Dipika’s doubles titles, a boost for Indian squash

India’s Dipika Pallikal Karthik and Joshna Chinappa

The best laid out plans can often go askew is a saying, but it clearly did not hold for Indian squash's leading names Saurav Ghosal, Joshna Chinappa and Dipika Pallikal Karthik. In particular Dipika, who was the pivot in the double-title win that India secured in the recent World Doubles Squash Championship held in Glasgow. Dipika partnered Joshna to win the women's doubles title and joined her brother-in-law Saurav to lift the mixed doubles title and Indian squash could not have had a better day in its history.

After the successes earlier in the SAF Games, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games among others, this had to be something special. By an interesting coincidence it was in Glasgow itself back in 2014 that India had announced its arrival on the world stage with Joshna and Dipika winning the women's doubles title. The country has since never looked back, thanks to these three lionhearted players who have day in and day out, kept pursuing new levels of excellence as it were and Glasgow again provided it another forum to lift it a notch more. Significant in this success story is the journey of Dipika.

Dipika with mixed doubles partner Saurav Ghosal. Pics/Instagram

For someone who had strayed away from the circuit for close to four years and then returned straight to the highest level of competition and come out with flying colours, Dipika has proved what guts and determination could do. In this lay off period, Dipika not only pondered on her future but enlarged her family. Indeed, she and her cricketer husband Dinesh Karthik, now engaged in the IPL matches, are proud parents of twin baby boys! Balancing her role as a mother and striving for perfection in squash can be a back-breaking challenge. But family support and her own iron resolve provided the way as single-minded strong will always does.

Indeed, squash in the country in the last over two decades has had a remarkable journey ever since the birth of the Indian Squash Academy in Chennai, a brain child of Mr N Ramachandran, currently the honorary life President of the Squash Rackets Federation of India. It was during his tenure as Secretary-General that he converted a dream into a reality with this world class academy. With leading Malaysian Coach , Maj S Maniam at the helm and national coach Cyrus Poncha and team to assist him, it was a work in progress straightaway. Saurav, Joshna and Dipika were the key trio to emerge and they continue to delight squash fans with their exploits. No praise can be too high for these brave hearts, the pride of India.