A mentor used to remind me: “Everyone changes the temperature of a room—some by entering, others by leaving! Be someone who people look forward to seeing.”
With that thought in mind, have you ever met a person whose passion and enthusiasm brings a smile to your face and warms up the room? For example, a person like Nav Bhatia.
Born and raised in New Delhi, India, he immigrated to Canada after experiencing the impact of anti-Sikh riots in 1984. Even though he had a degree in mechanical engineering, Nav couldn’t find a job and experienced hundreds of rejections because of Sikh attributes such as his long beard, turban, and accent.
So he became a car salesman in a rough section of Toronto, even though he was way overqualified. Ultimately, he became the best car salesman in all of Canada, went on to purchase a dealership, and had great success because he rolled up his sleeves and worked hard. He transformed a near-bankrupt Hyundai dealership into one of the largest car dealerships in the country!
Fast forward to 2021, and he joined notable NBA players like Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, and Kevin Garnett in being inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
How many Sikh Indians are in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame?
None!
Not only that, Nav has never played, coached or broadcasted a single professional basketball game, making his induction even more of a surprise.
So why did Nav get inducted?
Nav is an “all in” individual. And one of the things he is “all in” to is basketball, which is why in 1998, the Toronto Raptors had a ceremony honoring Nav and bestowing upon him the title of “Superfan!”
Why would they designate him as a Hall of Fame worthy Superfan? Because ever since the Raptors came in to the NBA in 1995, he has never—NEVER—missed a home game.
Now obviously, with his turban, Nav was almost guaranteed to stand out, but what really stood out was his passion and loyalty. He has always been the loudest and most passionate fan in the arena, even when the Raptors were one of the worst teams in the league.
And when the Raptors won the NBA Title in 2018, the team honored him by making him the only fan in the history of the NBA to receive an official championship ring and they even included him in their championship parade.
And now, he is the only fan to be inducted in to the Naismith Hall of Fame.
Nav is a passionate individual who lights up and raises the temperature of any room he walks into because his mission was simple: “To prove that hard work trumps hate.” He has used his passion to overcome racism, hatred and rejection. His infectious smile, passion, and dedication have made him a celebrity in Toronto.
And now one of his turbans is proudly enshrined in the Hall of Fame. As he noted:
I made a promise as a kid to my mom I would never remove my turban. Today it is in the Hall of Fame. Embrace what makes you different. It is your superpower. This is the crown I wear each day. Thank you, Mom.
In reading about Nav, the thought dawned on me, Nav is a person who chose to be a person who raises the temperature of the rooms he walks into. He had every reason to get discouraged and give up, but he obviously chose a different path.
And that raises an interesting question: In these post-COVID days, what paths are we choosing to take? Perhaps we can choose to be the friend who makes an encouraging call, speaks affirming words, or offers a warm smile. Perhaps we can choose to be a little bit more like Nav.
Heck, perhaps one of my Sikh friends will provide me with a turban as a reminder to be more like Nav and choose to uplift some people who have been profoundly affected by this pandemic.
As we are reminded in numerous verses from Proverbs, “A joyful heart is good medicine, a glad heart makes a cheerful face and the cheerful heart has a continual feast.”
Here in Chicago, during the run of the Chicago Bulls, we heard “Be like Mike!” In this post-COVID world, let’s be a bit more like Nav and light up some rooms.
