“I want to win an Olympic Gold for India,” are Archana’s ambitious words. An active 17 year-old, Archana Kamath was introduced to the sport of Table Tennis when she was 9. What started off as a recreational game soon became the passion that drove the teen into making accomplishments at the international level. She won her first U-12 and U-18 state title in 2011. And retained the Karnataka State No 1 Sub-Junior ranking through 2012.
Archana is a Bangalorean, born to an ophthalmologist couple. Her constant support from her family led Archana to be ranked number 1 player in Karnataka State in 4 age categories i.e. (U-15, U-18, U-21 and Women’s Singles). She is the first player to hold this distinction in the history of TT in Karnataka. In 2013, at the Karnataka State Ranking Table Tennis Tournaments, she won 30 titles in total. And ended the year by winning National Championship (Singles Gold) and Doubles Bronze. Archana made Karnataka proud by becoming the first TT player from the state to win all the 3 available Gold medals in a National championship.
Her international career began in 2014, when she got the opportunity to represent Team India. She was the only Indian to be selected to represent Team Asia at the ITTF World Cadet Challenge later that year. She won a Team Silver medal being the only Indian to have done so and was also presented the ITTF Fair Play Award.
Archana says that her role model is Saina Nehwal and that she has zero pressure from anyone and anywhere except from within herself. She enjoys watching Bollywood movies and loves going out with family. She was a student of Jain College.
“I want to be a soldier for my country. Sports gives us an opportunity to fight for our country, without sacrificing our lives. I want to be that person. I feel great when the National Anthem is played and the flag goes up,” are Archana’s words that muster her for greater performance. Her attitude towards older, taller and stronger opponents is interesting and throws her opponents off track – “My approach is that I have nothing to lose. They, on the other hand, don’t want to lose to a small girl.”