Achanta Sharath Kamal is in a really perfect area. If a film have been to be made on his existence, he says he would love Vicky Kaushal to play him. In the Capital not too long ago, he was once truly taking a look ahead to exploring the town however was once pressed for time. No surprise, for the Padma Shri recipient was once right here to obtain this yr’s simplest Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award — the rustic’s absolute best carrying honor — from the President of India, Droupadi Murmu.
“It has been a really perfect spotlight in my occupation the place a desk tennis participant is judged the most productive amongst all sportspersons. The celebrations — around the nation, the desk tennis fraternity and my very own members of the family — were on since August. I think commemorated to be in that area,” he says about the award, given for the most spectacular and outstanding performance by a sportsperson in a four-year period, and accompanies a cash prize of 25 lakh, a medal and a scroll of honour.
The spotlight comes with its own share of expectations, but over the years, the 40-year-old has learned how to use them to fuel his game. “Without [wanting to be] At best, one cannot push physical and mental limits. That has been my source of motivation in the pursuit of excellence. It’s been a very long and illustrious career with its highs and lows. The first high was when I won the first gold medal for India at the Commonwealth Games (CWG) 2006, and from there on, have continued to scale new heights. The year 2018 was a great one, with three CWG medals and two Asian Games medals. And for me, it’s 2022 where I have scaled new peaks in my career with three golds and one silver,” says Sharath Kamal.
The prolific paddler, who’s the son of ace desk tennis trainer, Dronacharya Award winner A Srinivasa Rao, began taking part in the game as a four-year-old. He credit Chennai, his birthplace, for instilling interest for the game in him very early on. “Chennai has produced best desk tennis athletes because the early ’50s. With this sort of wealthy tradition and custom, it was once simple for us to embark on a adventure searching for excellence. Chennai additionally boasts a really perfect membership tradition which produces champions regularly with pleasant contention amongst each and every different,” he indicators off.
Author Tweets @Nainaarora8
Follow extra on Facebook and Twitter