Sourav Kothari Interview
Q. For readers discovering your journey for the first time, how would you describe the path from a young billiards enthusiast to becoming a three-time World Billiards Champion and Arjuna Awardee?
At the age of six, I watched my father, Manoj Kothari, become the IBSF World Billiards Champion. I think that moment ignited a dream that eventually shaped the course of my life. What I witnessed captivated my imagination, and gradually, billiards became a lifelong passion.
The sport demands countless hours of practice, unwavering discipline, resilience, and sacrifice. But perhaps the most important factor in my journey was having my father by my side. Without prejudice, he is perhaps one of the greatest coaches in the world. He guided me at every step, not just on the table but off it as well, and I believe that played a significant role in helping me excel.
Looking back, I see my journey as much more than a collection of titles and medals. It is the story of a young boy inspired by his father, whose dream for his son became the fuel that kept him going. The way my father devoted himself to my progress and invested in my development gave me the motivation to perform. I also owe a great deal to my mother, who was the reason I started playing in the first place.
In many ways, it has been a fairytale journey: a lifelong dream of a young boy inspired by his father, eventually culminating in three world titles and the Arjuna Award.
Q. Billiards is often described as a game of precision, patience, and mental strength. Which of these qualities has contributed the most to your success, and how did you develop it?
I don't think a single quality can make someone a champion or elevate their game by several levels. Talent may open the door, but character, self-belief, discipline, and hard work determine how far you can go.
Billiards and snooker are among the most demanding sports to master. The level of concentration, dedication, skill, and effort required to get the fundamentals right is immense. You need discipline, resilience, and self-belief, but if I had to identify one quality that has mattered most, I would say hard work: the quality my father instilled in me.
He never encouraged me to work merely towards a particular outcome. My goal was never simply to become a world champion, win an Asian title, or receive the Arjuna Award. Instead, he taught me to focus on the process: going to the practice table, working hard, and putting in the effort. That is what builds the self-belief and confidence you carry into a match.
Some of my greatest lessons have come from overcoming adversity rather than winning comfortably. Whether it was recovering from seemingly impossible situations during matches or finding the strength to compete after the greatest loss of my life, losing my father in January 2026, I have learned the importance of remaining composed, adapting, and persevering.
Ultimately, if you remain true to yourself, your game, and your hard work, you give yourself the best chance to succeed.
Q. Every champion has a defining moment. Was there a particular match or setback that completely changed the way you approached the game?
A defining moment came in 2014, when I was playing in the Asian Billiards Championship. I was the national champion that year, but I was struggling in my quarter-final match and found myself trailing, with my opponent seemingly close to finishing the game.
I was sitting helplessly in my chair, convinced that I had probably lost. I had placed so much pressure on myself that I had turned losing a match into a matter of life and death. My hand would freeze, my cueing would stop flowing naturally, and my confidence would disappear.
Then my opponent unexpectedly missed a shot, giving me another opportunity. I remained seated for a moment, closed my eyes, and reminded myself that even if I lost, I would still have a home, food, and wonderful parents who loved and supported me. I realised that I was blessed beyond words, and I questioned why I was putting myself through so much unnecessary pressure just to win.
When I finally returned to the table, I managed to recover from what seemed like an impossible situation, win the match, and eventually claim the Asian Billiards title. It was almost miraculous, and it completely changed my perspective.
I realised that to perform at your full potential, you need to enjoy the game and allow yourself to play freely. The moment you burden yourself with the thought that you absolutely have to win or meet everyone's expectations, you can end up choking under pressure.
Even today, I experience butterflies in my stomach before a match, but I have learned to manage them. I remind myself not to make the outcome a matter of life and death. That lesson has stayed with me throughout my career.
Q. Your 2025 IBSF World Billiards Championship victory carried a special significance, as your father had won the title 35 years earlier. What did that achievement mean to you, and how have you navigated the personal challenges that followed?
The most defining moment of my journey was winning the IBSF World Billiards title in 2025, which my father had won 35 years earlier. The first phone call I made after winning was to my father. For the first 15 to 20 seconds, neither of us spoke. There was complete silence over the phone, and I knew he had tears in his eyes. I was choking up too.
It felt like the culmination of a lifelong dream: not just for a father, but for a son who wanted to fulfil that dream for his father as well. I had won other titles before, including a world title, but this victory felt different. It was a legacy: a father's dream reborn in his son.
One of the most fulfilling aspects of that achievement is that my father and I became world champions in the same sport. There are many father-son stories in sports where the son struggles to match the father's legacy because of the pressure and expectations involved. I am incredibly proud that I was able to overcome that pressure and win the world title. Being able to do that for both my parents means more to me than any medal or trophy.
However, losing my father in January 2026 was the greatest setback of my life. He was not just my father; he was my coach, guide, mentor, and the person I depended on for advice, both on and off the table. Almost every aspect of my game had been shaped by him, and losing someone so deeply involved in every step of my life was a pain I had never experienced before.
Just a week after his passing, I went on to compete in the national championship and won the national title. Even today, I find it difficult to understand how I managed to do that. I was going because my mother had encouraged me to, but the loss was still deeply painful.
I am still learning how to live with that pain and continue playing. My father's influence remains with me, and I carry the lessons he taught me into every match. His presence shaped the champion I became, and his legacy continues to guide me.
Q. What is one lesson from billiards that has shaped the way you approach life beyond the table?
Billiards has taught me that it is a gentleman's game, one that demands discipline, patience, and dignity, even in the most intense moments of competition. I have learned that aggression does not necessarily lead to the best decisions; clarity, self-control, and quiet composure are far more valuable.
Over the years, I have tried to carry these values into my life beyond sport. Whether I am experiencing success or disappointment, I believe it is important to remain grounded, treat people with respect, and approach situations with a calm mind.
Losing my father has also taught me about a kind of pain I had never known before. I am still learning how to deal with it and coexist with that pain while continuing to play. It has made me realise that life is not always a steadily upward-moving curve. There will be difficult periods, and we have to find the strength to keep going through them.
Long after the matches have been forgotten and the titles have faded, I believe what truly matters is how people remember you. I want to be remembered as someone who competed fiercely but with dignity, carried himself with humility, and upheld the values his parents taught him.
Bio
Sourav Kothari is an Indian professional billiards player, three-time World Billiards Champion, Asian Champion, and recipient of the prestigious Arjuna Award. Inspired and coached by his father, former world champion Manoj Kothari, Sourav has built an illustrious career defined by precision, resilience, and sporting integrity. His landmark 2025 IBSF World Championship victory mirrored his father's triumph 35 years prior, cementing a rare father-son legacy in international cue sports.
Interviewed by Niyati Gupta
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