If there is one example of a person’s best coming out in the face of adversity, it has to be badminton player Ajay Patil. Despite various difficulties, he has put up a great show in the State badminton circuit this year.
Having no proper training facilities is just one of the problems the 16-year-old faces. He trains at the Gymkhana Club in Dharwad, but there is no proper coach Ajay can depend on to correct his mistakes or teach him.
His father, Mahantesh, helps out as coach and Ajay just goes on training, day in and day out, with the determination to excel and win. The result is a total of 12 singles and 11 doubles titles in State-ranking tournaments. That includes the singles and doubles title in the State Championship in Dharwad this year. He also has some creditable wins against under-19 players.
To shift to Bangalore or somewhere else where better training facilities and coaches are available could be taxing on the pocket for this modest family.
Nevertheless, Ajay is happy with the way things have gone thus far. “It has been a good season and I am happy that I have been able to put up a good show,” he said. “I owe it all to my good fitness. At least when it comes to fitness, I am in good hands under Sports Authority of India coach Jagannath. Being fit has gone a long way to helping me play well.”
The 10th standard student of KE Board’s School also made it to the pre-quarterfinals of the Sub-junior Nationals in Dehra Dun.
Ajay has shown a lot of promise, but he did not start off as a badminton player. He began as an athlete and has played cricket at the zonal level. “I used to have a lot of health problems due to the dust in the cricket grounds. I then took up badminton,” he explained. But then, it was an uphill battle since he had to learn the basics virtually on his own. He did not -- and still does not -- have proper training partners. The one thing that proved a boon was the 15-day stint at the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy in Bangalore.
“Seeing and training with the better players at the academy proved good for me. I learnt so much in that short time,” he said.
Ajay’s next target is to make the State team for the Schools Nationals in Surat this year. After that, he needs to get down to serious studies in order to do well in the board exams. Managing sport and academics at this crucial juncture in his life calls for a lot of hard work. “My school is also very helpful and encourages me,” Ajay, who idolises Prakash Padukone, said.
This year is also his last in the under-16 age group. However, Ajay is determined to do well in the under-19 category too. “I feel I can be competitive in the under-19 category. But I need to be technically stronger because there are some very good players out there,” he said.
Though Ajay is going through trying times, it is determination and the will to achieve make him a stronger person. That strength is what helps him keep winning. Better facilities will surely see him scale greater heights.
