Navi Mumbai: Thirteen year old, Navi Mumbai girl, Swastika Ghosh, is the upcoming table tennis star from Navi Mumbai. She is currently ranked number one in the Sub Junior U/15 age group and since the last six month is the regular member of Team India in International tournaments. Swastika represented the country in ITTF Belgium, Portugal and Spanish open and was also the captain of Indian Sub Junior Team for South Asian Federation Games held at Karachi, Pakistan. Presently, she is undergoing training in Delhi for the ITTF Chinese Taipai Global Cadet and Junior Table Tennis Championship to be held from 24th August, 2016.
Swastika started playing Table Tennis at the tender age of three years under the guidance of her father cum coach, Sandip Ghosh, who is ITTF level 2 certified Table Tennis coach. “Sports run in our family. Besides my father, my grandfather was the national top level Football player. I was greatly motivated by him,” says Sawastika.
At the age of five years, Swastika got her first achievement. She bagged the top position in the Raigad district ranking Table Tennis Tournament in Cadet Girls. When she was six, Swastika bagged double Gold in Raigad District ranking Table Tennis Tournament in U/14 and U /17 age groups. By representing Raigad District at the age of six, Swastika created a record of being the youngest captain in the state table tennis History.
“In her career spanning just 13 years, Swastika has created many records. She was the youngest player in the All India National Ranking Table Tennis Tournament at Baroda in U/14 age group. At the age of 12 years, Swastika represented Maharashtra State Junior Girls Table Tennis Team and got Silver medal. She has been the captain of the team for the five continuous years. She became the youngest National Champion in Cadet Girls (U/12) at Ajmer in 2013. In 2015 at the age of 12 she played Nationals at Dharamshala (U/18), which is again a record. Swastika played for All India Ranking when she was just six years old. Further, she became National Champion at the age of 9 years, which is a History in Table Tennis fraternity,” proudly remarks Sandip Ghosh.
Swastika has also been awarded by various organizations for her commendable performances. She has been awarded ‘Excellence Sports Award’ by Navi Mumbai Rotary Club, Seaside, Nerul. She was given ‘Raigad Gourav award’ by Raigad district sports office. Bombay YMCA International Body presented her with “Best Sports Achievers Award’.
Meanwhile, at the recently held JVPG 3rd Maharashtra State Ranking Table Tennis Tournament at the Juhu Vile Parle Gymkhana, Swastika bagged the sub junior girls’ crown after defeating sixth seed Vidhi Shah of Mumbai suburban.