Bangalore :
It all began with an innocuous fling of a paper ball. Boisterous and unrestrained like toddlers her age, a two-year-old Ashwini was bringing the roof down at a friend’s place in the hushed hill station town of Madikeri in Kodagu, when her mother Cauvery handed her an old badminton racquet to keep her occupied.
She then crumpled up a few newspapers, shaped them into balls and tossed them at Ashwini, who swung and latched onto them like a pro. The bonding was immediate, and a star was born. Now, several years of accolades and a cabinet full of medals and trophies later, Ashwini Ponnappa is riding the waves of mainstream stardom with aplomb.
Ashwini’s forte and talent comes from a Kodava lineage rich in sporting culture. Her uncle, Kumar Appachu, was a state-level cricketer while her father, MA Ponnappa, was an exponent in hockey, having represented Karnataka in eight Nationals between 1974 and 1986. He even had a brief foray internationally as a stellar midfielder for Italian club Eur in the European hockey circuit.
The banker, employed with RBI and Cauvery, an assistant manager with New India Assurance, have never hesitated to give Ashwini all the support she needed to scale the peaks of badminton glory. “Being from a sporting background, it was essential that she had a grasp of sports from an early age. So I got her to take part in a few track-and-field events to build her speed and stamina. She showed great progress but her heart was hooked to badminton,” said Ponnappa.
Nation’s future face
Experts have lauded the 23-year-old Kodava lass for her ‘killer instinct’ – something that cannot be coached. Her medal-studded performance at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and 2011 Badminton World Federation World Championships in London led the national media to dub her not just badminton’s future face but its great Indian hope.
By the time London Olympics was on the anvil, Ashwini was a household name. From billboards flashing her million-dollar smile to young badminton aficionados hounding her for autographs whenever she turned up for practice, a genteel Ashwini accepted the newfound attention with grace.
“Life changed quite dramatically,” Ashwini recalls. “The biggest advantage was that the CWG was held at home and in the national capital. People came in large numbers to support us, which really boosted our game. Most importantly, people started to appreciate doubles. Till then, it was all about singles but that gold medal scripted a new path for India’s doubles players,” says Ashwini, who is employed with ONGC.
She and Jwala Gutta became a relentless force on the national and international circuit, which swelled to greater heights after their bronze-winning feat at the Worlds. But following a split earlier this year, Ashwini is looking to replicate the success with her new partners Pradnya Gadre and Tarun Kona (mixed doubles).
“Jwala and I had a great time together on the circuit and I learnt a lot from her. But now I have a new partner and a new set of objectives. I have always wanted to do better than what I achieved earlier and hopefully I can do that at the World Championships in August,” says the former St Francis Xavier’s Girl’s High School student.
If looks could kill, then Ashwini is up to the job. Fresh-faced and with limitless marketing potential, she has been approached with several offers to embrace the reel life. “Movies? Not now, maybe I’ll try a few ads first but only if they don’t affect my game,” says Ashwini, ready to ride the shuttle to success.
Know more
Family: MA Ponnappa, Cauvery and brother Appanna
Sporting hero: Roger Federer
Actor/actress: Anne Hathaway/Ryan Gosling
Food: Kodagu cuisine – koli curry, kadumbuttu and nooputtu
Music: R&B, Empire of the Sun
Dream holiday spot: Greece
Dream match to watch live: Federer versus Nadal.
source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Sports> More Sports> Badminton / by Maxin Mathew, TNN / July 01st, 2013
