Ludhiana's Shubham bags two bronze medals at para TT tourney in Taipei
In the men's doubles group stage, he stormed past the Taipei team with a dominating 3-0 victory. He kept the momentum going by edging out Singapore 3-2 in a thrilling quarter-final encounter. Although he fought valiantly, Wadhwa fell to Korea 1-3 in the semi-finals, securing a bronze medal.
A final-year engineering student, Wadhwa has had an extraordinary year on the table tennis circuit. Just three months ago, he captured the gold medal at the Khelo India Para Games 2025, held from March 24 to 26 in New Delhi. He swept the final match against Rajasthan's Madhuram with an impressive 3-0 scoreline, showcasing his skill and determination.
Prior to his Khelo India triumph, Wadhwa had already made headlines at the UTT 2nd Para Table Tennis National Ranking Championship 2024-25 in Vadodara, from March 21 to 23. Teaming up with Haryana's Ekta Bhyan in mixed doubles and Tamil Nadu's JD Madan in men's doubles, he secured two gold medals. His stellar form continued in singles, where he added a bronze to his medal tally.
Wadhwa's string of victories this year follows a silver medal performance at the ITTF World Para Future Costa Brava Spanish Open in March. Facing players from 25 countries, he reached the finals after hard-fought 3-2 wins over Hungary in the quarterfinals and France in the semi-finals. He was overpowered 0-3 by a French opponent in the final, making him a runner-up in the tournament.
Adding to his decorated career, Wadhwa won gold in men's singles Class-3 at the UTT Para Table Tennis National Ranking Championship in Indore in November 2023. He continued his golden run with three golds at the UTT Para Table Tennis National Championship in March 2023, and yet another gold in mixed doubles at the ITTF Fa40 Thailand Para Open in July last year.
Wadhwa's relentless pursuit of excellence and his ability to consistently deliver on both national and international platforms serves as an inspiration for young para sportspersons.
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Economic Times
9 hours ago
- Economic Times
Wealth - edition 30-Jun-2025 to 6-july-2025
iStock Financially planning for your child's sports career is vastly different from planning for other needs of your child, be it higher education or more. Hence, this should not be approached in a conventional way. Traditional Indian wisdom and lore have never quite celebrated the virtues of sport as a career, allowing it to languish in the shadow of academic pursuits. The new India, however, is starting to wonder as a young brigade of sporting icons—Neeraj Chopra (athletics), Manu Bhaker (shooting), Lakshya Sen (badminton), D. Gukesh (chess)—is making a place for itself in the societal psyche, the stodgy Indian parent has found other reasons to warm up to this career option for one, parents' improved earning and saving ability means that they can provide a financial cushion to the child wanting to explore it as a career path without relying on it as a source of livelihood. Even if the child is unable to scale sporting stardom, they can fund his education to gain lateral entry into a vast array of aligned career options, be it sports management, science and analytics, psychology or coaching, which can also be prestigious and financially rewarding. Financial wherewithal also means they can secure the best facilities and training to ensure the child can compete with the top players in the world. Ajit Menon did just that by sending his son to Madrid, Spain, for football training in 2022. 'Once I realised his seriousness and passion for what he wanted to do, I wanted to pull out all stops to make it possible for him,' says Menon, who is the CEO of PGIM India Mutual Fund. His son, Aymaan, joined the Aquinas American School in Madrid when he was just 15 years old because it had a school program run by one of the top professional football clubs, Getafe CF. A big pull for parents is also the improved financial earnings in terms of prize money and corporate sponsorships for sports other than cricket. Add to it the government nudge, such as the Khelo India initiative, which offers improved infrastructure, training and opportunities, and there is a better chance for kids to compete at the global scale and turn it into a financially viable profession. AYMAANMENON, 18 yrsMumbai/Madrid (Spain) Parents: Ajit & Alinaa, both 54 yrs CAREER GOAL Return to India and play in Indian Super League (football). CAREER TIMELINE 2014Started playing at 8 years. 2014-21 Local football leagues. 2021 Attended 10-day Advanced Real Madrid football camp in Spain. 2022 Joined school in Madrid tied up with Getafe CF (football academy). 2025 Started undergrad at Universidad Europea + professional football club. EXPENSE TIMELINE 2022-2024Rs.30 lakh a year (schooling + Getafe club in Madrid). 2025 onwards Rs.30-35 lakh a year (graduation + football clubs in Madrid). FINANCIAL PLANNING Goal estimate in 2015 Rs.75 lakh Revised estimate in 2025 Rs.1.25 crore Current corpus: 75% of the goal funded. Invested in: Currently mutual funds. Despite this optimistic scenario and emergence of the new sporting ecosystem, there are several financial challenges and risks that plague this career option. 'Pursuing a sports career in India involves high risk with no guaranteed returns. Performance risk is significant; despite talent, few reach elite levels. Injuries can abruptly end careers, and the financial burden of coaching, travel and gear is steep and front-loaded,' says Naveen Gogia, Founder & Managing Director, Creed Capital. Ignorance about training expenses, lack of financial preparedness, and need for a back-up plan are among the primary hurdles that parents of sporting aspirants typically deal with. In the cover story this week, we shall try to explain how to overcome these and other shortcomings that are endemic to this career a child wants to pursue a sports career, the immediate concern for parents is financing the journey so that he can avail of the best training. While the initial costs at the recreational level of play are low and manageable, the sudden jump in expenses when he transitions to professional training comes as a Kolkata-based tennis aspirant, Krishnav Jhunjhunwala, 15, first picked up a tennis racket at 6-7 years, the cost was barely Rs.5,000-6,000 a month, including his coaching fee and gear expenses. After initiating professional training at 10-11 years, the expenses shot up nearly 10 times to Rs.50,000-60,000 a month. 'The coaching fee itself has gone up from Rs.3,000 to Rs.15,000, while the beginner rackets that cost Rs.4,000-6,000 have been upgraded and are much more expensive,' says Ashish, Krishnav's father. Krishnav, meanwhile, is making progress; he has won the All India Tennis Association's (AITA) tournament in Sonepat and reached the semi-finals in of the sport, most kids start playing at around 6-7 years, at which point the costs are nominal at Rs.5,000-6,000 a month because it only comprises club or academy fee (Rs.2,000-5,000 a month) and basic equipment or clothes. Within 3-4 years, the child's talent or dedication are clearly visible, and if the parents introduce professional coaching, the prices surge, as do the cost professional coaching fee, parents need to shell out on physical (gym training) and mental fitness (psychologist), advanced equipment and gear, diet and nutrition, as well as match fees for tournaments, which require frequent travel by the kid and parent.'At professional level for, say, badminton, it can cost anywhere between Rs.9-15 lakh per annum because a domestic tournament will cost Rs.50,000-60,000 a week and even as a beginner you will play 5-6 tournaments a year,' says Supriya Devgun, Founder of Badminton Gurukul, an academy co-founded with badminton legend Pullela Gopichand, that aims to bring affordable training to young aspirants.'Before reaching the elite bracket, players typically incur substantial travel and accommodation expenses throughout the year to participate in international level chess tournaments which are necessary to gain ratings,' says Sandeep Singhal, Managing Partner, WestBridge Capital, and Cofounder, WestBridge Anand Chess Academy, the brainchild of chess whiz Viswanathan Anand and Viswan, mom to 18-year-old Omkar Vinod—Kerala's No.1 squash player and currently ranked 18 in India—has tried to bring down the travel costs to Rs.15,000-20,000 per tournament. 'We either try to stay with relatives or he travels alone to cut down the expenses,' says the Bengaluru-based startup owner, who took upon herself the task of navigating his sporting career after her husband's demise in Warrier, meanwhile, has estimated a cost of Rs.25 lakh a year from this year onwards as his 16-year-old son, Jaitirth, the South Zone No.1 golf player, readies to shift gears. 'He is playing the junior national circuit and is aiming to turn pro in four years' time. Last year, he played 10 tournaments and this number is going to double now,' says the Bengaluru-based father who was an NRI for 14 years and returned to India only in 16 yrs Bengaluru Parents: Ranjit & Aparna, 53 & 50 yrs CAREER GOALBecome a professional golfer. CAREER TIMELINE 2015Started playing at 6 years in Lagos, Nigeria. Jan 2024 Started competitive golf. 2024 Ranked No. 1 in South Zone 2025 Playing junior national circuit. Aims to turn pro in four years. EXPENSE TIMELINE Current expenseRs.13 lakh a year (coaching, equipment, travel, nutrition, tournament fees, fitness, mental coaching) 2025 onwards (estimated) Rs.25 lakh a year FINANCIAL PLANNING Goal estimate in 2015Rs.4-5 crore Current corpus Rs.6 crore (for education & golf for 3-5 years) Invested in: Real estate, stocks, mutual funds, fixed deposits, insurance plans, gold. How much does training cost at different stages? Figures are indicative and may vary as per sport and talent. In elite stage, costs are cut if the child gets reward money, sponsors or endorsements. If child is also studying as a back-up plan, it may require an additional Rs.10-20 lakh at 17-18 professional coaching fee can range from Rs.10,000-30,000 a month, depending on the child's talent and the academy or coach's experience, equipment cost varies according to the sport. 'Golf or shooting would be 3-4 times more expensive because the equipment and training costs are higher, with a single golf class costing around Rs.2,000,' says Devgun. For 3-4 times a week, it could add up to Rs.30,000 a month only in coaching fee for professional coaching in cricket can also be Rs.2,000-3,000 an hour and the total cost could go up to Rs.40,000-50,000 a month. 'Cricket, like golf, is a rich man's sport now and needs money if one is serious about turning professional,' says Farhad Daruwala, Founder of Rising Star Cricket Academy in Mumbai, that trains under-privileged kids.'Critically, inflation of sports equipment tends to be much higher than general inflation and imported items are more expensive. This means a 10% general inflation could translate to 15-20% for sports gear,' says Atul Shinghal, Founder & CEO, Scripbox. So a tennis racket can easily come for Rs.20,000 today, while the cost of shooting equipment or golf clubs can run into lakhs. 'Swimming costumes at competitive level can cost Rs.35,000-40,000 and can be worn only 8-9 times,' says Jhunjhunwala, whose daughter had earlier reached national school level championships in while money is needed at this stage, there are few or virtually no sponsors till the time the kid reaches the elite stage and gains recognition or wins tournaments. 'Nobody wants to invest in a non-achiever; only known talents fit the bill. While CSR funds, scholarships and sponsorships are offered to the top talent, it is actually needed by the upcoming talent. If costs are to be brought down, the answer is to integrate sports with education,' suggests government does provide funds to the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the National Sports Development Fund (NSDF) for various initiatives and schemes, and some non-banking financial corporations like Avanse Financial Services offer loans as well, but bank loans are not easy to come by. 'The parents of India's Saina Nehwal, former world number one badminton player, famously took loans for her early badminton career, as individual sports are largely self-funded by parents until elite success,' agrees the child progresses and begins to win tournaments and get ranked at the domestic or international level, the costs surge even further. 'At the elite level, training remains the most significant area of investment, including personalised coaching, access to top-tier trainers, game preparation support, and advanced analytical tools. Travel is another major expense given the international nature of toplevel chess tournaments,' says WestBridge's international tournaments easily costing Rs.2-3 lakh per tour, including air fare and accommodation, the overall cost of training can jump to Rs.20-30 lakh a year. This involves advanced, personalised and intensified coaching, more rigorous physical and mental fitness and physio, and a rise in the number of tournaments to participate good news is that at this stage, some income and financial support start to come in in the form of prize money from wins, sponsorships, CSR funds (corporate social responsibility funds), scholarships, or even public sector jobs. This brings down the costs and eases the financial burden. This is the reason Viswan is planning to start looking for a sponsor from next year as Vinod's all-India ranking has shot up from 235 in 2023 to 18 now, and the reason Jhunjhunwala is looking for colleges that offer scholarships for tennis training for Devgun's assertion that a back-up plan takes away from the focus of reaching top levels, most parents prefer to reach for the safety net of education while allowing their kids to pursue sports. 'Without early financial planning and a strong Plan B, the journey can become financially and emotionally draining,' says Sumit Duseja, Co-founder and CEO, Truemind Capital and Sebi-registered investment adviser: 'There is a very low chance to be a successful sportsperson in India. Hence, a Plan B should always be in place as a fall-back option that supports the child in case success is not achieved as desired.''One needs to have a back-up plan because there is no guarantee in sports. I have given Vinod a time limit of five years to prove himself. He, too, isn't yet sure whether he wants to be a professional squash player or go in an allied field like sports science,' says Viswan. 'Krishnav is excelling in studies, scoring 97.8% in his ICSE class 10 exams last year. As long as he says his studies will not be affected, I'll do everything he wants to do in tennis. Besides, what will he do after 10 years given the short career span? If he doesn't reach the top level, he will opt for engineering in data science or AI,' says JHUNJHUNWALA,15 yrs,Kolkata Parents: Ashish & Nidhi, 48 & 46 yrs CAREER GOALProfessional tennis player/engineering. CAREER TIMELINE 2016-17Started playing at 6-7 years. 2020 Professional training and coaching. 2024 Won AITA tournament in Sonepat. Reached AITA semifinals in Kolkata. 2025 West Bengal U-16 ranked No. 5, U-18 ranked No. 7. EXPENSE TIMELINE Initial expenseRs.50,000-60,000 a year Current expense Rs.3-4 lakh a year (coaching, equipment, travel, nutrition, travel, tournament fees, fitness) FINANCIAL PLANNING Goal estimate in 2015Rs.15-20 lakh Current corpus Rs.20-25 lakh Invested in: Kisan Vikas Patra, with varying maturities for liquidity; stocks and mutual funds. NAVEEN GOGIAFOUNDER & MANAGING DIRECTOR, CREED CAPITAL Note:'Pursuing a sports career in India involves high risk, with no guaranteed returns. The financial burden is also steep and front-loaded.' Education vs sports:Why financial strategy differs It's also the reason Menon is spending Rs.30-35 lakh a year, combining Aymaan's football training with his graduation in sports science from one of the top European universities in Spain, Universidad Europea. Warrier too has kept `6 crore corpus for Jaitirth for the next 3-5 years, either for education or golf. He also insists on a four-year degree course, and possibly post-graduation as well. 'If he doesn't reach the required heights, he can get into sports psychology or sports management. The four years will also give him the time to prove himself in golf,' he says.'From 18-21, the child either turns pro or pursues college sports abroad, and international education may require Rs.25-50 lakh. By 22-30, the focus shifts to career transition. Successful athletes need long-term planning and passive income strategies; others may use a pre-built Plan B fund to pivot to alternate careers,' says planning for a sports career is different from that for education goals for various reasons (see Education vs sports). For one, large sums of money can be required at an early age and staggered across a longer period. The higher risk, uncertainty and shorter career spans also call for a unique multi-pronged approach.'Higher education can be a preplanned activity, with the knowledge of approximate cost structure and when the funds will be required. Sports is a skill-based career and one is not aware of the level of competence the child will achieve. These are unknowns for which you have to plan a higher budget, and the plan needs to evolve with skill development,' says Dinesh Rohira, Founder & CEO, requires phased, proactive planning that balances long-term growth, short-term liquidity, and flexibility,' says Gogia. So you need to plan for short-, medium- and longterm expenses in varying instruments. 'It also needs to be slightly open-ended and a secondary budget should also be planned for triggers and sudden changes,' says VINOD18 yrs Bengaluru Parent: Sandhya Viswan, 49 yrs CAREER GOALProfessional squash player or aligned field in sports. CAREER TIMELINE 2016Started at 9 years, played tournaments. 2018 Ranked No. 1 in Kerala. 2023 Started professional training and being ranked in U-19 category. 2025 Has been Kerala No. 1 since 2018 & all-India No. 18 in U-19. EXPENSE TIMELINE Initial expenseRs.50,000 a year Current expense Rs.4-5 lakh a year (coaching, equipment, travel, nutrition, tournament fees, fitness) FINANCIAL PLANNING Goal estimate in 2012Rs.25 lakh Current corpus Rs.50 lakh (includes other brother's Rs.25 lakh who doesn't need it) Invested in: Traditional insurance plans. 'In the first phase (5-10 years), moderate but consistent investment in basic coaching and equipment is needed; second phase (11-16 years) calls for high, rapidly increasing costs for advanced coaching, tournaments, nutrition and physio; the third phase of elite training (17-21 years) sees peak expenditure for national/international tournaments, professional academies and sports psychologists; and finally, after 21 years, there is potential income generation or investment for an alternative education/career path,' says a first step, start SIPs in equity funds (large, flexi, or multi cap) at the earliest in order to build a large corpus for the long term, which can be used for higher expenses or Plan B needs. You can also invest in the PPF for tax-free payouts and safety.'For this core corpus, I invested nearly 50% in real estate, and the remaining in multiple assets, including stocks, mutual funds, insurance and gold,' says Warrier. 'It's extremely important to hire a financial planner and have a written plan for this goal. I invested in multiple assets, but am currently relying primarily on mutual funds,' says Menon. For medium-term requirements (3-7 year horizon), start SIPs in balanced advantage funds or fixed deposits of varying maturities that can be broken without incurring penalties as and when the need arises. 'I invested in a large number of Post Office Kisan Vikas Patra with small sums and varying maturities for both my children's sports expenses in the second phase,' says Jhunjhunwala. Next, keep an operational buffer for short-term (1-3 year horizon) expenses like equipment and gear purchase or domestic tournaments, investing in liquid, arbitrage or ultra short-duration funds, or even sweep-in fixed deposits. SUPRIYA DEVGUNFOUNDER & MD, BADMINTON GURUKUL Note:'While CSR funds, scholarships and sponsorships are offered to the top talent, it's actually needed by the upcoming talent.' Given the high risk of injury, it is also crucial to have Rs.50 lakh-1 crore medical and personal accident insurance.'If earnings begin, consider setting up a trust or HUF for tax-efficient structuring. In the career phase (after 21 years), preserve wealth with a diversified mix of equity, debt, and REITs, and create passive income through annuities or systematic withdrawals. Throughout, avoid over-locking your capital; in sports, flexibility is just as important as performance,' says Gogia.'It's also important to review the plan on a regular basis, in six months or one year, depending on the career progress of the child,' advises Rohira. Long-term investment For core corpusStart saving for the child's goal, be it sport or education, at birth. This will help build a large corpus for expensive, professional training if he chooses a sport. Or, if the sports career doesn't work out, it can be used for education in aligned fields later. Where to invest Large-cap, multi-cap or flexi-cap equity mutual funds; PPF. Medium-term investment For professional trainingIn the second phase of his training between 11 and 16 years, expenses will suddenly spiral as he moves from casual to professional training and large sums will be needed for coaching, equipment and tours for tournaments. Where to invest Balanced advantage and equity savings funds, or medium-term fixed deposits for staggered withdrawals. Short-term investment For operational expenses You will need some funds throughout his sporting journey for equipment and gear, fitness, travel and coaching fees. Where to invest Liquid or ultra short-duration funds, or sweep-in fixed deposits.
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Hindustan Times
Ayush Shetty wins US Open for India's first title of 2025
NEW DELHI: Ayush Shetty has been able to achieve what no other Indian shuttler has managed so far — win a BWF World Tour title in 2025. PV Sindhu has been far from winning one. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty only managed to reach the semis. Former world No.1 Kidambi Srikanth came the closest when he made the Malaysia Masters final in May. (Yves Lacroix/Badmintonphoto) The deadlock ended when the 20-year-old Shetty stood on the top step of the podium in Council Bluffs, Iowa on Sunday after winning the $240,000 US Open men's singles crown. The second highest ranked Indian shuttler after Lakshya Sen (world No.20), the world No.34 took just 47 minutes to beat third seed Brian Yang 21-18, 21-13 in the final which earned him his third straight victory over the Canadian and the first title of his young senior career. 'He has been showing progress this year. If you look at his performances at the Orleans Masters and Taipei Open (he reached both the semis), he did well. In fact, he has beaten some top-level players like (former world champion) Low Kean Yew and Rasmus Gemke. He has been hitting some good form against top players,' Shetty's coach U Vimal Kumar told HT from Bengaluru. 'But at the US Open, beating (world No.6) Chou Tien Chen, especially in the semi-finals, was very creditable. He could have won in two games because he was up 19-14 in the first game. From there, he lost 23-21. He came back well where I really liked the way he attacked.' Playing in the USA has proved lucky for the lanky Shetty. It was in the US two years back that Shetty first made the headlines when he clinched bronze at the 2023 World Junior Championships. He also made the finals of the Odisha Masters and Bahrain International (both in 2023). Last year, having fully made his move to the senior level, Shetty decided to take part in only lower tier events, making the quarter-finals and semi-finals regularly, and eventually the final at the 2024 Dutch Open. But this year Shetty started playing higher tier events on the BWF World Tour, having the belief of not just challenging but also surprising some of the higher ranked players. 'He is 6'4'. So, he has very, very steep smashes. That unsettles many players. That is one of his strengths. He is also quite good at the net. His defence has improved in the last three or four months as he has consciously been working on it,' added Vimal, who is also a national selector. 'He has really shown some good improvement. I am quite pleased with the way he is playing now. He is making a mark with the title at the world stage. I am quite happy for him.' A product of the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy (PPBA) in Bengaluru, Shetty trains with Sen, Kiran George and Manraj Singh, among others. After clinching the Super 300 title, he will next take part in this week's $240,000 Canada Open in Markham, also a Super 300 event, where he is seeded fifth and faces compatriot S Sankar Muthusamy in the opener. 'I told him that it is not finished, that he has to try and win the Canada Open too, asking him to remain focused. He has got five more matches to go. I hope he can continue to perform well in the next event as well. The target we have given him is to come into the top 25 by the end of the year,' added Vimal. Tanvi loses in final It was end of the road for 16-year-old Tanvi Sharma, who delivered standout performances the entire week before losing in the women's singles final to top seed and local favourite Beiwen Zhang. India's world No.66 lost 11-21, 21-16, 10-21 in 46 minutes, ending a run that featured some fearless performances as she beat players ranked Nos.23, 40, 50 and 58 en route to the final.
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Hindustan Times
Ludhiana's Shubham bags two bronze medals at para TT tourney in Taipei
Ludhiana's own para table tennis star, Shubham Wadhwa, has once again demonstrated his talent on the global stage. Competing at the prestigious ITTF World Para Future tournament, held in Taipei, Taiwan, from June 26 to 29, the 29-year-old athlete secured two bronze medals – one in the men's doubles and another in the mixed doubles categories – bringing immense pride to both his city and the nation. Shubham Wadhwa (HT Photo) In the men's doubles group stage, he stormed past the Taipei team with a dominating 3-0 victory. He kept the momentum going by edging out Singapore 3-2 in a thrilling quarter-final encounter. Although he fought valiantly, Wadhwa fell to Korea 1-3 in the semi-finals, securing a bronze medal. A final-year engineering student, Wadhwa has had an extraordinary year on the table tennis circuit. Just three months ago, he captured the gold medal at the Khelo India Para Games 2025, held from March 24 to 26 in New Delhi. He swept the final match against Rajasthan's Madhuram with an impressive 3-0 scoreline, showcasing his skill and determination. Prior to his Khelo India triumph, Wadhwa had already made headlines at the UTT 2nd Para Table Tennis National Ranking Championship 2024-25 in Vadodara, from March 21 to 23. Teaming up with Haryana's Ekta Bhyan in mixed doubles and Tamil Nadu's JD Madan in men's doubles, he secured two gold medals. His stellar form continued in singles, where he added a bronze to his medal tally. Wadhwa's string of victories this year follows a silver medal performance at the ITTF World Para Future Costa Brava Spanish Open in March. Facing players from 25 countries, he reached the finals after hard-fought 3-2 wins over Hungary in the quarterfinals and France in the semi-finals. He was overpowered 0-3 by a French opponent in the final, making him a runner-up in the tournament. Adding to his decorated career, Wadhwa won gold in men's singles Class-3 at the UTT Para Table Tennis National Ranking Championship in Indore in November 2023. He continued his golden run with three golds at the UTT Para Table Tennis National Championship in March 2023, and yet another gold in mixed doubles at the ITTF Fa40 Thailand Para Open in July last year. Wadhwa's relentless pursuit of excellence and his ability to consistently deliver on both national and international platforms serves as an inspiration for young para sportspersons.
