NDTV Exclusive: For West Bengal Minister Manoj Tiwary, It's Cricket In Morning, Paperwork In Evening

Right-handed batter Manoj Tiwary has been a servant of Bengal cricket for a very long time, however his dream to win the Ranji Trophy once again ended in disappointment this year as the Abhimanyu Easwaran-led side were defeated by Madhya Pradesh in the semi-finals. However, Tiwary's determination stood out as he hit centuries in the quarterfinals against Jharkhand and then in the first innings of the semi-finals against Madhya Pradesh.

It is important to note that Tiwary is a sitting MLA of Trinamool Congress from Shibpur constituency in West Bengal and also the West Bengal's Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, and to go with that he chooses to be an active cricketer. Tiwary spoke to NDTV at length about his dual roles, and how he manages to navigate through them smoothly. He also opened up on what keeps him going in India's domestic tournament.

"It is all about willpower and time management (when asked how he manages to navigate through ministry work and playing cricket). The team that I have created in my constituency and all the party workers understand how to go about work. All the paperwork gets delivered to my hotel when I am playing cricket. In the morning I play cricket, and then in the evening, I sign that paperwork and send it back by courier. Sports Ministry is one ministry where I am the Minister for Sports, there is one Minister in charge, so he takes care of things," Tiwary told NDTV over the phone.

"My team members are very helpful, I am available on the phone during the night so if there is an emergency, all the setup is there. I believe in preparation and if you do well in that, anything can be managed. It was a challenge for me, but I have been able to fulfill it so far. You can do it if you