BEYOND BARRIERS - Manisha Ramdas

A 17-year-old from Chennai has 11 gold and five bronze medals in 2022, including World Championship and is adjudged as 'Best Para Female' by BWF

- MILIND DHAMDHERE

Manisha Ramdas is the youngest para-badminton player from India and she has achieved a lot at the international level at a very young age. From Thomas Cup historic wins to All-England and World Championship medals, she has dominated all and has won 32 32 matches out of 34 internationals. She won a total of 11 gold and five bronze medals in 2022, and as a result, she is not just top-ranked in the WS SU5 category but has been named the Best Female Para-Badminton Player of the Year by the World Badminton Federation (BWF) for her stellar performance in the current season.

“This is something unbelievable, especially the World Championship. I was out of practice for several months due to an injury. Just one week before the championship, I started training. I had to take double efforts to compensate for the lost time. So even after gruelling practice sessions, I would continue with shadow practice. During my spare time, I studied techniques used by my probable opponents at the World Championship. Under the able guidance of my coach, I worked out how to face their strong points. Probably this hardship paid me a rich dividend in winning the gold medal in singles and the bronze medal in women’s doubles. Standing on the victory podium is always a cherishing moment for me,” said Manisha.

Childhood trauma

Manisha, the Thiruvallur resident is a forceps baby. For the baby and mother, forceps can be a lifesaving method, but it can also put them at risk for severe injuries and lifelong health issues. The same happened with Manisha. Doctors had to pull her through the right shoulder. Though they saved her life but resulted in disability in the shoulder. Despite undergoing three surgeries, the maximum improvement was what she got now is 50 per cent.