Dipika Pallikal
Dipika Pallikal, may be 20-something but on the court, she’s literally a queen. From the age of 11 until now, this young squash player has made many a sacrifice to get where she is.
Journey as a leading Indian Squash player...
It has been an incredible journey, since I was 11. I haven’t had the pleasure of enjoying my childhood and had to make so many sacrifices, but I don’t regret a single thing today. It has all paid off and now, at 20, I stand tall at world number 15, a feat achieved by no other Indian man or woman in the history of squash.
On surpassing the earlier best world ranking by an Indian
It’s no mean achievement. It means the world to me! All the credit goes to my family and my coaches.
Being a woman in this profession:
When I was just beginning my career in sports, it was all about having to convince my teachers and Principal, to get time off for training and tournaments. Since my parents were also into sports, my mum even captained the Indian Women’s Cricket Team, they were a source of great encouragement. Gradually, as I began winning international and national tournaments and also achieving the desired results in school, my principal and teachers let me take leave. They even enjoyed reading about me in the press and electronic media. I think it depends on how you tackle the people around you. Today, you see a lot of attention given to sports; even the government encourages schools to give marks for sports. So it’s going in the right direction, and there are more athletes taking to sports as a profession.
Biggest challenge:
I was a victim of politics and I was thrown out of the Squash Academy when I was just 13. Then I went to Egypt and trained with the National Coach of Egypt, Captain Amir Wagih, who was good enough to accept me and train me. It was the greatest sacrifice that I made for the sake of my game.
Personality and changes:
I have just learnt that whatever happens is for our own good and we to need to accept things that we cannot change.
Exposure as an Indian woman in sports:
It’s a feeling of pride to be a glamorous sports woman.
My style mantra:
Stay beautiful and energetic!
Advice to youngsters:
Never give up! If you are passionate about the sport, time and patience will see you to the top.