Top 5 active female paddlers in India

Cricket, football, and tennis – most sports fans in India are pretty much up to date on all of them. Pro Kabaddi League, Hockey India League, and Indian Super League – These are the leagues that an average Indian sports fan knows quite a lot about.Sadly, not many people are that knowledgeable when it comes to table tennis, because of the lack of media attention.Keeping that in mind, let us look at the top 5 female Indian table tennis players at this moment who have tasted huge success in the past few years and made us proud:

#5 Shamini Kumaresan

Shamini Kumaresan

Rank: 5

State: Tamil Nadu

Shamini, who hails from Tamil Nadu, keeps her feet firmly on the ground and is one of the unsung heroes of Indian table tennis team. Full of enthusiasm, she might be the next big thing after Poulami Ghatak.

‘Women must play with men paddlers. Women paddlers usually have good control but men players have more speed and power something we can learn from them,’ said Shamini in an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda.Major Achievements:Silver at the 19th Commonwealth Games(Team Event)One Gold and one Silver at the 12th South Asian Games in 2016

#4 Madhurikaa Paatkar

Madhurikaa Paatkar

Rank: 4

State: Maharashtra

Madhurikaa might not be a household name in India but consistent domestic performances have seen her represent India in the past few years. She shows tremendous skills on the table for the ONGC team which she represents.

Major Achievements:

Gold at the 12th South Asian Games (Team Event)

#3 Pooja Sahasrabudhe

Pooja Sahasrabudhe

Rank: 3

State: Maharashtra

“Miss”, as she is fondly referred to in the fraternity, Pooja is an achiever par excellence. She has run top players of our country close and has been a regular in the National Championships. This paddler from Thane, Maharashtra who doesn't even pump her fist after winning a point, has represented India in a number of countries.

Major Achievements:

Gold at the South Asian Championship in 2009Gold at the South Asian Games in 2016

#2 Mouma Das

Mouma Das

Rank: 2

State: West Bengal

Showing tremendous consistency over the years, Mouma Das has been a regular at the international level. Despite her age, the girl from Kolkata has been dominating the scene and is still considered a valuable asset to the team.

Her sole intention has always been winning medals for the country and there are very few paddlers who can match Mouma's dedication for the sport.

Major achievements:

Bronze at the 18th Commonwealth Games in 2006

Silver at the 19th Commonwealth Games in 2010

Gold at the 12th South Asian Games in 2016

#1 Manika Batra

Manika Batra

Rank: 1

State: Delhi

The tallest and highest-ranked Indian paddler was introduced to the game at the age of four and now is a name which is slowly emerging in the world of table tennis. Armed with a strong plan, this girl from New Delhi has been shining in the competitive circuit for a long time.

Manika is a threat to the players not only from India but also to players from beyond the boundaries. She shows very little emotion while playing which helps her overcome tricky situations.

Major achievements:

Bronze medal at the Asian Junior Championship in 2013

Bronze medal at the 20th Commonwealth Games in 2014

Two Gold medals and one Silver at the South Asian Games in 2016