Paddler Trupti overcomes fear of failure

Fear of losing is inevitable in sports. When she started off at the age of eight, Trupti Purohit wasn't bereft of talent. But the thought of failing had a negative influence on her game. Today, Trupti's improved mental strength is a big relief for her parents.

The Karnataka table tennis player is currently ranked third in the sub-junior and junior categories in the State. Last year, Trupti bagged gold in the team event at the Sub-junior nationals in Chandigarh and won a bronze in the team event at the junior nationals in Sonepat. Trupti, all of 14, promises more. But the journey till now is a result of persistent hard work under the guidance of quality coaches and supportive parents.

"Earlier, she would always think too much about getting selected to the Karnataka team. She was afraid that she would lose crucial matches and miss playing nationals. There were days when fierce competition dented her confidence. We have had many conversations with her whenever she was frustrated. Her coaches have worked a lot on this aspect and she is much more mature in handling defeats now," says Trupti's mother Rashmi, a Montessori teacher.

Seeing her brother Taurn play the sport, Trupti picked up the racquet. "Her brother would train at the Joshi's Academy for Table Tennis. I would take Tarun to the academy and Trupti would be with me as she was too young to stay at home. "At the academy, watching many people train, she got hooked to the game. She would always pick the bat and start imitating her brother's shots. She threw tantrums that she wanted to join the academy and we had to agree eventually," recollects Rashmi.

Trupti has scripted decent progress in the cadet and Sub-junior sections at the State-ranking meets. "My first mini-cadet State-ranking trophy in Belagavi in 2015 will always remain special. I cherish my Sub-junior singles gold in the State-ranking meet in Dharwad last year," says Trupti, an eighth standard student of Poorna Prajna Education Centre.

Trupti also thanks her father Praveen, a program manager at Strategy Execution, for his constant encouragement.

Her current coach at the Mudaliar Seva Sanga Table Tennis Academy (MSSTA), Aloysius Sagayaraj, is impressed with her dedication. "She is very hard working. Trupti hardly misses training sessions. She has grown into a fine counter-attacker and she is strong in rallies. We are working on her strength and movement," Sagayaraj explains.