Telangana: Bhavani Kedia in Indian team for Deaflympics
Hyderabad: Telangana tennis player Bhavani Kedia has become the first athlete from the State to represent the country in the upcoming 24th Deaflympics, to be in Caxias Do Sul, Brazil from May 1 to 15. The degree second-year student from St Ann’s College, Secunderabad, had won a silver medal in the XXIII National Games held […]
Hyderabad: Telangana tennis player Bhavani Kedia has become the first athlete from the State to represent the country in the upcoming 24th Deaflympics, to be in Caxias Do Sul, Brazil from May 1 to 15.
The degree second-year student from St Ann’s College, Secunderabad, had won a silver medal in the XXIII National Games held in Chennai. She had already represented the country twice in the World Deaf Tennis Championship, held in Antalya, Turkey in 2018 and 2019 where she reached the quarter-finals.
She also represented the State in the Khelo India National Games held in Hyderabad in 2017. Bhavani was born a premature baby weighing just 700 grams and was in an incubator for 40 days. She had a hearing impairment from birth. She took up the sport because of the motivation from her father Neeraj Kedia. Bhavani has two silver medals in singles and mixed doubles from the 23rd National Games for Deaf, held in Chennai in 2019.
Speaking on her selection, Bhavani said, “I love tennis and it is my passion. I got selected for the World Championship in 2018 and I owe a lot to my coach Nelluri Kiran. We trained hard even during the pandemic,” she added.
Bhavani puts in three hours of intensive training on court at the LB Stadium and spends another two hours on fitness in the evening.
She is confident of a good show in the Deaflympics.
Kiran too has a word of praise for his ward. “Bhavani is a very hardworking player and focussed towards her goal. I am proud to be her coach. She is the only girl from the State to be selected for the prestigious event.”
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