CHENNAI: Sruthy Rathinavel was named player of the match in the women’s semi-final at the 75th Senior National Basketball Championship earlier last week. Although Tamil Nadu finished third overall, her performances throughout the tournament drew significant attention.

The 24-year-old basketballer from Athikulam in Madurai did not originally plan to play basketball. She initially set out to take up swimming, inspired by her sportsman father Rathinavel, who was a hockey player. However, after being introduced to basketball in class 11, she gradually found her calling in the sport.

“My father wanted me to represent Tamil Nadu and India — a dream he could not fulfil himself," she told DT Next.

Sruthy’s journey from a small town in Madurai to representing the country has been far from easy. She lost both her parents at a young age. Her mother passed away when she was in high school, and her father died in 2019 when she was entering her second year of college. At a time when everything seemed to be falling apart around her, basketball became her refuge.

“I had lost interest in everything then. Basketball is what got me through. I did not want to do anything except play,” she said.

Financial struggles added to her challenges. Her college supported her by granting a fee waiver, and as she progressed in the sport, she began earning enough to support herself. However, she hoped for a stable job to provide long-term security, which was fulfilled when she was employed at Tamil Nadu Newsprint and Papers Limited.

Despite repeated setbacks in life, Sruthy has come a long way, and her impact on the court is evident in the stands, where spectators often turn up specifically to watch her play.