Rohit Bhandiye
PANAJI
Goa's10-year-old young badminton sensation Amaira Amar Dhumatker, has beenmaking waves in the Indian badminton circuit with her stupendousachievements on the badminton court.
Herlatest achievement being the Girls’ Doubles U-13 title she won atthe prestigious Yonex-Sunrise All India Sub-Junior (U-13) BadmintonRanking Tournament held in Mumbai recently. Amaira’s feat was notan ordinary one for a Goan shuttler as it was the first time that aGoan had won a gold at a national ranking badminton tournament inU-13 age group.
Lastyear, the young prodigious talent from Margao had won a bronze at theU-11 National championships. At 10, Amaira has won 80 plus opentournaments across India in U-9, U-11, U-13 and U-15 category.
Currently,Amaira is ranked 3 in girls singles in U-11 category at the All-Indialevel. In U-13, she is ranked among top-10 in singles and doubles.
“Amairatook up playing badminton during Covid times in our complex at theage of five and a half years as there was nothing much happening. Dueto pandemic, we all used to play in our complex and she would requestme to play along with her after I finished playing with my friends.She would love the additional half an hour that I used to give her asno one else wanted to play with her as she was little. My wife and myson would also play along with her,” said Amar Dhumatker, Amaira’sfather who used to play badminton at the university level and hadfinished runners-up.
Amarfurther added, “As soon as the indoor courts were open post Covid,I requested coach Vinayak Kamat if he could coach Amaira. By then,she had become six years old. He immediately took her saying she is aprodigy and the sky is the limit for her. Amaira trained under himfor about one and half year at the Manohar Parrikar Indoor Stadium inNavelim before we shifted to Bengaluru.”
Amairastarted showing her glimpses of individual brilliance at a young ageitself. At six, she won the All-Goa South District tournament in U-9and U-11 category in Girls Singles. When she was seven, Amaira wasthe All-Goa U-11 state champion in Girls Singles and started winningtitles on a regular basis in U-9 and U-11 category at the All-Goastate ranking tournaments. She is the youngest-ever Goan to win asilver in U-17 category this year at the All-Goa state rankingtournament.
Aclass 5 student of Bhatikar Model High School, Margao, Amairacurrently trains at the Centre for Sports Excellence (CSE), a premierbadminton academy in Yelahanka, Bengaluru, co-founded by Dronacharyaawardee Vimal Kumar.
Amaira’sentire coaching team and support staff consists of 15 plus expertswhich includes head coach Sagar Chopda, senior coach Sayali Gokhale,physio team, fitness team and yoga team among others.
Itis the same academy where country’s top shuttlers such as PVSindhu, Lakshya Sen and Ayush Shetty trains.
“Amairatraining schedule is quite rigorous. She trains for approximately sixto seven hours a day expect for Sunday. We shifted to Bengaluru abouttwo years ago so that Amaira could get more exposure, better coachingfacilities and get to play alongside top players,” said AmarDhumatker.
Arecipient of the prestigious Orchid Awards 2026 which celebrates theExcellence of Goan Women Achievers, Amaira’s hobbies includelistening to music, travelling and playing adventure games like GoKarting. She also spends time watching international badmintonmatches in order to improve herself.
Amairawho considers badminton star P V Sindhu as her role model, wants tokeep winning more national and international titles. Certainly, thesky is the limit for the young girl from Margao.
