Onlykashmir.in News Desk
After spending more than two decades building a name for herself in television and digital entertainment, Nivedita Basu is now carving out an entirely new identity as a competitive squash player, having taken up the sport seriously only after crossing the age of 40.
Basu today represents Maharashtra on the Masters circuit and has established herself as a seeded player in her category, a notable achievement for someone who entered competitive squash considerably later than most players on the circuit. Sport has, however, been a constant presence in her life since childhood. Her father played tennis and squash recreationally, while her mother competed at the national level in table tennis and handball, giving Basu an early exposure to competitive athletics long before she pursued it herself in adulthood.
Basu spent some of the most significant years of her professional career associated with Balaji Telefilms, where she worked on some of Indian television’s most widely watched shows, including Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii and Kasautii Zindagii Kay. She subsequently moved into senior leadership roles within the media and entertainment industry before venturing into entrepreneurship, building her own ventures across sectors including sport and healthcare advocacy.
Today, squash has become far more than a fitness routine for Basu; it has evolved into a pursuit driven by discipline, competitive goals and a determination to prove that age is not a barrier to serious athletic achievement. At the National Masters Squash Championship held in Kolkata, she reached the semifinals, a result that underscored her rapid progress in the sport despite her comparatively late start. Reflecting on her journey, Basu has spoken of accepting that she cannot change when she began playing seriously, only how seriously she chooses to take the sport from this point forward.
To encourage more women to take up competitive sport later in life, Basu has also launched the Women and Racquet Sports initiative, aimed at building community and opportunity for women entering racquet sports outside the conventional age bracket. Her message to other women considering a similar path is direct: starting something new after 40 is not too late, but rather an opportunity to rediscover oneself through new pursuits and challenges.
