I want to be a basketball player

I’m currently doing my B.A. Since my school days I was very interested in basketball and I represented my school in inter school tournaments and played for different local clubs. I believe I have talent and determination but due to the lack of infrastructure and facilities in my town I’m thinking to go back to my home state Jharkhand after my BA studies and start my career in basketball and play for my state. I searched online for basketball clubs, Sports Authority of India in Jharkhand, and sports academy in Jharkhand but I couldn’t find anything. I want to be a basketball player but I don’t know how to start my basketball career in Jharkhand. Please help.
Francis (19) / Meghalaya

There are various institutes and academies under the Sports Authority of India (SAI) (http://sportsauthorityofindia.nic.in) that impart training to young talents to transform them into talented sportspersons. Other than SAI, there are many state level and private organizations that support sports enthusiasts. Basketball Federation of India (BFI) (basketballfederationindia.org) is the governing and controlling body of basketball in India, and is responsible for the development and promotion of this sport at all levels. Check their Facebook page for current happenings (facebook.com/indiabasketball).

Remember, breaking into the sports profession is not an easy task. Just because you’re good, does not give you a free pass to a professional career. The fact of the matter is that in order to get there, you need to put in plenty of hard work, more than you may anticipate. Also, most sportspeople compete as amateurs (unpaid) until they reach a sufficiently high standard to be offered payment for their performance. Professional sportspeople are usually paid on individual contracts.