Torchbearers Inc. Episode 2 - ‘Staying on Top Under Pressure’ With Abhiraj Bhal and Mahesh Bhupathi

At Torchbearers Inc., Tennis Star Mahesh Bhupathi and Urban Company’s Abhiraj Bhal share the recipe for shining under pressure

Staying on top of your game, on the sports field or in the startup world is not an easy quest, especially when you’re in it to make an impact, to do what’s never been done before, and you have a team to lead. From your inner climate to external voices, pressure welcomes you at every step of the way.

In the series of first-hand accounts of the journey and hustles of India’s most inspiring champions, from the sports field to the boardrooms, the second episode of Torchbearers Inc. by AWS brings in an exceptional conversation on dealing with pressure.

Torchbearers Inc. has been conceptualized and presented by NeoNiche, one of India’s leading integrated marketing solutions providers, and backed by AWS as a strategic partner. AWS reinforces the show’s essence–scaling, adapting, and succeeding–underpinned by its achievement as the world’s top cloud infrastructure solutions provider for businesses across 190 countries. TiE Mumbai and Startup Talky are ecosystem partners of the show. YourStory is a media partner.

Watch the second episode of Torchbearers Inc. featuring Tennis Star Mahesh Bhupathi and Urban Company’s Abhiraj Bhal.

Torchbearers paving the way for a new generation

What differentiates a winner from the rest is how well they handle those pressures. In the words of Olympian and decorated former doubles number one tennis player, Mahesh Bhupathi, “Winning when it doesn’t count is easy, but hitting that big serve or big return at five all, thirty all in the third set under pressure is what differentiates the winner.”

Mahesh Bhupathi and Urban Company (formerly UrbanClap) co-founder, Abhiraj Bhal are two exemplary personalities who have mastered the art of delivering under pressure.

Having closely worked with Mahesh Bhupathi, renowned leadership performance coach, India’s first sports scientist, and the show’s host Shayamal Vallabhjee gets up close and personal to give you insider insights.

Staying on top of the game

One of the most dominant doubles players in the history of sports and the first Indian to win a Grand Slam title, Mahesh Bhupati’s journey has been a rollercoaster of accomplishments and challenges.

In his 20-year-long career on tennis courts, he represented India at various world stages, including Olympics, racking up 687 wins and 52 titles across ATP tours, Davis Cup, and other celebrated tournaments. He is a 12-time Grand Slam champion, and achieved the coveted title of Career Grand Slam, bagging all four Grand Slam titles.

Behind these revered achievements is a tale of tackling a massive back injury, self-doubt, and doubts thrown by outsiders. His ‘hunger and commitment’ to make a comeback and reach ‘the highest level’ changed the game. As a doubles player, his teamwork was a critical factor in ensuring he and his team stayed on top.

His remarkable skills and experience in the field reflect in his successful entrepreneurship journey as well. He has founded numerous companies including Globosports, Scentials, and International Premier Tennis League.

Bouncing back stronger

From a failed startup to a unicorn, Abhiraj Bhal encountered some of the toughest pressure situations an entrepreneur has to deal with.

In 2014, Abhiraj founded Cinemabox, which shut down within six months as it was ‘an arena with small outcomes.’ Despite being very passionate about his first startup, he decided to step away to satisfy his ambition of creating a large-scale impact. Abhiraj believes there’s a “fine line between passion and objectivity” and that’s what decides the outcomes.

Soon after, he and his co-founders ventured to solve a gaping problem in the home service sector with UrbanClap. Today, Urban Company is valued at north of $2 billion, boasting a network of 25,000 trained professionals and operations across 40 cities in India, UAE, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and Australia.

However, the road was far from smooth for the startup. During the pandemic, Urban Company saw zero revenue for 45 days straight. Abhiraj’s vision and decision-making in a crisis situation proved to be instrumental in the company’s bouncing back and eventually standing taller than ever before.

Abhiraj’s entrepreneurship journey is adorned with a Forbes 30 Under 30, Fortune 40 Under 40, and most recently, Entrepreneur of The Year title at the NTLF Global Leadership Awards.

A new episode, many intriguing perspectives

The first episode featuring Olympian Abhinav Bindra and Dream 11’s Harsh Jain tapped into winners’ mindsets in the most thought-provoking manner, unveiling the parallels between success, determination, excitement, and failure in the world of sports and entrepreneurship.

The uncanny similarities between sportspeople and entrepreneurs are substantiated further in the second episode of Torchbearers Inc. as Mahesh Bhupathi, Abhiraj Bhal, and Shayamal Vallabhjee go deep into the recipe for getting an edge in the face of adversity. The conversation sheds light on the key aspects of conquering high-pressure situations, touching upon mental toughness, intrinsic motivation, teamwork, decision-making, radical adaptability, and much more.

The second episode of Torchbearers Inc. featuring Tennis Star Mahesh Bhupathi and Urban Company’s Abhiraj Bhal is live. Regsister now by clicking on the link given below.

Watch Now

Yet to watch Torchbearers Inc.'s first episode featuring Olympian Abhinav Bindra and Dream 11’s Harsh Jain? Go to the official website and watch the first episode on-demand.