Manasi Joshi targets World Championship gold

Former world champion Manasi Joshi is gearing up for a hectic season with her sights firmly set on a strong showing at the World Championships in February, where she hopes to reclaim the gold medal she won in 2019. The 36-year-old, who won the World Championship gold in 2019 — the same year two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu clinched the able-bodied crown — has so far accumulated seven medals in the tournament, including back-to-back bronzes in the SL3 women’s singles category over the last two editions.

“Normally, every year we have one big tournament. But post COVID, the whole cycle got messed up. In 2025, we have the World Championships in February and the Asian Games in October. So next year is going to be extremely hectic,” Joshi, who will be participating at the Godrej Industries Assistive Tech Conference on Friday, told PTI.

“Yesterday (Wednesday), I received the official invitation from our federation for the World Championships and I got selected in all three events: singles, doubles and mixed doubles. It’s a matter of real pride for me to be playing all three.” Joshi has been in good form in the buildup, claiming a gold and bronze in women’s doubles and mixed doubles with Thulasimathi Murugesan and Ruthick Raghupati at the Japan International earlier this month.

She also bagged a gold and bronze in mixed doubles (SL3–SU5) and women’s singles in Australia, besides a silver and bronze in Indonesia. “After the Paralympics, my ranking had dropped because I didn’t play many tournaments. So I had to push hard to upgrade my world ranking and also stay in the top 3 in India,” said Joshi, who took up para badminton after an accident in 2011 which led to amputation of her leg.

“With (the) entry of (a) lot of younger players, I think competition has practically changed. So I am working hard… I wish I win the gold this time at the World Championship.” On the rigours of playing across formats, she said: “Playing three events is definitely challenging, it drains your energy but that’s the reality of our sport. We train 6–8 hours every day, and then in a tournament, we play a 45-minute match. So the main thing is recovery: finish one match, recover quickly, and be ready to put full energy into the next one.”

Joshi had prepared single-mindedly for the Paris Paralympics but exited in the group stage, missing out on a medal. She admitted the disappointment took a toll and she opted for a break after the Games. “I had been playing badminton for more than 10 years, so I eventually needed a break. I stepped away for a bit and didn’t participate in many tournaments,” she said.

“I took part in various conferences in Singapore, Hong Kong and several other countries and cities, where I spoke extensively about disability-related issues in India and interacted with many students.” “In general, I needed a short break from sports because I had worked extremely hard for the Paralympics. I was happy with my performance, but not winning a medal left me a little disappointed.

I channelled my energy into other things... Overall, the past year has been wonderful in its own way.” A surgery in June to remove multiple uterine fibroids kept her out for nearly three months. “I had no option but to get it removed. It took me around two and a half months to recover and get back to training. Being a prosthetic user, the recovery process also becomes a challenge,” she said.

“But I have a good team. I train in Hyderabad at the Gopichand Academy under Rajendra Kumar Jakkampudi. I am blessed to have a good team, who understand my needs and plans my schedule.” Determined to qualify for the World Championships, she pushed for a come back as soon as she was medically cleared. “I really wanted to qualify for the World Championships. So as soon as I recovered enough, I took part in three tournaments.

But prior to that, I had gone through multiple medical tests and the doctors told me surgery was the only option. “I asked my doctor if I could have a little more time before the procedure because I had already qualified for the Asian Championships. I played, won a bronze and a silver, and felt very satisfied with my performance. “The day I returned home, I went to the doctor the very next morning and said, ‘I’m ready for the surgery’,” Joshi said.