Zerodha co-founder Nithin Kamath weighed in on the debate sparked by Pullela Gopichand’s remark that “unless you are rich, don’t make your child a sportsperson.” While acknowledging the concern, Kamath offered a different perspective, arguing that passion and adaptability matter more than financial background.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Kamath highlighted the risks of pursuing fields one isn’t suited for. “Imagine studying something you don’t like or being stuck in a field when you know that your skills are useful elsewhere. Odds are, you may end up being less than average compared to people who are more suited to the field you hate. In this case, how can you expect job security? This is all more problematic in the AI-first world we are entering.”
Extending this logic to sports, he wrote, “If someone is passionate about sports, takes a shot at being a professional and fails, there are more alternatives today than ever. You can become a coach or a personal trainer. There’s more demand for such folks today than at any point.”
Kamath, who co-founded the Rainmatter Foundation at Zerodha, pointed to changing trends. “We are seeing a trend with some of @Rainmatterin’s partners, like @FITTRwithsquats, @gametheoryindia, etc. People are willing to pay for personal training and coaching. We need a few of these to scale well, such as what @urbanclap has been able to do for professionals for home services.”
His take resonated with many. “Passion should never be a privilege of the rich. While financial stability matters, today’s world offers more opportunities than ever — coaching, training, content creation, or even entrepreneurship in sports. Skill & adaptability will always find a way,” a user wrote.
Another commented, “Very well put. The ability to be able to pursue ‘passions’ without being scared for your future earnings denotes how developed a country is. To provide such a cushion for ‘free’ pursuit should be the aim of India and its upper echelons.”
However, skeptics pushed back. “No. There is no scope for most. Sports pays when the country loves sports. We don’t. Education is the only way out. It was true then, it is true now,” one user argued.
Another added, “Leave the social issues to others please. Your bet worked. It doesn’t work for everyone. Let people decide on their own. Most folks are incapable of being visionaries. Don’t push them from safe to unsafe.”