‪#‎MeetBITSiansInSports‬

Our 8th Interviewee for “Meet the BITSians in Sports” series is Neha Mohanty. Neha at present works as the e-Sports Manager, Domyos, at Decathlon Sports India. She is also a licensed Zumba Fitness Instructor.

After graduating from BITS-Pilani Goa in 2013, she joined Sandisk as a Reliability engineer, and after about one and a half years switched to a career catering to fitness. Continue reading to find out more about her and some tips for a healthy lifestyle.

Name: Neha Mohanty
BITS ID: 2008B4A3520G

What attracted you to sports/fitness?
I have always been into sports since my childhood. I started playing basketball in my 7th grade and have played ICSE and state nationals and continued the same at BITS Goa.

Which sports/activities have you been involved in and how did you take these up?
At present I am a licensed Zumba Fitness Instructor and take Zumba sessions at Decathlon India office. I started as a free-lancer and eventually integrated it at my workplace.

You were the captain of the BPGC Basketball Team. How was your experience leading the squad?
Leading different people from different backgrounds was quite challenging. However, practising our sessions together was a lot of fun. Each and every team member inspired the other to perform the best and we ended up being the runners up in Spree2011.

What were your takeaways from it?
Be respectful of other’s ideas and don’t criticise.

What motivated you to switch from Sandisk to Decathlon ?
Sandisk was good but I realised I was getting unfit with the IT lifestyle . A new fitness club called the Tribe had opened near my house and I took up membership there. After a couple of months, Shwetambari Shetty, Zumba Education Specialist who runs the Tribe encouraged me to do the Zumba instructor training. This was a life changing decision. I started taking classes there and switched gears from IT to fitness. After a short stint at Tribe, I joined Decathlon as the Product (E-Sports) manager of Domyos.

How important a role does maintaining a healthy diet play?
Healthy diet definitely plays a huge role in being fit. But I believe moderation is the key. To ensure my metabolism is intact I eat six meals a day , the major ones being breakfast lunch dinner and healthy snacks such as fruits, nuts, sprouts, etc. in between.

…But what about the occasional cravings?
As long as you work out regularly it’s alright to give into occasional cravings .

Motivation plays a huge part in everyone’s lives. What motivates you to put in that extra effort to keep yourself fit?
I manage my time well when I work out. My efficiency increases and there is no place for lethargy. Also, my friends Harshitha and Sanchita make sure that I don’t miss working out.

All of us make promises but fail to eventually live up to them. Are there any tips that you would want to share to all the BITSians so that they can stay motivated throughout and achieve their promised fitness goals?
Don’t stick to one particular routine, it becomes monotonous. Try out various group class, Crossfit, various sports , trek, run, etc. Have a community/group that motivates you to workout.

What’s your fitness mantra?
I believe in breaking monotony to work out regularly and hence I try doing different things on different days. This is what I currently follow:

Monday : Body Combat
Tuesday : Zumba
Wednesday : Power Yoga
Thursday : RPM (Indoor Cycling)
Friday : Body Pump
Weekends : Outdoor

Any future event that you plan to take part in?
No event as such, but I am training to become a Kettlebell instructor.

Interviewed by: Suchita Pati (2011A3PS269H)