POISE UNDER PRESSURE

Youth icon, sportswoman, and multi-award recipient, P.V. SINDHU has many national and international titles under her belt, the latest being the 2019 World Badminton Championships. A never-say-never attitude, a magnetic smile and twinkling eyes, she is an epitome of humbleness and graceful poise. Here she speaks with SATYA SAHAY at the inauguration of the P.V. Sindhu Badminton Academy at the Lalaji Memorial Omega International School in Chennai.

Q: I’m very grateful and super excited to have a heart-to-heart conversation with you.

It is a great pleasure for me to be here at LMOIS in Chennai, where I’m coming for the first time to inaugurate this new badminton facility that is named after me. I hope that those youngsters you take up badminton will come here to practice and train hard, and in future be more successful.

Q: You have ignited so many lives by being who you are, and you have inspired so many girls to take up sports and dream of reaching the same heights. This is an encouragement and support to them all.

Thank you so much. It’s nice to be told that, but it’s not just my hard work; it’s a lot of people’s hard work who have supported me. My parents have been very supportive, and my coach, and I’m thankful to them. Parents’ support is much needed by anyone who gets into sports; it’s not just a few months of hard work, but years of hard work, and success is not immediate. But with hard work you will definitely get there. Not only in sports, but in other things like studies, ups and downs are always there. Some might find success early and some find it late, but there’s a process and it will take time. You have to be patient and you have to believe in yourself.

Q: So, tell us a little about your childhood and upbringing.