00:00Today's special day is dedicated to those women who have made this world better with their courage, hard work and ability.
00:07Salute to those women who are not only making their mark in the family, but also in the society and in every corner of the country.
00:15They are power, they are inspiration, they are a whole world in themselves.
00:19Today we are with such an athlete who has turned the struggle into success.
00:23And has the strength to get India the medal of table tennis in the Olympics.
00:28Namaskar, I am Vivek and with me is India's number one table tennis player, Diya Sheetle.
00:33Sheetle, welcome to Patrika.com.
00:36First of all, I wish you all the best.
00:39Thank you, thank you.
00:43Diya, you have achieved a lot in such a short time.
00:47And your aim for India to win gold in the Olympics,
00:51so far we have had a lot of legends, stars, but they have not won a medal yet.
00:55So when did you start thinking about that medal?
01:01Actually, when I first started table tennis, it was just like a hobby.
01:07I started when I was 8 years old.
01:09But in 2014, I won a silver medal in the national championship under 12.
01:17So then I thought, yes, this is something I can do professionally.
01:22And then my hobby became my passion, table tennis.
01:27And after that, I actually started going to Germany for international training, abroad training.
01:35Then I started playing a lot of international tournaments.
01:38So that's how I actually started my journey.
01:41And I think since then, it was my goal, of course, ultimately,
01:45to win a gold medal for India in the Olympics and the World Championship and all the big events.
01:52Diya, where did you get the inspiration?
01:54When did you feel that you have to go into this sport and win a medal for India?
02:02I think I was a very active child since childhood.
02:05I mean, I used to do something or the other.
02:08But when I started playing table tennis, like I said,
02:11it was just a hobby that I was doing in my free time.
02:15But after winning that national medal in the under 12 category,
02:19I started liking the game a lot.
02:22And I felt that this is what I can do all the time.
02:28So that's when I thought that I would take it up professionally.
02:34You were skating for seven years.
02:37You have also won medals at the state level.
02:40You have been a champion there.
02:42So how did you feel about leaving skating and playing the sport that you played in childhood?
02:48Even after that, it was your childhood.
02:51But you played a starting in childhood.
02:53What was the reason for leaving that and coming to table tennis?
02:57Actually, I mean, I started in Gymkhana.
03:01And we used to go on a lot of holidays before.
03:04So then there was a table tennis table.
03:07So we used to play in our free time.
03:10So I started in Gymkhana just like a hobby.
03:15I never thought that this would be something that I would take up professionally.
03:20But later, and now this is my whole life.
03:24I mean, there is not much else.
03:28As a woman athlete, what challenges did you have to face on this journey?
03:34Because we are celebrating Women's Day today.
03:36Just celebrating one day or making one day for women,
03:41I don't think that's a lot.
03:45So how do you see this?
03:47What challenges did you face in your journey?
03:53So I think times have changed a lot now.
03:56Earlier, if you look at cricket,
04:00men's cricket was given a lot of importance.
04:04But now I think a lot of people watch women's cricket a lot.
04:11And a lot of people know about it.
04:13People are following it.
04:14Exactly.
04:15And I think now in table tennis,
04:18at least in the national circuit,
04:20there is a lot of equality.
04:21Both are getting equal importance and recognition.
04:28And I feel like Manika and Shreeja are the highest ranked players.
04:36Both men and women are the highest ranked.
04:39So I think women are also doing very well in our sport.
04:42Like in badminton, PV Sindhu is also doing amazing.
04:48So I think a lot of women players are coming up in India.
04:53And their importance is also increasing.
04:59Diya, after you started your journey,
05:04you must have faced a lot of challenges.
05:07What kind of challenges did you face?
05:10When you left skating and came to table tennis,
05:13what was your family's reaction?
05:16In my family, everyone is like a teacher or a doctor.
05:21But when I decided to play professionally,
05:25my family supported me a lot.
05:28They never told me to just focus on my studies.
05:33Whatever decisions I took, they were always with me.
05:38And they supported me a lot.
05:41Even now, whenever I lose a match or feel very low,
05:47they are always with me and motivate me a lot.
05:51They always tell me to give my best and just enjoy.
05:57There is no pressure that I just have to win.
06:00Because of that, whenever I play, I can play for free.
06:06I don't feel any additional pressure.
06:11Diya, when you started table tennis for the first time,
06:20did you ever feel like you can't move forward
06:24after becoming the number one paddler in India?
06:28Or did you face any challenges?
06:33Of course, it happens in every sportsperson's journey.
06:38There is always a low phase.
06:40When you think, what is the use of all this hard work?
06:44If you lose a lot of matches or feel like you are not playing well,
06:49you always think, I worked so hard, why am I not winning?
06:55There is no motivation to continue.
07:00But as I said, my family and my coach Sachin Shetty
07:05were always by my side.
07:07They always motivated me and pushed me.
07:11Sometimes there is a down phase,
07:14but you should learn from it and not make those mistakes again.
07:19Of course, there is a doubt and you don't feel like doing anything.
07:26But I think that is the moment when you become a champion.
07:32You become a champion when you overcome it.
07:36When you don't feel like pushing,
07:42if you can overcome it, you can go a lot further.
07:49And what about the champion who has not faced any challenges?
07:53Diya, do you think that men's and women's athletes
07:59are treated equally in every sport?
08:07Be it coaching, gym or exercise training.
08:14As I said, I think that times have changed a lot.
08:18I think there is a lot of equality between men and women.
08:22And both are getting a lot of recognition.
08:26Be it men's or women's athletes,
08:29everyone is getting equal respect and recognition.
08:32I think it is a very good thing.
08:34Because both are working at the same level.
08:36And both have to work hard to reach that level.
08:44Diya, when boys at home say that they want to go into sports
08:50and become like a certain player,
08:52everyone is ready to support them.
08:55But when women say it, there are a lot of problems.
08:58A lot of questions are asked.
09:00There are a lot of questions in the society.
09:02Did you ever have to go through this phase?
09:04No. Fortunately, I never had this difficulty.
09:09As I said, my entire family supported me a lot
09:13when I decided that I wanted to play table tennis professionally.
09:17And throughout the journey, they were always with me.
09:21And they supported me a lot.
09:24So I am very lucky for this.
09:27So the result of this is that if you want to move forward as a women's athlete,
09:32family support is very important.
09:34Yes, definitely.
09:35I think that any athlete, be it a man or a woman,
09:38you need to have the right people around you.
09:41And it is very important to have that complete support.
09:46Diya, is there a moment that you would like to share with us
09:49that you still remember?
09:51I am talking about table tennis.
09:53Of course, when I became a national champion.
09:56Because I had already become a national champion when I was under 15, under 18, under 21.
10:04But I had never become a senior in the women's category.
10:07And this was my first time becoming a senior national champion.
10:10And of course, this was a milestone that I definitely had to achieve.
10:15This is the biggest tournament in India.
10:17Becoming a senior national champion is a very big thing.
10:22And I think my entire team and I worked very hard for this.
10:29Before this, we did a lot of preparation.
10:31And of course, physically.
10:35Then what strategies do I have to execute game-wise.
10:38But mentally, I did a lot of preparation for this tournament.
10:43Because in such tournaments, I feel that all the players are very good.
10:48And everyone has to win.
10:50But the one who can stay mentally strong at that moment,
10:53he wins normally.
10:57So I did a lot of mental preparation.
10:59And I was very, very happy that I was able to become a national champion in the end.
11:03And I became India's number one.
11:06But of course, I think I had an injury in 2023.
11:12So it was a little difficult to come back after that.
11:16Because I couldn't practice for a while.
11:19And when I was a national champion last year, I wasn't 100 percent.
11:27So of course, I had to become a national champion last year as well.
11:32But because of the injury, I think I wasn't fully prepared.
11:36But this time, I did a very good preparation.
11:41So I am very, very happy that I won.
11:45Sir, I would like to ask you one more thing.
11:48You must be following the Olympic Games.
11:51And you must be following table tennis.
11:54What happens is that we win medals in other tournaments.
12:00But when our big players, star players, go to events like the Olympics,
12:04they don't win medals there.
12:09I think that too…
12:11I mean, if you look at last year, a lot of people,
12:14a lot of Indian players did very well in the Olympics as well.
12:19I think the thing about other countries is that
12:21their entire sports ecosystem is very, very strong.
12:27And in India, as I said, it has improved a lot since the first time.
12:33And I think there is one more thing.
12:36I think, especially in table tennis,
12:39players from China, Japan and other Asian countries
12:43start from a very, very young age.
12:45For example, they start from 2 or 3 years old.
12:47And their basics are very, very strong.
12:52So, by the time they reach the senior category,
12:55they already have that experience and exposure.
12:59Because they have started playing from such a young age.
13:03So, when they finally reach the senior level,
13:06their foundation is also very strong.
13:10And I think that's why they are able to perform at high levels.
13:17But I think India…
13:19But I think India has also progressed a lot.
13:23For example, Neeraj Chopra has also won athletics.
13:26Then, as I said, in badminton, PV Sindhu has also won two medals.
13:31So, I think all this is slowly changing.
13:34And India will win more medals in the future.
13:39Okay, Diya, you said that their infrastructure,
13:43their sports ecosystem is different.
13:45When you step on the table,
13:48does it also have a mental pressure
13:50that their sports are different
13:53and our sports or the background we come from is different?
13:59I think, game-wise, if you look at it,
14:03we are almost at that level.
14:05I think it's a myth that we are inferior to them.
14:12And when we don't think much about it
14:16and believe in ourselves,
14:19I think Indian athletes can beat anyone.
14:22Because we have so much talent in India.
14:26I think we have so much talent.
14:28And all Indian athletes are very hardworking
14:31and very intelligent.
14:33So, I think if we can improve the mental aspect more,
14:39I think we can definitely beat any foreign country
14:45and win a lot of medals.
14:48Of course, Diya, India has so much talent
14:50that we can beat any athlete in the world.
14:53But there are many selection processes
14:55and many shortcomings that need to be eliminated.
14:58That's what I feel.
14:59Have you ever felt that there is a need for change
15:03in the selection process of the federation
15:05or in the facilities provided by them
15:08that are essential and not available to you?
15:11I mean, in the sense that athletes don't get them.
15:14So, are there any things that need to be changed?
15:22Actually, I am getting a lot of support from the government.
15:27For example, the top scheme.
15:29Because of that, we, the athletes,
15:32are sponsored for international tournaments.
15:36The top scheme sponsors us.
15:38And when I go abroad for training,
15:41or when my foreign coach comes to India for my training,
15:45he is helping me a lot.
15:48And I think, as I said,
15:51there have been a lot of changes already.
15:54Sports, like the way people look at sports in India.
15:57And that is really changing.
15:59I feel, if you see,
16:01in earlier times,
16:03there were very few Indians
16:06who took up sports professionally
16:10or had a career in sports.
16:13But now, if you see,
16:15there are a lot of athletes who have made sports their career.
16:19And I think the government is trying a lot
16:22to support all the athletes
16:24so that we all win medals in the Olympics.
16:28Absolutely.
16:29There are a lot of athletes like you
16:31who have brought India to where it is today
16:34at a very young age.
16:36And there is a lot more hope than you.
16:39I would like to ask one more question.
16:41In this journey,
16:43if a 8-9 year old girl wants to start
16:47in any sport,
16:49what is the most important thing for her?
16:53I think, I feel,
16:55first, I think,
16:57the support of the whole family
16:59is very, very important.
17:01Because when they are young
17:03and they go through such a tough phase
17:06where they are not getting enough performance
17:09or they are going through a low phase,
17:11when you are around the right people
17:13and when you get that support,
17:15then you get that confidence in yourself
17:18that you can still do it, you know,
17:20when everyone is standing behind you.
17:22And also, I think,
17:24just enjoy the whole time.
17:26Don't just go after winning and losing.
17:29But there should be that enjoyment
17:32that yes, I have to do this professionally.
17:36It shouldn't be that someone is forcing you to do it.
17:40So that enjoyment and just give your best.
17:43Every match, just give your best
17:46and keep working hard.
17:50Diya, you have said that
17:52you get the best support in the family.
17:55There is one member in the family
17:57who supports you in everything.
18:00Who is that in your family?
18:02Who is the backbone for you?
18:04Both my mom and dad, I think.
18:07When I used to go for international training,
18:12when I was young,
18:14my mom used to come everywhere with me.
18:17She used to come to Germany too.
18:19And whenever possible,
18:21my dad also comes to Indian tournaments with me.
18:24Both of them always stay with me whenever possible.
18:28And when I am playing,
18:30and I know that he is in the stands
18:32and will support me no matter if I win or lose.
18:36It is in my mind that he is always with me
18:39and will always support me.
18:41So with that, I can play more freely
18:44and give my best.
18:48Diya, what message would you like to give to the youth athletes?
18:52Like I said, I think
18:54winning and losing will happen in sports.
18:57But it is important that
18:59when you lose,
19:01you learn from it and move forward.
19:04I think you just have to enjoy it.
19:07And of course, you have to be patient
19:09because sports is a very long journey.
19:12You don't get anything easily.
19:14You have to work very hard.
19:16But in the end, I think finally,
19:18if you work hard,
19:20you will get results.
19:25Thank you, Diya, for talking to us.
