In May 2014, Amy Chua, a law professor at Yale University, published a polarising book on parenting that described her experience of raising her daughters as a 'Tiger Mother.' The 'Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother,' was her expository on pushing them--frequently through humiliation, denying them presents, occassionally terming them 'garbage'--to be high achievers.
Yet Chua would be benign, going by how Kshema Sangakkara, the father of Sri Lankan cricket great, Kumara Sangakkara, chose to reflect on his son's career. In a letter published by the Indian Express, Sangakkara says that Kumara Sangakkara "could have done better." Kumara, widely regarded as one of the greatest Sri Lankan cricketers of all time was, according to his father, "not a natural talent but had extremely skilful hands..."
While sports stars are known to have demanding parents, as Andre Agassi has written about his boxer father, Emmanuel Agassi, and the rigouous coaching rules that tennis coach Richard Williams set for Serena and Venus Williams, South Asian parents are known for their tough love.
Sri Lanka, isn't too far from Tamil Nadu where children from households are frequently expected to ace classical dance and the IIT entrance examinations. But still Kshema has proved that while your country might think you've performed well enough as a sportsman to be considered a potential diplomat, but pushy parents are forever critiquing you. Even to your retirement.
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