Turns Out That October Truly Is An “Auspicious” Month

According to the dictionary, auspicious means “conducive to success; favorable” or “attended by good fortune; prosperous.”  And ever since I moved to India, I’ve been hearing this word “auspicious” being used quite often. For example, someone may say, “that time of the year is an auspicious time to get married” or “it is considered auspicious to give 1 rupee more when giving cash gifts to someone for an auspicious occasion.” I used to feel that this was all superstition and primarily based on a series of anecdotes passed on from generation to generation however lately my belief system around the concept of something being “auspicious” has started to evolve…all thanks to Facebook.

It’s not that I saw an inspirational video on auspicious-ness or read a life-changing blog post, no, it is thanks to Facebook’s memories notification which I happened to click on a few days ago.  Post clicking, I was taken through a series of images from the past nine years and realized that many of the most extraordinary experiences for me both personally and professionally have taken place during the month of October. I had already felt quite connected to this month as October is the birth month of some of the most important people in my life including my Wife (October 3rd) and my Mother (October 10th). It is also the month when many key Indian holidays take place, holidays that are intended to celebrate significant human and celestial beings and events including: Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti, Ganesh Chaturthi, Durga Puja, Dussehra and Diwali (depending on the year).

So while scrolling down memory lane, I took stock of my past nine Octobers and realized that every year during this month something or somethings have occurred which forwarded my journey while living this beautiful country.

Here they are in chronological order:

October 2009

After comfortably living in the United States for 29 years, I leave everything I know and hop onto an Emirates Airlines flight headed for Delhi with 2 large suitcases and even larger dreams of contributing to the growth of the Indian football industry while experiencing deep personal growth. I have no timeline in mind on how long I plan to live in the country. 

October 2010

My team at Dentsu Sports and our clients, Conscient Group, launch Conscient Football, a Delhi NCR based football program which has many of my experiences while playing and developing soccer in the US integrated into its format and execution.

The 2010 Commonwealth Games is hosted in Delhi and I have the opportunity to attend many events during this sport-filled month and begin to develop a deeper understanding of the good, the bad and the ugly side of organizing mega-events in India.

I experience my first religious pilgrimage as my friend Anwesh allows me to tagalong during a mini-truck journey to escort Goddess Durga to the Yamuna River for immersion. It's then that I get a taste of the devotion that people have for their favorite Gods and Goddesses in this country and also develop an understanding of the powerful role that community can play in one’s life.   

October 2011

I drive the launch of FC Barcelona’s foray into India – the first time an international club has established a permanent base in the country.  

October 2012

I run the Delhi Half marathon in record time and long distance running becomes an integral part of my life.

I take a trip to as small Madhya Pradesh town called Betul for a football project and am clear that I am perfectly positioned to serve as a catalyst for the professional development of game in even the remotest parts of the country.  

October 2013

I drive the launch of Liverpool FC’s foray into India through our client DSK Group – it is Asia’s first Premier League club established residential Academy.  

At an AFC - AFDP ONE GOAL conference, I have the opportunity to spend quality time with some of the individuals who are transforming lives through football via their respective NGOs and grassroots programs. 

October 2014

I deliver my first speech as a “Chief Guest” as I have the opportunity to speak to students during Sports Day at one of India’s finest international schools.  

October 2015

I am part of the team that brings Pele to India for the Subroto Cup, India’s oldest youth tournament; Pele spends some time with my family and future Wife & sister-in-law before flying back to Brazil, something which I will never forget.

My Roka (engagement) ceremony takes place and my parents fly to India to meet my Wife and her family for the first time.  

October 2016

I win my first tournament as CEO of a professional football club.

October 2017

I attend the opening ceremony as well as a number of matches during the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup which is hosted in India. This tournament sets the stage for India to host the senior FIFA World Cup in the future.  

I join India On Track and my first few days with my new team are spent with the Premier League’s senior management team planting seeds for the biggest project that I have worked on till date, a project that will completely transform Sports Management education in India.    

October 2018

We launch the LaLiga Football Schools across the state of Kerala with our client CREORTS - the first state-wide professional league driven youth training program set up in India and a project which I have been a part of since its inception.  

We officially kick off the Global Institute of Sports Business - India’s first internationally certified and industry designed Sports Management Institute. This project is dear to my heart as it combines much of the insights, knowledge and network I've developed over the past 20 years of my life. 

My mentor, role model and the individual who set the stage for my maiden knowledge gathering trip to India in 2007, Sunil Gulati, visits the Global Institute of Sports Business campus and offers his guidance and words of encouragement for this landmark project in my professional career. 

 

I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to experience so many extraordinary Octobers over the years. It truly is an auspicious month. I have a good feeling that a few miracles are in-store in October 2019....