It’s a twofold victory for Meghana Jakkampudi, who recently won the Doubles (with Poorvisha Ram) and the Mixed Doubles (with Dhruv Kapila) categories at the All India Senior Ranking Badminton Tournament.
Reflecting on the win, Meghana says, “Winning trophies is always special and it feels great to win two titles; it’s a great motivation to prepare for the coming matches. My partners and I have complemented each other well and I think that worked for us.”
Apparently, it was Pullela Gopichand who advised Meghana to focus on the doubles category. “A few years ago, when I was training in the academy, Gopi sir felt that my style of game suited the doubles and mixed doubles category and advised me to concentrate more on team games. Since then I have been constantly working on winning team titles. I first won the national championship (mixed doubles) when I was 17, and in the subsequent year, I won both the doubles and the mixed doubles national championships,” she recalls.
Born in Vijayawada and brought up in Hyderabad, the 22-year-old shuttler explains that it is important to understand and bond with the field partner off the court too. “It is vital you understand your partner’s moves during the match. I think the eye-hand coordination with your partner is vital as it prevents both the players from entering each other’s zones. Off the court, we (Poorvisha Ram and I) discuss with each other our strengths and weaknesses so that we can plan our strategies better.”
Meghana’s father, Rajendra Kumar, is the Head Coach at Gopichand Academy. “He’s a tough coach,” says Meghana, adding, “He’ll pamper me at home, but as a coach, he’s as tough as anyone else. He wants me to train hard so that I can give my best in every tournament.”
Having travelled extensively at a young age, thanks to badminton, doesn’t she feel homesick? “My mother used to accompany me to all places, but recently I have been travelling alone. But I can’t wait to come back home and binge on the pickles and the home food,” quips the player. Interestingly, Meghana is presently studying MBA and working as an Assistant Manager at RBI. She says that she has learnt the art of balancing academics and badminton over time. “Initially it was difficult to strike a balance, but I have learnt it over the years. My teachers in college and authorities at RBI have been a great support because of which I have been able to excel in the sport,” she concludes.
