Shuttler Anoushka does the state proud again, to represent India

AHMEDABAD: Ahmedabad's talented shuttler Anoushka Parikh, who won a silver and a bronze medal in U-19 doubles and mixed doubles events at the 15th All-India Junior Ranking Badminton tournament in Kerala, did the state proud when she got a call for India. The 18-year-old Anoushka will be traveling to Bangkok to represent the country in the Badminton Asia Championship from June 28 to July 5.
In the doubles event, partnering Sanjana Santosh of Maharashtra, Anoushka entered the final where the duo went down to JK Malvika and Karishma Wadkar 11-21, 12-21.
Anoushka and her U-19 mixed-doubles partner Sahil Sipani (Karnataka), seeded fifth, lost in the semis to MR Arjun and Kuhoo Garg 12-21, 16-21 and had to settle for a bronze.
The Ahmedabad Racquet Academy trainee, who works under the guidance of Unni Krishna Varma and is supported by Sports Authority of Gujarat, is currently ranked number 1 in U-19 girls' doubles category and eight in mixed doubles in the national circuit.
When Anoushka will undertake Thailand sojourn, she will surely keep in mind her 2011 international exploits when she, along with Lalita Katre of Maharashtra, had won a bronze medal in Japan in U-15 doubles event.
"Bangkok will be a different challenge for me as we will be playing with the greater responsibility. The competition will be tougher than ever but I am looking forward to giving my best," she said.