It takes two to tango
A good supportive partner can often go a long way in helping a sportsperson in his/her surge towards success. For former table tennis champions and Arjuna Awardees Kamlesh Mehta and Monalisa Baruah Mehta, it was all about being there for each other.
Not surprisingly, Kamlesh, who is considered one of the best table tennis players the country has produced, had his greatest achievements after he vowed his allegiance to Monalisa in 1988. In 1989, Kamlesh won the prestigious World Bank Championship in the Isle of Man (United Kingdom) and two years later, he collected seven gold and four silver medals at the SAF Games (South Asian Federation Games) at Colombo.
Kamlesh and Monalisa, now 61 and 63, continue to be connected with the sport. They were in the City as guests-cum-mentors at the revamped St Paul’s Stag Table Tennis Academy at the St Paul’s High School and spoke to Deccan Chronicle about the benefits of having a partner from the same field.
“It was great to have a sportswoman as my wife. When she got married to me, she was a top player but she sacrificed that for my benefit. For the last four years of my career, there was huge pressure, but she was a big support,” said the eight-time National champion. But it was not just Kamlesh who reaped the benefits of a having a steady and reliable partner who understands the game you play. “After marriage I won the Maharashtra State championship. Family support is very important for success. For me, he was always there to encourage,” said the Guwahati-born Monalisa.
Incidentally, when Kamlesh and Monalisa decided to get married in 1988 after a three year relationship that began after a coaching camp in New Delhi, there was another couple that was making the headlines internationally. It was in the same year, the long-nailed, trend-setting Florence Griffith-Joyner — who got married to 1984 Olympics triple jump champion Al Joyner in 1987 — clocked the fastest time ever in the 100m women’s category (10.49 seconds) — a record that still stands strong — at the Indianapolis Olympics trials. Flo-Jo then went on to bag three golds at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
“For a girl support from the family is really important,” added Kamlesh. Meanwhile, Kamlesh also expressed confidence in the future of Indian table tennis. “Table tennis is improving by leaps and bounds in the country. There are a lot more academies being set up nowadays. “With the kind of infrastructure St Paul’s and Stag is providing here, Andhra Pradesh will soon produce a national champion.” Meanwhile, St Paul’s High School and Andhra Pradesh Table Tennis Association felicitated the state players for their good outing at the Nationals this year.
Post new comment