At just 14 she’s already endorsing big brands and is in the process of bagging a South Indian film with superstar Mohanlal. However, this graceful young woman, who is neither a model nor an aspiring actress, is touted to be India’s next Joshna Chinappa.
Chennai-based Deepika Pallikal outshined her contemporaries at the World Junior Squash league and has a host of championship titles to her credit. But Deepika is hardly overwhelmed by all the fame and the celebrity status she is subjected to quite early in her career. “I was at a summer camp when I realised that I loved to play squash.
Actually, I think it came naturally for me because my mother was the captain of the Indian women’s cricket team. Mostly everyone in my family has been involved with some sport or the other,” Deepika says, having just returned from the British Junior Open.
She played her first international tournament in London when she was in her sixth grade, and till date, Deepika has won the German Open in 2003 and 2004, French Open, Australian Open, Scottish Open, Dutch Open, Belgium Open and Indian Open Junior titles. She credits her family and coaches Cyrus Poncha and Major Maniam as being responsible for encouraging her throughout her tournaments. “I travel internationally almost four times a year, but my school has been very supportive. I have always managed to cope with my studies,” she adds.
The inevitable comparison to Joshna Chinappa is more a challenge than a deterrent for Deepika. “Joshna has set a standard which no Indian has been able to accomplish,” she says. But more than just a sports colleague, Deepika relates to Joshna on a personal level. “She is one of my very close friends and I have learnt a lot from her.”
Acknowledging the fact that squash is more an English game and does not fall into the mainstream sports category in India, she asserts that if Joshna played tennis, she would have been as famous as Sania Mirza today. “I agree that squash is still not as recognised as tennis, but we are trying our best to make a mark.”
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