‘I want India’s National Anthem to reverberate across borders’

The sight was nothing less than magnificent when Manya Ralhan moved across the court, the shuttlecock whizzed through the air, creating a spectacle that combines athleticism, strategy, and finesse. Recently this wonder child studying in class XII at Apeejay School, Mahavir Marg won a Gold medal in the All India Junior Ranking Badminton Tournament held at Hyderabad from January 3-9^th, 2024.

“I began my journey with badminton with only one goal – which was fitness. My cousin is also a badminton player and he is my biggest inspiration. Eventually, I kept climbing the ladder up from district to state to national,” Manya shared.

It’s a double whammy for Manya now after she is bequeathed rank 1 in Mixed Doubles and 4^th rank in Girls Double in India. “I get up early in the morning daily. My first practice session starts from 5 am till 7 am and the last practice starts from 6 pm to 9 pm. In between there is also a second session that is from 9 am till 12 pm. I have devoted my whole life to badminton,” Manya explained her training regime.

This class XII student was felicitated by Deputy Commissioner, Jalandhar on January 12, 2024, for her outstanding performance in badminton for the year 2023 and she was awarded with a cheque of Rs 31,000.

She also gives credit to her whole family for the constant push and encouragement that ultimately resulted in where she is now. “Whenever there is a match, both my parents including my dada dadi, taya ji, and tai ji are found as my spectator fans.”

“Even my school has supported me unconditionally. It often happens that my attendance is low because I have to travel for my tournaments, during this time the whole school staff managed it all and never complained. Their prerogative was to let me play my sport and keep excelling,” Manya expressed.

Talking about her diet and restrictions on food, she explains that it’s only home-cooked food that she prefers. She is fond of whatever her mother cooks which can be as simple as dal, roti, and chawal. “I usually take a diet which is rich in protein and boiled eggs are my go-to food mainly. I avoid all kinds of fried food items.”

Manya has been into badminton for the last seven to eight years now and she owes all her expertise to her coaches. “I have four coaches as of now; all my basic techniques and style of playing are fully monitored by them. They also train me to maintain my physical strength and consistency throughout matches and keep me on my toes,” she said in conclusion.