Anmol Kharb key to Indian women’s badminton future
The future of Indian women’s badminton lies on the shoulders of Anmol Kharb after the youngster’s recent exploits in Malaysia.
The 17-year-old won the clincher for India in the Badminton Asia Team Championships (BATC) 2024 women’s final in Selangor. Expect Kharb to be a central figure in India’s women’s national badminton squads starting with the Paris Olympics.
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Indian badminton legend Pullela Gopichand is just one of the notable personalities who noted Kharb’s exploits. The current Indian chief national badminton coach lauded the 17-year-old’s grace under pressure in the BATC 2024 after she defeated Pornpicha Choiekeewong, 21-14, 21-9, to clinch India’s 3-2 title win over Thailand.
“To actually play the deciding tie of a big match…the final of a team event, it needs guts and an amount of confidence, and it shows what you are made of,” Gopichand said. “I think she (Kharb) has done remarkably well on that front.”
“She has been phenomenal, she played the right strokes, and she had the greatest of attitude and it is wonderful to see,” the coach added.
Double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu and Saina Nehwal, whom Kharb considers her idol, maybe the current pillars of Indian women’s badminton. But Gopichand is not worried about the team’s future, with Kharb seen to lead the South Asian nation to greater heights.
