Clearly, Nandnuri Yeshaswini is a chip off the old block, as they say. For this 14-year-old talented shuttler, daughter of former international hockey players N. Mukesh Kumar and Nidhi Mukesh, has now stepped into a different zone by catching the imagination of the critics winning the girls under-17 singles title in the Telangana State badminton championship in Jagtial and then had a chance to showcase her talent in the under-19 final too but preferred to concede the match to K. Sri Krishna Priya as the schedule was a bit too demanding.
For someone who started playing badminton just for fitness sake, Yeshaswini, a IX-standard student of Sherwood Public School, has now made sure that her illustrious father, Mukesh, drives all the way from Bowenpally to Gopichand Academy (about 60 km up and down) to be there for training by 4.15 am. “Even during my playing days, honestly I have not put in such efforts,” quips her father, a world famous right-winger of yesteryear.
Yeshaswini apparently feels great at winning her first big title in the State championship though she tasted success in the All India ICSE Schools championship and Hyderabad district championship. “But, this being the first big title, I am delighted and it makes me think of bigger goals,” she says. “I want to make it at least to the semi-finals in the Junior Nationals now,” she says.
When Mukesh took Yeshaswini to Gopi after two months of early training under S.M. Arif, there was one simple and straight forward reply from the former All England champion. “I will take her in my Academy if you have the time to dedicate for her training which also means lot of travelling,” Gopi told Mukesh who gleefully accepted the challenge about three years ago.
The young champion, who always runs away from the hunting photographers for all those big events at Gopi Academy, says Saina Nehwal is her inspiration. “When I met her all that she said was, ‘best wishes and work hard’,” she recalls.
Coming from a sporting family who brought laurels to the country in hockey, Yeshaswini is always a picture of great endurance levels. “The fact that I played three matches in a day in the State championship and did not get tired gave me the confidence on this front. Now, like all others, I am working really hard to improve my all-round game,” she says.
“I would be happy if I keep winning big titles in the days to come and live up to the expectations of my coaches and parents,” signs off a confident and jubilant youngster before getting ready for another grinding training schedule.
