Geet Sethi is not a name most modern sports fans in India will remember. But there was a time from an era forgotten when this man was making us proud on the billiards table. In the course of the 1980s, 90s and the first decade of the 2000s he produced several notable performances. He also did well in snooker for India but did not participate at professional level. Nonetheless before the age of Pankaj Advani, Geet was our king when it came to billiards.
Geet’s first taste of success came in 1982 when he won the Indian National Billiards Championship, beating none other than the legendary Michael Ferreira. He would win the title between 1985 and 1988 and again in 1997 and 1998.
He was also the national champion in snooker from 1985 to 1988. In that period he also became Asian Champion in 1987. Geet was winning titles at random but the best was yet to come. The signs were there, now the potential would reach its peak over the next decade or so.
He was the amateur champion in 1985 and 1987. Later he won it again in 2001 to prove he still had it in him. Success came at professional level too as he became World Champion 5 times – 1992, 1993, 1995, 1998 and 2006. India was back on the map in billiards and Geet was making us proud on the table.
The crowning moment however came at the 1998 Asian Games when he won a gold and silver in different events. Just to prove he could do it again, Geet bagged a silver in 2002 along with a bronze as well. He wrapped up 2006 with another bronze.
Sadly for Geet, he did not get the recognition he deserved. Cricket was too much of a monopoly and a sport like billiards did not get the credit due in our country. Had he been in the modern era, he would have still been known and a little more popular. Not that Geet was affected, he knew he had a job to do and he went on to do it. Advani’s current success can be attributed to the standard set by Geet in the previous years. The man represented us at the top level so it is up to us to keep his legacy alive. Once the king on the billiards table, Geet is now away from the limelight, but that in no way diminishes his contribution to the sport in India.