Khelo India Youth Games as a cyclist.

This teenager was named after the football great, and is currently in Guwahati to compete in cycling.

"My family is a huge fan of David Beckham, so they named me after him. I also became a David Beckham fan. I used to play football. I have played in the Subroto Cup tournament. Then my grandfather asked me to take up cycling," said Beckham.

The cyclist, who has won a silver in a national competition, expressed that he started cycling in Delhi in 2017.

"I started cycling in Delhi in 2017. In the beginning, my feet didn't touch the ground when I sat on the cycle seat. Eventually, I started doing well in the sport. It's difficult to find facilities for cycling in Andaman, so I have to go to bigger cities for training," said the 17-year-old.

Beckham is taking his first few steps in the world of cycling, but he has already faced big challenges in life.

The cyclist lost his father due to the Tsunami in 2004 and his mother passed away owing to an infection in 2014. He is currently living with his maternal grandfather.

The cyclist said that he hasn't set any specific goals yet. He is just looking to give his best during training.

"I have not set any specific goals for myself yet. I am just focusing on giving my best during training and hope that I taste success in the near future," said Beckham.