It is a displayof passionate table tennis as 11-year-old Urmila Mense practices in the indoortable tennis stadium at the Sports Authority of Goa (SAG). Determination andfocus are wrought on her face.
Urmila was amongthe top eight in the National Championship quarterfinals, in the under-12category. In June 2012, she received a national ranking of third in India, inthe under-12 category. She ranks number one in the State.
“When Urmila wasseven, I began taking her to the gym where I played table tennis and she tookup to table tennis as well,” says her father, Sachin Mense.
Her game caughtthe attention of Dr Sagar Salgaocar, Executive Director at Geno PharmaceuticalsLtd. He offered sponsorship. Encouraged, her parents took her to China foradvanced coaching. Thereafter she attended vacation coaching camps in Mumbai bythe legendary Kamlesh Mehta who was the captain of the Indian team from 1982 to1989 and won the National Championships eight times. Speaking about Urmila,Mehta says, “Urmila’s style and strokes of play are very good for her age. Sheis a sincere girl and has potential. Urmila was enthusiastic about practice. Ifound her always well-behaved, hard-working and very willing to learn. If shecontinues this way she can very well make a name for herself and her state.”
Urmila’s daystarts at 5.45 AM with fitness exercises. She practices at SAG on alternatedays in the morning before heading to school at 9.30 AM. After completing herhomework in the evening, she practices at SAG every evening from 7.30 PM to 10PM. Her school, Saraswat Vidyalaya, Mapusa has been very supportive and has lether off the first two classes of the morning. This class 7 student alwaysscores above 90% in exams.
“The game haschanged her lifestyle. She had long curly hair which were cut short as it tooktime to braid and comb before a game,” says Sachin Mense.
“I want to bethe world champion,” says Urmila with a smile. Her efforts and hard work willsee her dream come true.
