ಚಾಂಪಿಯನ್‌ಗಳ ಕೂಟ | The Champions’ Huddle

Rakshitha is a Para-Athlete from Chikmagalur, a small town in Karnataka. She lost her parents at a very early age and is taken care of by her grandmother who herself is deaf and dumb. Her PT master from Ashakirana Blind School would take her for national meets, where she was recognized by her current guide runner Sowmya, who introduced her to Rahul Balakrishna. He brought her to Bangalore to train under him at SAI.

In 2017, she got selected for the Youth Asian Para Games but unfortunately could not attend due to passport issues. The following year at the Asian Para Games she won Gold in the 1500m event, being one of the first female athletes in her category to do so. She is dedicated, hardworking, smart, and determined to achieve her goals.

Harshita Tater, a 23-year-old para-athlete from Bangalore, competes in the T-37 classification for athletes with coordination impairments. Her journey in athletics began unexpectedly during her MBBS studies, where she initially took up sports to manage stress. Passionate about athletics, she made the bold decision to leave medical school and pursue sports full-time. Currently training at Delhi’s JLN Stadium under coach Gurkaran Singh, Harshita competes in 200m, 400m, and long jump events. Her dedication has already yielded impressive results, including a national record in 400m and gold at the 20th National Para Athletics Championships. She also secured bronze at the 2023 Khelo India Para Games. With the unwavering support of her parents – father, a businessman and mother, a homemaker – and two older sisters, Harshita aims to compete in the 2028 LA Paralympics. Her immediate goal is to win a medal at the 2026 Asian Para Games.

Gayathri Rani Jaiswal, born March 8, 2005, is a promising Indian badminton player competing in both singles and doubles events. Currently ranked 309th in U-19 women’s singles internationally and 64th nationally, she has been making steady progress on the competitive circuit. Partnering with Sania Sikkandar in doubles (world ranking 180), Jaiswal has competed in several prestigious tournaments including the Syed Modi India International, Guwahati Masters, and YONEX-SUNRISE Odisha Masters in 2023, demonstrating her growing presence in the sport. Her most notable performance came at the Guwahati Masters 2023, where the duo reached the Round of 16 after a convincing victory against Mahek Nayak and Akshaya Warang. In domestic competitions, Jaiswal has shown promise, reaching the U-17 girls’ singles semifinals at the Karnataka State Junior Championships in 2021. With 10 career wins across various categories, Jaiswal represents the emerging talent in Indian badminton.

Prajwal Hegde is the author of What’s Good About Falling (2018) and the Times of India’s Tennis editor since July 2005. She began her journalism career with Mid-Day in Mumbai, before moving to Deccan Herald in Bengaluru. Prajwal has reported on all four Grand Slams – Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open – for several years. She is on the International Tennis Federation’s Media Commission and is also a member of the International Tennis Writers Association. The Association of Tennis Professionals awarded Prajwal the 2021 Ron Bookman Media Excellence Award, making her the first Indian and second Asian to receive the honour. She wrote the ‘Steffi Graf’ chapter in Sportstars 40, published by The Hindu in January 2020. She features in Break Point, the Leander Paes-Mahesh Bhupathi docuseries. Prajwal lives in Bengaluru with her husband, Dr Sanjay Hegde, a senior orthopaedic surgeon with Manipal Hospitals.