Dream is not the thing you see in sleep but is that thing that doesn't let you sleep! The words of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam resonate with the achievements of Syndrela Das, currently Ranked No. 1 in the country in Table Tennis for the Under-15 and Under-17 singles categories. The 14-year-old is just back from Tunisia and Algeria after a long tour where she has made a name not only for herself but also made her country and state proud of her success.
At the recently concluded WTT Youth Contender, Tunis and WTT Youth Contender, Algiers, Syndrela has bagged the Sliver and the Champion's trophy respectively in the under-15 category. Winner of The Telegraph Online Edugraph 18 under 18 Awards 2022, Syndrela will now be heading to Singapore, where she will participate in the WTT Youth Star Contender in the same category.
The Champions and the runners-up trophy of both the tournaments Source: The Telegraph Online Edugraph
"Since I am currently ranked no. 1 in the U-15 and U-17 categories in India, I was confident that I would be selected for the international tournament. I landed in Tunisia on February 22 and the tournament began on February 23," said Syndrela to The Telegraph Online Edugraph.
"It is a great feeling. I was confident of performing well at the tournament. Now I have a more challenging tournament ahead in Singapore," she added.
Talking about her future aspirations, Syndrela said that she would like to focus more on improving her under-19 and women's ranking in the country and aspires to represent India at the Olympics.
"I will focus on improving the under-19 and women's ranking and also try to enter the list of top 50 players in the Women's category. Presently I hold the 24th rank in the Women's Singles Final Ranking for 2023. However, I have to rank within the top five to qualify for the Olympics," she said.
Her parents too are proud of her achievements.
"She is very serious about her game and never skips practice. She has always managed both studies and sports together. We are hopeful that she will soon rank among the top eight in the women's category and will qualify for the Olympic games," said Sushmita Das, Syndrela's mother.
Syndrela has credited her coaches Soumyadeep Roy and Poulomi Ghatak at Dhanuka Dhunseri Soumyadeep Poulomi Table Tennis Academy for her achievements.
"Syndrela is a brilliant table tennis player and has achieved so much at such a young age. She has a brilliant future ahead. I congratulate her on her international achievements. We will continue to support her in the future," said Sharmi Sengupta, Joint Secretary of Bengal State Table Tennis Association.