Sporty talent spurred on by Gandipet ka pani

Many Olympians who have won laurels in their fields call the city home

Gandipet ka pani. The water is special and the joke that does rounds is that if one takes Gandipet ka pani, one cannot leave the city. The latest twist is that this Gandipt ka pani also churns out successful sports persons. Hyderabad has a rich history of sports persons from the city winning international laurels either in cricket or badminton or tennis and other disciplines.

Hyderabad has special athletes too who have won medals in big events or performed in big matches. The ‘Char murthis’ are – PV Sindhu, Saina Nehwal, Sania Mirza and Jwala Gutta.

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Sindhu: From the small bylanes of Marredpally, Sindhu has become the most decorated athlete from the city. She has conquered the hearts with mind-blowing performances in Olympics, World Championship, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games. With sports in her blood, Sindhu is the first woman athlete from India to emerge as winner of two medals in Olympics as she won silver in Rio and now bronze in Tokyo. She won one gold, one silver and three bronze medals in the badminton World championship title.

Though born in Hissar (Haryana), Saina has made Hyderabad her home ever since her father Harvir Singh settled down here. But it turned out to be the best decision by Harvir as Saina took the world by storm in badminton. She was the first Indian to win the Super Series title and also the first ever Indian women medal winner in Olympics when she clinched the bronze in 2012 London Games. She is also the winner of gold in Commonwealth twice apart from her winning bronze and silver in World Championship. She was World No.1 once.

Sania Mirza has been one of the exciting tennis players from the city. She has won six Grand Slam doubles titles. That is an incredible record for Indian women’s tennis. She has become the superstar of Indian sports and became the first woman from India to participate in Olympics four times, the recent one being in Tokyo. The 34-year-old loves challenges and won a doubles title in Australia after the birth of her son Izhaan.

Mithali Raj is regarded as the Sachin Tendulkar of women’s cricket. The Indian skipper has many records to her name and is presently the world’s highest run-getter. Starting her cricket from St John’s cricket Academy, Mithali, at 38 years,continues to pile runs in international cricket. She has over 7000 runs in one-day international cricket and is the first cricketer, both from men and women, to score 2,000 runs in T20 internationals.

Jwala Gutta is the feisty doubles badminton player. A rebel and a colourful personality, she is regarded as the best women’s doubles player from India. Paired with Ashwini Ponappa, this left-handed Hyderabad shuttler won the gold in 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games and scripted history the next year by bagging the bronze in World Championship. She also won a bronze in Asian Games. After retirement, the 37-year-old has opened an academy recently.

That is the `kamaal’ of Gandipet ka pani. Hyderabad has truly become the happening city of the country in sport too.

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