Hyderabad: Sai Praneeth Bhamidipati has been making rivals shiver and sweat on the badminton court, persistently punching above his weight, an effort that saw the Hyderabad-based player climb to No.19 in World rankings, and the sports ministry nominating him for the prestigious Arjuna Award for outstanding achievement in sports.
It couldn’t have come at a better time, with the 27-year-old preparing for the World Championships beginning in Basel, Switzerland, on Monday.
The last time Praneeth played in Switzerland, in March, he was within striking distance of the Swiss Open title before going down to Shi Yu Qi of China in three games. That should boost his confidence as well besides the fact that he nearly beat World No.1 Kento Momota in the first round of the Singapore Open before the Japanese wriggled out of the ignominious situation to eke out a win, in April.
Four quarterfinals, two semifinals and a runner-up finish over the last two years also stand him in good stead.
Now, the Arjuna nomination demonstrates that Praneeth has arrived.
His parents Seshadri Deekshitulu and Madhavi Latha are understandably overjoyed. “He called me from Basel and broke the news. Ecstatic! We had been expecting an award based on his current world ranking though, but to actually hear it from our son is so pleasing,” says the proud father.
The Bhamidipati house is buzzing. “My neighbours and relatives are thronging our house to join the celebrations. I am delighted,” Ms Madhavi Latha said.
Mr Deekshitulu ascribes the award to Praneeth’s dedication and hard work. “Praneeth’s fearless approach to big matches has been the driving force,” he points out.
Sport runs in Praneeth’s family, which hails from Palakol in West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh. “His maternal aunt was a national level badminton player, it must have rubbed off on him,” Deekshitulu observes.
He credits Praneeth’s maternal grandfather for shaping his career. “For the last 7-8 years, it was Siva Shankar Rao who nurtured Praneeth and helped him excel in sport.”
