Bengal girl Swastika Ghosh closed out 2024 on a high, ending as the top women's paddler in the country, with sights now set higher.

The 21-year-old Swastika started 2024 as India No. 18. Now, India No. 1, the spunky youngster aims to break into the world's top-50.

"Of course I am pleased to have reached the top ranking in India for the first time, because we have several talented players. But now my aim is to break into the top-50 in the world rankings," Swastika, ranked world No. 128, told The Telegraph.

Currently a resident of Navi Mumbai's Kharghar, Swastika was unable to end on the podium in the first two zonal meets of 2024. But she turned things around with a bronze at the Haryana National Ranking meet in Panchkula in November.

Since then, she has been nearly unstoppable with her attacking play.

Swastika, whose family is from Andul in Howrah, also clinched the All India Inter-Institutional Championship in Chandigarh in November, defeating Olympian Sreeja Akula 4-2 in the final.

She followed it up with two more runner-up finishes at the two National Ranking meets in December, one in Thiruvananthapuram and the other in Bengaluru.

Swastika follows the leg technique to generate spin and power, in the style of the Chinese players.

"This means power is generated from the ground upwards, from the leg to the waist and then to the hand," said Swastika, who is coached by her father Sandeep Ghosh.

Being an attacking player, Swastika has admired Poulami Ghatak's style and would watch her play when she was younger.

A Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) athlete who has been sent to Japan twice by the government for training, Swastika also put up a laudable show at the WTT Contender in Muscat in September where she went down fighting to third-seeded Chinese Shi Xunyao in the quarter-finals.

For now, Swastika's plate is full. She will again play in the WTT Contender in Muscat, from January 11, followed by the Inter-State National Championships in Surat (January 19-26) and the National Games in Dehradun beginning on February 10.

She will lead the Maharashtra team in both events, determined to bring home more accolades.

Then she will be off to Germany, to take part in the Bundesliga first division table tennis league, where she played last year as well. "Nothing is impossible. That is my motto and that is what I follow in my endeavour to succeed," concluded Swastika.