"Going to the Olympics is just not enough" - Olympian Neha Aggarwal hopes for India's first Table Tennis medal
Table Tennis is one of the few Olympic sports that have seen Indian participation in every edition since its inclusion at the quadrennial games. From a 16-year-old Poulomi Ghatak in 2000 to a 42-year-old Achanta Sharath Kamal in 2024, the sport has witnessed a wide range of players qualify and earn the privilege to represent the tricolor at the big stage. One of these players is Neha Aggarwal Sharma.
Neha Aggarwal - as her name was back then - was only a teenager when she qualified for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. In an exclusive conversation with Sportskeeda, she described her experience as well as her thoughts about India's chances at the upcoming Paris Olympics.
"I was only 18 years old," Aggarwal recalls. "So, for me to qualify for the Olympics was a very big thing. And I have to say that it is truly one of the most memorable moments of my life so far."
She added:
"Not many people expected me to actually make it to the Olympics. So it (my qualification) was, in fact, celebrated. The feeling of playing for your country at the biggest stage of sport is such a big honor. I just feel so lucky and proud to have had the honor to do so for India back in 2008."
Even though India has consistently marked its attendance in the sport, it is yet to secure a podium finish at the Olympics. Aggarwal, who is otherwise delighted to see the overall progress of the sport in the country, too wishes for that to happen.
"See the progression of the sport in the country," she elucidates. "We are winning medals. We are dominating the Commonwealth Games, winning at the Asian level. Going to the Olympics is just not enough, right?"
Aggarwal's remark stems out of optimism. After all, both the men's and the women's team secured historic qualifications to the Olympics this year. She believes that the team events would indeed be India's best bet for a medal.
"If we win a medal that would be obviously massive for the sport," she continued. "But yea, I mean, we have to do a lot of work. I would say we have to go with that aim."
Upon being asked what would an Olympic medal mean for the sport in the country, the otherwise articulate Aggarwal is found looking for words. The stutter itself communicates the grandeur of the reverie.
"That is everything. I don’t know how to answer that question. It would do wonders for the sport and the sport will get the due recognition, the credit and of course it will be everything," she added.
It is not just Neha Aggarwal Sharma who hopes and muses about India winning a table tennis medal at the quadrennial games. With the Olympics poised to kick off, a billion Indians are wishing for it to happen. Will these dreams turn into reality at Paris? Time will tell.
"There is no better time than now to be a table tennis player in the country" - Neha Aggarwal
"It is the golden period of table tennis in India," proclaims Aggarwal. It is a sentiment that was recently echoed by Dronacharya Awardee coach Sandeep Gupta as well. In fact, Gupta happens to be Aggarwal's childhood coach too.
"We have 5 women in world top 100. When I was playing it was unthinkable," she opines. "We have two women (Manika Batra and Sreeja Akula) who are in the top 30 in the world and the sport is growing by leaps and bounds."
The former Olympian believes that it is the best time for a youngster to take up the sport.
"There is no better time than now to be a table tennis player in the country," she says, "And I really believe in that because the 12-13-14-year-olds in our country are being taught the right thing. By 2032-2036 we can have very well nurtured champions. So, if anyone is interested in taking upon the sport professionally - don’t wait!"
Though, Aggarwal wants also warns that the sport also warrants high fitness standards these days. It might have originated as a post dinner past time, but today it is a thoroughly professional sport that often leaves, not just the players, but even the viewers gasping for air. She said:
"People mistake that it is easy in terms of....not much fitness required. It is definitely a more technical skill based sport, but very physically demanding as well. I think it is a fun sport overall."
Table tennis action at the Paris Olympics gets underway on July 27.