Kerala food and a chat with Alex Ferguson- Varun Tripuraneni of Hyderabad FC shares his wishlist for life after the pandemic

Varun Tripuraneni, co-owner of the Indian Super League football franchise Hyderabad FC.

Note to readers: While we accept the reality of the coronavirus, it is important to be optimistic. We must believe that there will be a day when the disease will no longer be the all-destroying scourge it is today. And when that day comes, we will be able to enjoy life, maybe with a few adjustments, the way we did before COVID-19. To that end, we are starting ‘If Covid Vanished ...’, a series of interviews with corporate heads and achievers, where we ask them where they’d like to travel or eat, who’d they like to meet, and so on, if the world became Corona-mukt. Follow the series here.

Hyderabad is an important meeting point of sports, technology and business. Varun Tripuraneni, co-owner of the Indian Super League football franchise Hyderabad FC, stands at a similar intersection in his profession.

Before Hyderabad, Varun was the COO at Chennaiyin FC and CEO at Kerala Blasters. Not many are as seasoned when it comes to the administrative or corporate side of Indian football.

Currently, if there is anything Varun would like to kick, it would be the Covid virus. Here is a conversation with him on his wishlist in a post-pandemic world.

If Covid went away or became manageable, which city would you like to travel to first and why?

I love beach destinations, so I’d say Maldives. I did my first dive course there and am looking forward to doing some dives again.

Which restaurant/bar would you go to first and why?

I am a big fan of Kerala food. I developed a liking for it during my two-year stay in Kochi. I would like to go to Paragon or Arippa in Kochi, both of which have great Kerala food.

Which famous stranger would you like to invite home and talk to, and why?

Sir Alex Ferguson. I’d like to understand and learn from one of the best ever leaders of our generation – about getting the best out of people, longevity, winning mentality and the way to deal with challenging situations.

The other is the Dalai Lama, so that one can learn from his teachings of leading by example, with optimism, happiness and compassion for all living things.

What public performance/occasion would you like to attend?

Any sporting event which has a full house. It has been a while since I’ve experienced a sporting event in front of massive crowds. A Manchester United game at Old Trafford, probably. I’ve also started following Formula 1 after watching the Netflix series, Drive to Survive, so I am looking forward to attending a Formula 1 race. May be the Monaco Grand Prix.

What group activity would you like to participate in?

A trek. I have not really been into trekking but I want to do one, having been indoors for a really long time now.

What new skill would you like to focus on?

Reading. I buy a lot of books but hardly finish any. So that’s something I would like to emphasize on.

The first song that comes to mind when you think of a Covid-free world.

I am not big on English music, but I would say, ‘The Show Must Go On’ by Queen, as it would be apt for the moment.

What bad habit will you work on eliminating in a world that is open again?

There is a lot of negativity in today’s world. People are blaming each other, instead of being responsible themselves. I wish I could change that.

What new invention/gadget would you like to see that would help us deal with future pandemics?

A reasonably priced smart wearable device, provided by the government to its citizens. It should be linked to a virtual healthcare system that could provide real time data of an individual's oxygen level, body temperature, pulse rate, blood glucose level and relevant indicators in accordance with his/her National Identity Card. This can help us prepare in advance for any pandemics by monitoring the real time scenario of a disease in the population.

What would your motto be for life after the pandemic?

Stay positive and help as many as possible.