Manika Batra humbles another top-10 player to win historic bronze at Asian Cup TT
Bangkok (PTI): Manika Batra became the first Indian paddler to win a medal in the ITTF-ATTU Asian Cup after shocking world number six Hina Hayata of Japan in the bronze play-off here on Saturday. The world number 44 defeated Hayata 4-2 (11-6, 6-11, 11-7, 12-10, 4-11, 11-2) to achieve the incredible feat. Besides the historic bronze, Manika will also carry home USD 10,000 for her efforts.
"This win is a huge one for me, defeating the top players. I enjoyed playing and fighting well against them to achieve a fantastic result. I will continue putting the extra yard in all my future tournaments. I expect all of you to extend your full support," said an emotional Manika.
Earlier in the day, Manika lost 2-4 (8-11, 11-7, 7-11, 6-11, 11-8, 7-11) to the second-seeded Mima Ito in the semifinals.
Despite Ito beginning shakily, the Japanese ended strongly and subdued the Indian player with a percentage play befitting her reputation and rankings.
Manika's fighting qualities came to the fore in the fourth game of the bronze-medal playoff when she was down in the dumps, with the fourth-seed Hayata holding the upper hand with four game points at 10-6.
That was when Manika launched herself, using all the tricks in her bag, attacking the flanks with crispy forehands, including some counters that brooked no challenge, and using the backhand punches to good effect and with precise placements.
At deuce, the Japanese had the service, but an unforeseen fault -- Hayata's service hit the net, and the ball dropped on her side to go down -- enabled Manika to go up with a luck point (11-10) and take the winning point when she had the service back with her.
However, the Japanese ran with a good lead in the next to reduce the margin. But Manika changed her strategy in the sixth game, attacking from the word go and allowing her opponent the first point at 3-1. She claimed another point at 5-2, but that was all she could manage.
With frustration setting in, the Japanese became more error-prone, unable to keep the ball on the table even as Manika went from strength to strength to finish the game 11-2.
On her way to the bronze, Manika upset world number 7 Chen Xingtong from China in the round of 16, then accounted for 23-rd ranked Chen Szu-Yu 4-3 of Taipei in the quarterfinals. Manika on Friday ensured the best finish by an Indian in the 39-year-old history of the Asian Cup after Achanta Sharath Kamal and G Sathiyan had finished sixth in 2015 and 2019 respectively.
The USD 200,000 event featured the top 16 players in the men's and women's singles from the continent based on world rankings and qualifications.
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What happens to terms Keralite, Keralan: Tharoor's witty take on Keralam replacing Kerala
New Delhi (PTI): Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor had a witty take on Kerala's name change on Tuesday, asking what happens now to the terms "Keralite" and "Keralan" for the "denizens" of the new "Keralam".
In a lighter vein, Tharoor said 'Keralamite' sounds like a microbe and 'Keralamian' like a rare earth mineral.
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday approved the proposal for altering the name of Kerala to Keralam.
Ahead of the Cabinet decision announcement, Tharoor said, "All to the good, no doubt, but a small linguistic question for the Anglophones among us: what happens now to the terms 'Keralite' and 'Keralan' for the denizens of the new 'Keralam'?
"'Keralamite' sounds like a microbe and 'Keralamian' like a rare earth mineral ! @CMOKerala might want to launch a competition for new terms resulting from this electoral zeal," he said, sharing the media report on the name change.
The Legislative Assembly of Kerala passed a resolution on June 24, 2024 to alter the name of Kerala to Keralam'.
Thereafter, the government of Kerala requested the government of India to take necessary steps to amend the First Schedule to the Constitution by altering the name of Kerala to Keralam according to Article 3 of the Constitution.
The matter regarding the alteration of the name Kerala to Keralam was considered in the Ministry of Home Affairs, government of India and with the approval of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the draft note for the Cabinet for changing Kerala to Keralam was circulated to the Department of Legal Affairs and Legislative Department, and the Ministry of Law and Justice for their comments.
The Department of Legal Affairs and Legislative Department, and the Ministry of Law and Justice have concurred with the proposal for the alteration of Kerala as Keralam.
After approval of the Union Cabinet, the president of India will refer a Bill, namely the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 to the State Legislative Assembly of Kerala for expressing its views under the proviso to Article 3 of the Constitution of India.
After receipt of the views of the State Legislative Assembly of Kerala, the government of India will take further action and the recommendation of the president will be obtained for the introduction of the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 for the alteration of Kerala as Keralam in Parliament.
Meanwhile, on Monday night, Tharoor said he was truly pleased to see C Rajagopalachari honoured by a statue at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
"He was its first Indian occupant as the only Indian Governor-General of India, before we became a Republic and he yielded his seat to the new President. I have long admired his convictions and was a strong supporter of his Swatantra Party in my student days," Tharoor said.
"His set of values and principles -- liberal economics and support for free enterprise, combined with social justice; strong anchoring in Indian civilization and religious faith but without a shred of communal bigotry; and a staunch faith in the rights & freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution, including keeping the government out of our kitchens, bedrooms and libraries -- remain mine to this day," the Congress MP said.
It is sad that there are so few left to follow him today, Tharoor added on X.
