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The boy who raced tractors
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Ten-year-old with an urge to out-shuttle competition
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PLAYING TO WIN C. Upendra trains his sights on another all-India tournament
Dronacharya awardee S. M. Arif is credited with converting Andhra Pradesh into a badminton powerhouse. Now, one of his pupil, Kattoju Venkateshwara Rao is following in the footsteps of his guru, grooming talented shuttlers fulfil their potential.
One such prodigy is C. Upendra. The sprightly lad has just turned 10, but his tenacity on a badminton court is exemplary. Rarely does the gritty youngster relax in a contest, as is his Aussie attitude, for he never gives up. Backing up his strong service and reach is the eagerness to dive and stretch for the bird.
Add to these a strong desire to win and a huge hatred to lose and you get something about Upendra. These attributes he hasn't acquired overnight, but after hours of sweat and toil. His parents' work as canteen staff in the Nandi Pipes factory in Nandyal, Kurnool and his climb to the top hasn't been without its share of hardships.
Upendra's urge to excel began when he was much younger, by racing against tractors. Then he took on faster vehicles. The Nandi Pipes Badminton Academy seemed to beckon him, to unleash the untapped energy that was waiting to find expression. What set him apart from equally talented youngsters was an ability to outthink his opponents.
Over time, his effort bore fruit, beginning with the recent Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh (SAAP)-Yonex state championships in Hyderabad, where he walked away with the singles crown for players under 10 years of age. With Sai Ajit Reddy, he clinched the doubles title as well.
Ditto was his display at the Servo-Regional Sports Centre all India junior ranking tournament at Kochi. A. Raju, a lecturer in the local Maharaja's College was so taken up by the boy's performance and approach that he gifted Upendra a badminton kit.
In the keenly followed Krishna Khaitan all-India junior ranking tournament, he clinched the under-10 singles challenge hands down. Not content with thrashing rivals in his age group, the adventurous shuttler ventured into the under-13 competition, where he won four qualifying rounds. The small-built, but strong willed shuttler has trained his sights on another all-India tournament in Pune slated to be held within a fortnight. Even there, he's bound to upset quite a few seedings and rankings.
A. JOSEPH ANTONY
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