The Future is Bright, But So is The Past
May 12, 2022 | Track & Field, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
He wore his purple Kansas State Nike t-shirt and black shorts, but the most important item that Tejaswin Shankar wore at the track and field program's senior ceremony late last week was his black Oakley sunglasses. You see, Shankar has spent five years in a zone. He doesn't allow things to distract him. He is always looking at the crossbar, always looking at the finish line, always on the hunt like a great white shark.
That's a part of what makes "TJ" great.
It wasn't until the K-State Senior Day ceremony at the R.V. Christian Track that the 23-year-old native of New Delhi, India, was finally forced to pause and appreciate his feats in the twilight of his celebrated career.
They read off his accomplishments at the ceremony. And it was a very long list. Far too long to share here. But here's a quick summary: Shankar is a six-time All-American who has won one NCAA Championship and five Big 12 Conference Championships in the high jump. He was a 2021 CoSIDA Academic All-American, has a degree in accounting and finance, and will earn a master's in accounting this weekend. He ranks top 10 all-time at K-State in indoor pentathlon (first), indoor high jump (third), indoor triple jump (third), outdoor high jump (sixth), indoor heptathlon (seventh) and outdoor triple jump (eighth).
He is simply one of the most highly-decorated collegiate athletes in the legendary career of Cliff Rovelto, who has coached 17 Olympians in his 34 years at K-State.
Thus, the Oakley sunglasses to conceal his emotions.
"I had a little tear come down the corner of my eye," he says. "That's why I was wearing glasses, to make sure nobody saw my eyes."
He admits that he has never allowed himself to put his career into perspective. He has never zoomed out because he's always been zoomed in on the next conquest. He's always been in the zone. He's always been on the hunt. He's always been focused on the next thing.
"Sometimes," he says, "you never take a step back and look at the big picture and be happy. Sometimes, all you need is to pat yourself on the back. That's what the senior recognition was for me."
The eyes have already seen so much, and a potential Olympic Games – or two, or three – are still within sight along the purple-hued horizon, with many crossbars left to conquer. But this weekend, his eyes will fall upon his mother, Lakshmi, who is journeying more than 8,000 miles to see her only son compete in his final Big 12 Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Lubbock, Texas.
That, too, could cause Shankar to don his Oakleys again.
"It's very important, the relationship me and my mom share," he says. "Especially after losing my father as a little kid (in 2014), my mom took both roles of being a mother and father. For her to be there cheering, it's going to make it all the more special and emotional. This time at the Big 12 Championships, it'll be the first time I do the decathlon, and she's going to be there watching. It makes it that much more special to compete in my first decathlon ever."
He'll compete in the high jump at the NCAA West Preliminary in a few weeks. He is currently tied for seventh in the nation at 2.22 meters (7 feet, 3.25 inches). He battled a strained calf and inflamed patellar tendon earlier this year. He is eager to reach the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon, in June. He has high jumped in the NCAA Championships for years. The championships were cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID pandemic.
He was the fifth freshman in history to win the outdoor high jump at the 2018 NCAA Championships.
"Eugene is one of my favorite places," he says. "First time I went there in 2018, I fell in love with the place. It's just so beautiful. Since then, I've made it a point to go there every year. Same goal this year. I want to enjoy the stadium in Eugene one last time.
"I want to go there and jump high."
It's a fascinating story, how Shankar fell in love with track. He grew up an avid cricket player in New Delhi. He played six years. A coach came to his school and said, "Why don't you start track? If you're faster and more athletic, you'll be able to get to the ball faster and hit longer shots." So, Shankar started track to help his cricket game. Here's what he quickly noticed: He was better than everyone else on the track.
"I started running and jumping while exerting half my effort and was beating older guys," he says. "I said, 'I guess I'm good at this.' That's how it began for me. I've never looked back."
He attended Sardar Patel Vidyalaya High School. He was a three-time senior national champion and five-time junior national champion in the high jump. He set the Indian national record in the high jump at 2.26 meters (7 feet, 5 inches).
He came to K-State to learn under the best. Rovelto is regarded as one of the top high jump coaches in the world. And, oh, how quickly time has flown.
"I can remember it like yesterday, landing in Manhattan," he says. "It was August 2017. I had no clue what was happening. I could barely speak English and barely understand what anybody was saying. From then to now, it's like, 'Where did the years go?'"
What has he learned most during his journey to greatness?
"The most important thing I've learned is there's more to life," he says. "There's a purpose for which you're born, and I think I came to the United States with a purpose, and it was more than jumping over a crossbar or running races. It's more than that. I've inspired people and I've made new friends. Whatever it is, when I put a smile on peoples' faces, those things matter more to me than winning a track meet. That's a part of it.
"I've received some texts from some high school kids in Manhattan. There's a student I help out in track. They all texted me and said, 'You did a great job, and we're happy we had a chance to meet you.' That's more special than anything, to come to a foreign country and interact with a high school kid who I had no idea would know me, and we share a common bond, and now they say 'good job' or that I motivate them. That, too me, is the biggest win.
"I've really broadened my perspective during my career. Kansas State has really helped me grow as a human, and I'm grateful for that more than anything else."
He won and set personal bests in two events in his final meet at R.V. Christian Track this past weekend in the 110-meter hurdles and the discus, which is a story in itself. Two other participants were scheduled to compete in the 110-meter hurdles. Nobody showed up. Shankar literally raced against himself and finished in 14.68 seconds — 0.6 seconds faster than his previous best.
"A great feeling," he said. "That was R.V. Christian Track magic for me. Every time I step on that track, I do something good. I have such fond memories of that track. I'm just glad I was able to compete there one last time."
Suddenly, there are only a few one-last-times remaining.
"It's kind of sad to think I can count the number of meets left for K-State on one hand," he says. "I think about these things, and they get me pretty nostalgic. I'm excited to make the most of my opportunity."
Some people might believe Shankar wears the Oakleys because his future is so bright. And they would be correct. But Shankar, this chapter of his life coming to an end, wears them for another reason as well.
Amid the hunt, one of the finest track and field athletes in K-State history is finally realizing his celebrated past.
He wore his purple Kansas State Nike t-shirt and black shorts, but the most important item that Tejaswin Shankar wore at the track and field program's senior ceremony late last week was his black Oakley sunglasses. You see, Shankar has spent five years in a zone. He doesn't allow things to distract him. He is always looking at the crossbar, always looking at the finish line, always on the hunt like a great white shark.
That's a part of what makes "TJ" great.
It wasn't until the K-State Senior Day ceremony at the R.V. Christian Track that the 23-year-old native of New Delhi, India, was finally forced to pause and appreciate his feats in the twilight of his celebrated career.
They read off his accomplishments at the ceremony. And it was a very long list. Far too long to share here. But here's a quick summary: Shankar is a six-time All-American who has won one NCAA Championship and five Big 12 Conference Championships in the high jump. He was a 2021 CoSIDA Academic All-American, has a degree in accounting and finance, and will earn a master's in accounting this weekend. He ranks top 10 all-time at K-State in indoor pentathlon (first), indoor high jump (third), indoor triple jump (third), outdoor high jump (sixth), indoor heptathlon (seventh) and outdoor triple jump (eighth).
He is simply one of the most highly-decorated collegiate athletes in the legendary career of Cliff Rovelto, who has coached 17 Olympians in his 34 years at K-State.
Thus, the Oakley sunglasses to conceal his emotions.
"I had a little tear come down the corner of my eye," he says. "That's why I was wearing glasses, to make sure nobody saw my eyes."
He admits that he has never allowed himself to put his career into perspective. He has never zoomed out because he's always been zoomed in on the next conquest. He's always been in the zone. He's always been on the hunt. He's always been focused on the next thing.
"Sometimes," he says, "you never take a step back and look at the big picture and be happy. Sometimes, all you need is to pat yourself on the back. That's what the senior recognition was for me."
The eyes have already seen so much, and a potential Olympic Games – or two, or three – are still within sight along the purple-hued horizon, with many crossbars left to conquer. But this weekend, his eyes will fall upon his mother, Lakshmi, who is journeying more than 8,000 miles to see her only son compete in his final Big 12 Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Lubbock, Texas.
That, too, could cause Shankar to don his Oakleys again.
"It's very important, the relationship me and my mom share," he says. "Especially after losing my father as a little kid (in 2014), my mom took both roles of being a mother and father. For her to be there cheering, it's going to make it all the more special and emotional. This time at the Big 12 Championships, it'll be the first time I do the decathlon, and she's going to be there watching. It makes it that much more special to compete in my first decathlon ever."
He'll compete in the high jump at the NCAA West Preliminary in a few weeks. He is currently tied for seventh in the nation at 2.22 meters (7 feet, 3.25 inches). He battled a strained calf and inflamed patellar tendon earlier this year. He is eager to reach the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon, in June. He has high jumped in the NCAA Championships for years. The championships were cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID pandemic.
He was the fifth freshman in history to win the outdoor high jump at the 2018 NCAA Championships.
"Eugene is one of my favorite places," he says. "First time I went there in 2018, I fell in love with the place. It's just so beautiful. Since then, I've made it a point to go there every year. Same goal this year. I want to enjoy the stadium in Eugene one last time.
"I want to go there and jump high."
It's a fascinating story, how Shankar fell in love with track. He grew up an avid cricket player in New Delhi. He played six years. A coach came to his school and said, "Why don't you start track? If you're faster and more athletic, you'll be able to get to the ball faster and hit longer shots." So, Shankar started track to help his cricket game. Here's what he quickly noticed: He was better than everyone else on the track.
"I started running and jumping while exerting half my effort and was beating older guys," he says. "I said, 'I guess I'm good at this.' That's how it began for me. I've never looked back."
He attended Sardar Patel Vidyalaya High School. He was a three-time senior national champion and five-time junior national champion in the high jump. He set the Indian national record in the high jump at 2.26 meters (7 feet, 5 inches).
He came to K-State to learn under the best. Rovelto is regarded as one of the top high jump coaches in the world. And, oh, how quickly time has flown.
"I can remember it like yesterday, landing in Manhattan," he says. "It was August 2017. I had no clue what was happening. I could barely speak English and barely understand what anybody was saying. From then to now, it's like, 'Where did the years go?'"
What has he learned most during his journey to greatness?
"The most important thing I've learned is there's more to life," he says. "There's a purpose for which you're born, and I think I came to the United States with a purpose, and it was more than jumping over a crossbar or running races. It's more than that. I've inspired people and I've made new friends. Whatever it is, when I put a smile on peoples' faces, those things matter more to me than winning a track meet. That's a part of it.
"I've received some texts from some high school kids in Manhattan. There's a student I help out in track. They all texted me and said, 'You did a great job, and we're happy we had a chance to meet you.' That's more special than anything, to come to a foreign country and interact with a high school kid who I had no idea would know me, and we share a common bond, and now they say 'good job' or that I motivate them. That, too me, is the biggest win.
"I've really broadened my perspective during my career. Kansas State has really helped me grow as a human, and I'm grateful for that more than anything else."
He won and set personal bests in two events in his final meet at R.V. Christian Track this past weekend in the 110-meter hurdles and the discus, which is a story in itself. Two other participants were scheduled to compete in the 110-meter hurdles. Nobody showed up. Shankar literally raced against himself and finished in 14.68 seconds — 0.6 seconds faster than his previous best.
"A great feeling," he said. "That was R.V. Christian Track magic for me. Every time I step on that track, I do something good. I have such fond memories of that track. I'm just glad I was able to compete there one last time."
Suddenly, there are only a few one-last-times remaining.
"It's kind of sad to think I can count the number of meets left for K-State on one hand," he says. "I think about these things, and they get me pretty nostalgic. I'm excited to make the most of my opportunity."
Some people might believe Shankar wears the Oakleys because his future is so bright. And they would be correct. But Shankar, this chapter of his life coming to an end, wears them for another reason as well.
Amid the hunt, one of the finest track and field athletes in K-State history is finally realizing his celebrated past.
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