Janet Vidhi – a young squash player with mision

Janet Vidhi – a young squash player with mission

In a recently concluded 8^th Interstate Junior National Championship in 30 Oct-02 Nov 2010 at Chennai, Janet Vidhi, a squash player from South Ex Part 2, brought Silver medal for Delhi. A class XI student of Air Force Bal Bharti, Lodi Road has taken squash as a mission. She is playing squash for last 4 years and she is awaiting to shine at National level.

In the individual category Girls under 19, she came fifth and became the top ranked girl player from Delhi. Her growth has been steady. Last year in 2009, she won Delhi Open and Hamdard Delton Open titles before winning all India open squash championship title for girls under 17 organized by Indian Squash Professionals (ISP) a Mumbai based NGO at Kendriya Vidyalaya, Sector 8, R K Puram, New Delhi.

Janet in squash court

Squash was an important event during XIX Commonwealth Games at New Delhi 2010. The magnificently built squash courts along with Badminton courts at Sirifort Sport complex has made squash famous among game lovers. Since this is the game of power, flexibility and agility, it is being liked by many. Compared to tennis, this is an indoor game and so has different charm. This can be played in any weather condition. With her dedicated and sustained effort, she is achieving success and making the game of squash known to many. Her school has been encouraging her by giving her some cash award as well as declaring her “Outstanding Squash Girl” for consecutive four years. She is also a Co-head Girl in her school.

In Interstate Junior Championship 2009 at Indore, Janet Vidhi as a leader of Delhi Squash team of Girl U-15 brought Gold for Delhi. This year she moved under 19 category, she helped Delhi to get Silver medal behind only the Chennai girls.

She practices at Defence Services Officer Institute (DSOI), Dhaula Kuan, New Delhi where she plays with uncles (Officers from defence forces). Her father being an Air Force Officer had been the member of DSOI since 1992 but only after premature retirement from Air Force in 2005, he became a regular squash player at DSOI. Janet started taking interest in squash 2006 onwards. Four years of sincere practice made her the top rank in Delhi. She has made it a point to practice approximately 2-4 hours every day. There are hardly any boys playing at her level in DSOI now. Occasionally she goes for a run too in the mornings at IIT ground and runs approximately 3-4 Kms. She hardly forgets to attend to Gym at least once in fifteen days at Race Course Sports complex to build her stamina. When India needs better players to get medals at International events like Asian Games, Common Wealth Games (CWG) or Olympics, more children are needed to move to Games. Parents need to unlearn the old way of looking at things and give more priority to games than studies; Janet could be an inspiring example to emulate.

Initially Janet was trained by her father Wing Commander KK Verma (Retd) but subsequently she took coaching from Mr Rahul Kumar, an England born squash coach, at Kendriya Vidyalaya, Sec 8 R K Puram, New Delhi. However, she has become her own coach for last six months. She played this Junior National 2010 under her own coaching in the absence of any coach in Delhi. In the past she has attended the camps organized by Egyptian Coach, Mr Tarek Awad and Indian level 3 coach Mr A I Singh (based in Mumbai). Delhi has not been able to produce any International level girl player in squash so Janet has a tough task ahead to sharpen her skills and stamina. At the age of 14 when Saina Nehwal, Indian Badminton player, got sponsored from HPCL, it is a huge challenge for her to maintain the standard in the absence of any sponsor; however she appears to be determined.

Today many of us know about Joshna Chinnappa and Dipika Palikal in squash who have reached to international level, Janet hopes to do well in the days to come. With the newly built infrastructure at Sirifort, which is very close to her house at C block, South Ex Part 2, she will be able to give more on the development of techniques and skills of the games and do well in the days to come. The best part is that she is enjoying the game and she is not in a hurry to reach the top today. She understands human growth limitations. When it is common that Indian players are burned out by the age of 20, she wants to prove it wrong and do well and excel with time. She is focusing on overall development with excellence in her mind.

Janet used squash as a tool to make Delhi visible at National level; she hopes to repeat this to take India forward at International level. She is preparing herself and waiting for an opportunity to play for India at International level tournament to achieve her dream. She is certainly looking ahead for that great opportunity and looking for right sponsors and encouragements.

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