Shuttler Aakarshi Kashyap's takeaways from police training, hitting bullseye with machine guns, regaining confidence

Indian Express

2 days ago

A bunch of her badminton racquet frames and other gear in the usual kitbag, went through the customary check-in two weeks back from Singapore to Indonesia. But World No.46, Aakarshi Kashyap who is sixth in India's women's singles rankings, was also carrying two fat books that nobody else from the badminton caravan on the South East Asian swing, was lugging. On a bunch of flights last month – from India to Thailand to Malaysia to Singapore, Aakarshi was at times deeply studying, on an average 4-5 sections from India's CrPC and BNS texts.
While being trained for the Chhattisgarh state police, after her appointment as DSP in lieu of the 2022 Commonwealth Games team silver, Aakarshi has been undergoing police training for the last several months, even as she juggles top-grade badminton tournaments. The full-fledged training at Raipur and Durg (near Bhilai), has also seen her discover that she's got quite an aim, when wielding not just hand-held pistols, but also the heavier AK-47 and the self-loading rifles (SLRs).
'There's of course been a change in how people see me, as a police. It's work that demands responsibility, in being thorough in law and when using weapons. I also take my books everywhere and study on flights and in between training and matches. It's a very different experience,' she says.
Seeking job security like any other sportsperson, the slightly built shuttler from Durg, was inspired by some of India's women's hockey players, when she looked at her employment prospects. An assistant manager with RBI earlier, Aakarshi was keen on getting on a stronger financial footing and a more fulfilling job for when her badminton would be over. 'We all need job security and though my aim is to play, I was very excited about this job,' the 23-year-old says.
The year-long onfield training for which she went back to Raipur, includes 17 written exams on subjects as varied as law, detection, forensics, but also responsible arms training. 'When it was time to get on the firing range, I knew I would be wielding an AK-47 and SLR which no common person is even allowed to hold. It's a huge responsibility and I was very very excited that day, I couldn't sleep that night before,' she says.
Aakarshi is barely 5'3″, and though she's known on the badminton circuit for her endless endurance in rally games – though the finishing tends to be missing – she wasn't quite prepared for how heavy the weaponry can be. 'It's very heavy and I had to start, prone (lying down). But I realised my aim is actually good. We took 60 shots on the AK-47. On the INSAS (Indian small arms system – which has light machine guns and assault rifles), everything was Bullseye,' she said of the ARs that finally sunk in the deeply serious nature of her future job. 'With the standing pistol, 9 out of 10 were on target, and 6 were Bullseye. But you also realise your responsibility in carrying them.'
Her entry-level fitness had helped her clear the initial physical exams. 'That was just 5 km running, pull ups, push ups,' she recalls of her training. At Singapore last month, Aakarshi took a set off Chinese World No.4 Han Yue, and says she realised how her police training had made her mentally stronger, though she couldn't win.
'I'd just got my period at Singapore and could not go all out and kept getting tired. But though I couldn't bend down much and the backache was terrible and all my focus on stomach cramps, I realised pushing through tough training helps me focus even when everything is not perfect. I always struggled with pull-ups before my police academy training. Now with even climbing ropes, imbalanced obstacles drills, I can do 7-8 repetitions at a go. It's slowly reflecting in my badminton,' she says.
Aakarshi was a junior national champion and won the seniors title too, but without a proper smash on the international circuit, she had struggled to make headway in seniors despite being extremely gritty. She has also been mercilessly trolled, with online anons labelling her 'Lord Aakarshi' sarcastically, something that took a toll on her mind, and she even broke down courtside after losing her Nationals final at Pune to Anupama Upadhyaya.
'Police training brought back my confidence. It shows in how I control the shuttle better. I used to overthink when I couldn't apply strategy and would panic and go blank on court. I'm calmer now in long rallies,' she says, even if the punishing pace of rallies can still catch her out. Clarity in shot selection however has seeped in.
Not someone who is physically the sturdiest given her frame, cop training has lent her mental solidity, and also brought in some realism in her life, quite apart from the bubbles most athletes inhabit. 'Though I have full support of my seniors to train and play and try to win on international circuit, the small break for training I took, has brought in focus into my career. When I was at a Grameen thana (rural police), I had to actually receive calls and head to where incidents happened. It opens your eyes to lives that are very different from what we badminton players live,' she says.
While her actual duty workload is expected to be minimal as she focusses on trying to make a mark in badminton, Aakarshi senses a change within her. 'Compared to 2024, I'm much stronger because of my job training. Stamina higher. But also the mindset, I'm always alert now. And better at time management,' she laughs. 'There's no free time to waste or think of what people say about my results. I'm trying hard. And I'm taking risks on court I never would have,' she says.