Page 36 - EW Jan 2024_Neat

Young Achievers

training, studying for his is a member of Harvard University’s
engineering degree and women’s squash squad — Anahat has
finding sponsors for this set herself ambitious targets. “I love
minority sport which re- this game which combines intellect
quires expensive imported with extreme physical fitness and
equipment, has been chal- I’m grateful to my mentor-father,
lenging for this wannabe coaches, senior players who sharp-
engineer. ened my training in Delhi,” says this
Typically his day begins articulate teenager.
at 4:30 in the morning with Anahat’s interest in squash was
road skating or cycling for kindled at age eight while witness-
a minimum three hours. ing her sister Amira play at New
From 8:30 a.m to 4 p.m, he Delhi’s Siri Fort Sports Complex.
Anandkumar (right) attends college and re- Later, training under former
sumes training at the city’s national squash champion Amjad
Indoor Nehru Stadium from Khan, Anahat started competing and
6-8 p.m under coach and winning tournaments. In 2019, she
ANANDKUMAR former national skating champion won the Girls Under-11 title at the
British Junior Open Squash cham-
Sathya Moorthy.
“Encouraged by my performance pionship in Birmingham followed
n early October, Chennai-based in Hangzhou, I am determined to get by Girls Under-13 titles at the Dutch
engineering student Anandku- onto the podium at the upcoming and European Junior Open Squash
Imar (20) returned with a bronze World Speed Skating Champion- championships staged in Amsterdam
medal from the Asian Games 2023 ship in Italy in March, and the 2025 and Cologne the same year.
staged in Hangzhou (China). He World Speed Skating Games in Although her training routine was
was among the three-member- China. I am convinced that my inten- interrupted by the Covid-19 pan-
strong 3,000 m speed roller skating sive training will pay off,” says this demic, Anahat returned to the court
relay team which finished behind determined speedster on skates. with a vengeance and bagged the US
South Korea and gold medalists Power to your wheels! Open 2021 junior (under-15) squash
Chinese Taipei. Shivani Chaturvedi (Chennai) title in Philadelphia (USA). The
Winning an Asian Games medal following year, she went on to win
for India was a dream come true the Girls Under-15 title at the Asian
for this third-year student of the ANAHAT SINGH Junior Squash Individual Champion-
College of Engineering, Guindy, ship in Pattaya (Thailand).
whose participation was in doubt Unsurprisingly, this teenage
after he suffered a slew of injuries grade X student of Delhi’s champion has ambitious plans for
prior to the Asian Games. “Frequent upscale The British School, the future. “My goal is nothing less
crashes during my practice sessions A Anahat Singh is set to make than to become world champion.
leading to serious injuries made it an impact in the international squash And now that squash has been
tough for me to give my 100 percent racquets circuit. In November, this included as an official sport in the
in the selection trials. Nevertheless 15-year-old was crowned women’s 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, I will
I persevered and made it into the national squash champion at the intensify my training over the next
team. I owe this to my parents and HCL 79th National Squash Champi- four years to win India’s first ever
coaches and their continuous en- onship staged in Chennai. squash racquets gold medal,” says
couragement and mental support,” Earlier in October, Anahat bagged this gritty teen with a winning habit.
he acknowledges. two bronze medals in the women’s Wind in your sails!
Inspired by his sister Subi, a and mixed doubles events at the 19th
national and international level Asian Games staged in Hangzhou Paromita Sengupta (Bengaluru)
roller skater, Anandkumar took to (China); in August, she won
roller skating at age six, training at the Girls Under-17 title at the
a nearby badminton court under Asian Junior Squash Individual
the tutelage of Anna Raja. Soon he Championships 2023 in Dalian
started competing in district, state (China) six months after win-
and national speed skating compe- ning the Girls Under-15 title at
titions with “satisfactory results” the British Junior Open Squash
which helped him make up his mind tournament in Birmingham
to focus on roller skating, a sport (UK) in January.
practised by a small community of Born into a family of sports
athletes. Anandkumar’s persever- aficionados — father Gursharan
ance paid off. In 2021, he won a Singh, a practicing lawyer,
silver medal at the World Champi- and entrepreneur mother Tani
onship staged in Ibague, Columbia. Vadehra, are former hockey
Notwithstanding long hours of players and elder sister Amira

36 EDUCATIONWORLD JANUARY 2024