This has been a memorable and momentous year for the young 15-year-old Varsha Sanjeev Kumar. For she became the country’s No 1 sub junior player in billiards and snooker.
She climbed a notch or two higher as well as she took the No 1 spot in the junior snooker section while being No 2 in junior billiards. Thus, claiming three titles in one national championship was a stupendous achievement for Varsha.
She also tried to match her potting skills with the seniors and very creditably, took the No 3 spot in senior billiards.
Giving the likes of former champions Chitra Magimairaj and Uma Nagaraj jitters, Varsha performed excellently to emerge as the rising star and was placed third in the long list of top performers.
It came as no surprise when recently she stormed into the final of the state ranking billiards event.
But the seasoned Chitra defeated Varsha 75-41, 77-22, 70-75, 76-70. Varsha had put it across another experienced customer Judy Walia in the semi-final winning 59-77, 75-67, 75-72.
But she was richer by the experience and by the time, they clash in any final again, Varsha will emerge as a far more stronger opponent.
“I started playing at the YMCA and played in tournaments in Bangalore in 2008 when I was about 12-years old. Since then, the game caught my imagination and I wanted to take to it seriously. And, there has been no looking back. I played there for a year under the fine coaching of Mr Gowda from whom I learnt my basics,” said the 10th standard student of Sophia High School, Bangalore.
“Due to lack of exposure to matches, I decided to join Karnataka State Billiards Association which has produced fine players like Pankaj Advani, Bhaskar B, Chitra M and many more. Hence, I joined in mid 2009.
I think I made the right decision as the KSBA is the best centre for cue sports in the country. The KSBA has also supported and moulded me into what I am today,” said Varsha.
Her parents, Sanjeev Kumar, an engineer who runs his own business and mother Usha Rani, a KAS Officer in the state government, have encouraged her to take to the sport which she now cannot live away from. Varsha’s sister, Tejashree is an archer having represented Karnataka in the National Archery championship and was ranked No 6. Apart from that, the family has little or no connection with sports but not any more what with Varsha and Teja doing well in their respective disciplines.
Virtually a regular member of the state team for the nationals or other events, a lot more is bound to be heard of this frail-built and talented cue sport exponent. Karnataka has been home to many of them and Varsha is another product of the KSBA assmebly lines.
Her powers of concentration are good and she can produce big and useful breaks when needed. Being so young, she can only improve on her abilities.
As she adds some calories to her frame, she will be better equipped physically too, to withstand the rigours of moving briskly around the tables and sinking the red or coloured balls into the pockets with unfailing regularity.
Surely a new women’s billiards and snooker champion at all levels is in the making as 2013 dawns. It has to be luckily for some and probably Varsha will be first on that list.