Jwala Gutta

From being a tomboy while growing up — to being considered one of the glamour girls in Indian, if not world, badminton, Jwala Gutta has certainly come a long way. And she’s pretty proud of the “adventurous life” she has had.

“When I have kids, I will certainly have a story to tell them,” Jwala declared with an infectious chuckle. “I’ve had an adventurous life and I’m very proud of it. Growing up, I was a total tomboy. I had short-cropped hair. I used to look like a boy. I was tall and I probably looked stronger than some of them,” says Jwala. One would never have thought that the tomboy would turn into a stunning beauty.
“I remember times when I would travel by bus and have tiffs with others!” Jwala adds with another hearty chuckle.
Her father, Kranti, agrees. “She was naughty. She was also very stubborn,” he recollects, fondly. “Once she decided to do something, she would end up doing it.”
There can be no doubting Jwala’s credentials with the badminton racquet, seeing as how she was the first to win a Commonwealth Games gold (in 2010) along with Ashwini Ponnappa. The duo also was the first pair to win a World Championships medal (bronze in 2011). One can only imagine the amount of hard work that goes into shaping a champion.
But what does Jwala do when she is not swinging the racquet? “There’s so much physical exertion. I travel so much... So when I’m not playing, I like staying home and chilling out with friends,” Jwala says.
“We just sit and laze around. Sometimes, I go clubbing as I hardly went clubbing earlier. I actually started going out on Saturdays only a year-and-a-half ago. Now, I’m tired of that, so I prefer staying home,” she says, adding, “The weather is fantastic in Hyderabad. We have a grill at home so we barbecue. I like being laidback. I love going out to watch movies. Since I can’t go in the mornings or afternoons, we catch late night shows,” Jwala says.
What sort of movies does she like? “I’m a sucker for love stories. For me, Titanic and Raanjhanaa are movies that I’ve fallen in love with. When I watched Raanjhanaa, I was crying... It was a beautiful love story. The story was simple but Dhanush’s acting was world class,” she explains.
Jwala has always given credit to her family for being her pillar of strength, “My father would refuse promotions as he was worried we would get transferred and I wouldn’t play under Arif Sir (her coach SM Arif). My mom had to take care of us.” Born and brought up in China, it was difficult for her to adjust to Indian conditions.
“I wouldn’t say only ‘I’ worked hard towards my success. Everyone worked hard and contributed to it. Even the people who criticised me. They have made me stronger so in a way, I’m grateful to them.”
Kranti, however, views things differently. “I wouldn’t consider them sacrifices. I did what any father would — to help her get the best facilities. I enjoyed seeing her grow.”
Badminton apart, Jwala is a keen follower of tennis. “I’m a big fan of Roger Federer,” she declares. A mere suggestion that he is past his prime, and Jwala quickly retorts. “He’s done his bit for the game and it’s still a treat to watch him play.”
She is currently partnering two young players — Prajakta Sawant in women’s doubles and Manu Atrii in mixed doubles. And her years of experience would prove invaluable to the young shuttlers. From a tomboy to a mentor of sorts, for Jwala there’s nothing like the present.