GUNTUR: At an age when most children are figuring out their passion and innate strength, 10-year-old Spurthi Naina is engrossed in making a name for herself in the national junior table tennis circuit. Her impressive performances in the national-level events earned her the title of ‘prodigy’.
Naina’s swift wrist movements and brilliant paddling technique heightened the buzz around her. In fact, she has quickly gained recognition and praise from experts soon after embarking on her new journey. To one’s amusement, the 10-year-old secured a bronze medal in her debut performance at the AP State Under 11 Championship. Subsequently, she went on to clinch gold medals in the AP State Ranking Table Tennis Tournaments held in various cities, including Visakhapatnam, Rajamahendravaram, Vijayawada, Ongole and Guntur. Her outstanding achievements led her to the pinnacle of the AP state ranking in the Under 11 category this year.
Coming from a tribal background, Naina’s father and coach, Yesu Babu, a physical education teacher at a private school at Karampudi in the Palnadu district, identified her passion for table tennis at an early age. A district-level table tennis player himself, Yesu Babu assumed the role of coach to his daughter. He recalled, “I was very excited when she started showing interest in table tennis at the age of six. I wanted to ensure she got more opportunities and facilities. I support her with everything, which I didn’t have during my own days.”
Earlier this year, Naina achieved another remarkable feat by securing the 29th rank in the All India table tennis ranking tournaments held in Pondicherry, Vadodara, and Hyderabad. She also won in the Khelo Utsav, 7 Sports Table Tennis Tournaments, Avasa Table Tennis League and the City Contended Series. Notably, her excellence extends beyond the sports areas in which she is also an academic achiever.
Apart from sports, Naina has been consistently topping in studies as well. The fifth-grade student draws her inspiration from Naina Jaiswal, an international-level table tennis player, and child prodigy who is the first girl from Asia to complete her Class X at the age of eight from Cambridge University, and intermediate at the age of 10, and graduation at the age of 13. She also holds the record as the youngest Asian to earn a post-graduate degree at the age of 15 and completed her Ph.D at the age of 22.
To her sheer delight, the 10-year-old had the opportunity to meet her idol Naina Jaiswal in Hyderabad. She described the experience as the happiest moment of her life, saying, “I was speechless and nervous to meet, but Naina was so down-to-earth.”
However, financial constraints pose a challenge for her family, led by Yesu Babu, to cover the training expenses and travel costs required for her participation in competitions. They are seeking sponsors who can offer financial support. Yesu Babu also appealed to the State government and Sports Authority of AP (SAAP) to provide support to young talents like Naina.