Chennai

Chennai: Sharath Kamal has a trail of victories to his name, being one of the best table tennis players from India. A recipient of the Arjuna Award in 2004, he won the men’s singles gold in the 16th Commonwealth Table Tennis championship at Kuala Lumpur in 2004. In 2010, he won the US Open Table Tennis Men’s Championship at Grand Rapids, Michigan, becoming the first Indian to win a singles title on the International.

Table Tennis Federation Pro Tour. He was the recipient of a gold medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne and represented India in the 2004 Olympics in Athens and was the only Indian Men’s TT player to be selected for the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

"I probably would not have made it so big if I were not from Chennai.  My school, Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan, and my college, Loyola, both encouraged me. Chennai has been a hub for table tennis and the State government also encourages sportspersons. Chennai has helped shape my attitude and to dream big."- Sharath Kamal.

As told to Swati Amar

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