Raised by a sports-loving mother and inspired by the incomparable PV Sindhu, he aspires to become the rising attacking star of Indian badminton. Tanvi Sharma is nothing like an ordinary 15-year-old. Her fame is limited at the moment as she is the youngest member of the Indian women’s team for the Thomas Cup and Uber Cup in Chengdu, China this month. “I want to be like Sindhu Didi, she is my inspiration. I watch all her matches. It was great to be with her in Malaysia, she is very friendly,” Tanvi recalled in a phone interview with PTI When talking about his own experience. Watch the two-time Olympic medalist during the Asian Badminton Team Championships, where she was part of the team but did not compete.
The teenager from Hoshiarpur in Punjab did not have to go far to get encouragement to take up badminton. Her sister Radhika plays the sport and her volleyball mother Meera works hard to learn the nuances of badminton coaching to teach both girls.
It didn’t take long for Tanvi to make a lasting impression. She became the U-15 and U-17 national champion and finished second in the 2022 U-19 finals.
Last year, the lively youngster won a silver medal at the Asian U-15 Youth Championship in China, in addition to winning the title at the Kotak International in India. She ended the year with a runner-up finish at the Senior Nationals in Guwahati.
Almost as much as her other achievements, she cherishes her time observing Sindhu at BATC Shah Alam.
Tanvi may not have competed, but she knew exactly what it felt like to win a major event when India won its first gold medal. Tanvi said the week in February was educational.
“I don’t feel bad about missing out. I’m happy to be a part of this team. It was a big moment in my life and I learned a lot by watching the seniors, especially Sindhu Didi. After that My confidence was really boosted by the event,” she said.
It was then that she saw another teenager’s life change. It was none other than her 17-year-old roommate Anmol Kharb, who won accolades for his outstanding performance in playing the decisive third single for Team India.
Tanvi had defeated Anmol and was recovering from his injuries.
A month and a half before the Continental Team Championships, she came close to beating Anmol in the final of the Senior National Championships in Guwahati, but a hamstring injury cut short her run.
“I couldn’t play the BATC because I was coming back from an injury and Anmol was playing really well. In the decider of the national final, I got a muscle spasm in my hamstring. So it took me a month and a half to Get healthy,” said the 10th grader.
While the injury has delayed her plans to compete on the Tour, Tanvi has been selected for the Uber Cup and she is looking forward to doing well in the prestigious event, which begins on April 27.
“I’m really happy to be part of the Indian team again and I will try my best. It will be a good exposure for me,” said the soft-spoken teenager, who will be paired with Ashmi Tha Chaliha and Ishalani shared the singles workload together while Baruah and Anmol withdrew from the event in the absence of Sindhu.
“I want to incorporate Sindhu Didi’s aggressiveness into my game. This year, I will try to focus on International Series, International Challengers and World Junior Championships.
“The Badminton Association of India (BAI) and OGQ (Olympic Gold Quest) helped me compete in international events.” Tanvi and her sister trained at Gopichand Academy in Hyderabad from 2016 to 2021. The high cost of training during the five-year period and COVID-19 forced them to return to Hoshiarpur. Her father is a government employee.
But nothing can stop her ambition.
She has won two U-15 All-India Junior Ranking Championships and reached quarter-finals at the 2022 Indian Junior Grand Prix and the Kotak India Junior International.
Her sister has been shifted to the National Center of Excellence in Guwahati and Tanvi plans to do something similar in the future.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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