Achanta Sharath ready to hang his boots after one final attempt at winning an Olympic medal in Paris next year

A career that has spanned 25 years, put India on world table tennis map, and collected almost all accolades, is still longing for that one medal. Sharath has never returned emptyhanded from the Commonwealth Games (CWG) ever since making the debut in 2006.

The Asian Games box was also ticked off in 2018, with two bronze medals – men’s team and mixed doubles. So was the Asian Championships in 2021, with a bronze each in men’s team and men’s doubles. World Championships are still to be won; there is o n e s ch e d u l e d i n February 2024, and it is also an Olympic qualifying tournament. 2022 was a “fairytale”.

Sharath became the national champion for a record 10th time. He bagged a bronze at World Table Tennis (WTT) Contender Doha (WTT was created by the International Table Tennis Federation’s (ITTF) to further the commercial aspect of the sport). Three gold and a silver CWG medal aside, he was awarded Khel Ratna, and got elected to the ITTF’s Athletes’ Commission, and as vice-chairperson of Athletes Commission of Indian Olympic Association. While for 2023, the primary target is the Asian Games, to be held in Hangzhou, China, from September 24 to October 2, the ultimate goal is the Games in Paris.

“For me, the main goal, more than 2023 is 2024, and I hope I can finish it off with that (an Olympic medal),” Sharath says. “I have played a very long innings.” And, between administrat i o n and coaching, he is yet to decide on his next calling. “When I am travelling with the team, many already mistake me to be the manager or the coach, because even the coaches are younger than me,” he quips.

THE MENTOR Sharath has been quite at ease in a mentoring role for some time. And, starting this Thursday, in the Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) season four, he will once again be sharing his trade secrets with the next gen. With his 12-year-old daughter and six-year-old son, however, it is all about the game of cricket. His UTT defending champions Chennai Lions teammate, Payas Jain is already being heralded as the youngster to watch out for. Sharath agrees, “He is doing fantastically well; has World Youth Championship and Asian Junior Championship medal to his credit. Ankur Bhattacharjee is doing well too.” The latter is a part of first-timers Bengaluru Smashers, who boast of Manika Batra in the ranks. U Mumba TT’s Diya Chitale will be responsible for leading the young brigade’s charge from the opposite sex. “UTT is giving the Indian players the opportunities for which I had to go to Europe (to play in Spanish, Swedish and German leagues). That kind of structure and system is available right here.

UTT has been able to unearth new talent for India, and provide them with opportunity to play with and against some of the best. In junior category, India is one of the best in the world,” Sharath says, adding that senior level is a different story. The top Asian countries, especially China, being the main reason.

And, Sharath is forthright enough to admit that for India and perhaps the rest of the world too, ending Chinese reign in the sport might still be a distant dream. “They are in complete dominance. They keep it very, very closed – the players and coaches just don’t go to other countries,” he says. He has just about a year to manoeuvre the Chinese chequers.