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Varun Ram’s unlikely stardom is a moment to remember for Indian Americans
By Dan Steinberg March 21
Jonathan Graham (left) embraces Varun Ram after Friday’s victory. (Tony Dejak/AP)
The celebration Friday night was like a movie scene to Varun Ram, teammates mobbing him in the middle of the court, cameras surrounding him, media members asking the former walk-on about his game-saving defensive play.
With Maryland clinging to a three-point lead in the final seconds of its NCAA tournament opener, Ram was summoned off the bench for the first time all night. The rarely used reserve promptly disrupted Valparaiso’s last-ditch attempt, allowing the Terps to emerge with a 65-62 victory, and the senior guard to emerge with the highlight of his athletic career.
But Ram — one of just a handful of Indian-Americans playing Division I basketball — had no idea about the similar celebrations taking place across the country. Like in Bristol, Conn., where Kevin Negandhi, the first Indian-American anchor at ESPN, was watching the replay over and over in a studio.
“I was beaming,” Negandhi said. “I’m obviously a bit older than Varun, but I felt like a proud uncle of sorts. It was like gosh, he’s doing this for so many of us.”
Or in a suburb of Boston, where Shaun Jayachandran – whose Crossover Basketball and Scholars Academy uses basketball to urge Indian kids to stay in school – watched one of his counselors become a national star.
“It was a really proud moment,” Jayachandran said. “I was ecstatic.”
Or in Southern California, where Montgomery County native Shivram Vaideeswaran was covertly watching the game’s end on his phone during a meeting. First, the lifelong Maryland fan saw that his team had won. Then he saw that Ram was the hero.
“It’s kind of like seeing your own hopes and dreams come true a little bit,” Vaideeswaran said. “He’s living the Indian Terrapin dream.”
Ram’s name became the top trending topic on Twitter. He was profiled on ESPN.com and by the New York Post. His teammates couldn’t stop ribbing him, and his friends couldn’t believe what was going on.
Varun Ram?s unlikely stardom is a moment to remember for Indian Americans - The Washington Post
By Dan Steinberg March 21
Jonathan Graham (left) embraces Varun Ram after Friday’s victory. (Tony Dejak/AP)
The celebration Friday night was like a movie scene to Varun Ram, teammates mobbing him in the middle of the court, cameras surrounding him, media members asking the former walk-on about his game-saving defensive play.
With Maryland clinging to a three-point lead in the final seconds of its NCAA tournament opener, Ram was summoned off the bench for the first time all night. The rarely used reserve promptly disrupted Valparaiso’s last-ditch attempt, allowing the Terps to emerge with a 65-62 victory, and the senior guard to emerge with the highlight of his athletic career.
But Ram — one of just a handful of Indian-Americans playing Division I basketball — had no idea about the similar celebrations taking place across the country. Like in Bristol, Conn., where Kevin Negandhi, the first Indian-American anchor at ESPN, was watching the replay over and over in a studio.
“I was beaming,” Negandhi said. “I’m obviously a bit older than Varun, but I felt like a proud uncle of sorts. It was like gosh, he’s doing this for so many of us.”
Or in a suburb of Boston, where Shaun Jayachandran – whose Crossover Basketball and Scholars Academy uses basketball to urge Indian kids to stay in school – watched one of his counselors become a national star.
“It was a really proud moment,” Jayachandran said. “I was ecstatic.”
Or in Southern California, where Montgomery County native Shivram Vaideeswaran was covertly watching the game’s end on his phone during a meeting. First, the lifelong Maryland fan saw that his team had won. Then he saw that Ram was the hero.
“It’s kind of like seeing your own hopes and dreams come true a little bit,” Vaideeswaran said. “He’s living the Indian Terrapin dream.”
Ram’s name became the top trending topic on Twitter. He was profiled on ESPN.com and by the New York Post. His teammates couldn’t stop ribbing him, and his friends couldn’t believe what was going on.
Varun Ram?s unlikely stardom is a moment to remember for Indian Americans - The Washington Post
