05-05-2025
Teen from Chennai paddles his way to fame
An out-and-out Triplicane boy, Vishruth Ramakrishnan loves going to temples especially the Parthasarathy Swami Temple, which is close to his home. Not just that, he loves playing cricket and football on the bylanes of Triplicane with his friends and neighbours. But the 14-year-old is not your boy next door. He is a champion paddler. Recently, Vishruth won three titles in the South Asian youth table tennis championships in Kathmandu (Nepal). In a stellar show, he clinched the U-15 singles, doubles with Atharva Nawarange and team titles in the regional tournament. The teenager picked the singles triumph over Pakistan's Ahmad Muhammad Khan in the u-15 summit clash as quite special. His 11-9, 11-5, 11-4 triumph showcased the Indian's single-mindedness and perseverance.
'Beating the Pakistan boy in the final was great as I played a good tactical game. Playing in the tournament and bagging three titles is definitely a stepping stone in my career,' said Vishruth.
Moreover, he won all his matches, remaining unbeaten. In fact, winning at the International-level is not new for Vishruth as he had already won one in Tunisia in 2021 when he triumphed in the WTT Youth Contender in the U-11 section. Vishruth is exceptionally hard working as he trains five days a week in the mornings and evenings. 'I do multiball training both in the morning and evening. I do breathing exercises in the morning. I play pickleball at the TNCA Club and swimming at the Gymkhana Club, which helps me in my endurance,' said the the class X student of Vidya Mandir Senior Secondary School in Mylapore.
He was featured in our pages as a four-year-old in the Sportstar-Mylapore Club non-ranking inter-school table tennis tournament. He received an award for 'the youngest player of the tournament'. Coached by the Rao brothers, Srinivasa and Muralidhara and Meenakshi Ganesh at the Mylapore Sports Trust, Vishruth is now looking at doing well in the new domestic season beginning in June. 'Having completed my U-15, I want to do well in U-17 category and win the National championships,' he said.
