Number 1 Table Tennis Player Diya Chitale: भारत की नंबर वन टेबल टेनिस खिलाड़ी दीया चितले ने वूमेंस डे स्पेशल शो में पत्रिका से बात की और बताया कि अब महिला एथलीट्स के लिए भारत कितना बदल गया है।
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00:00Today's special day is dedicated to those women who have made this world better with their courage, hard work and ability.
00:07Salute to those women who are not only making their mark in the family, but also in the society and in every corner of the country.
00:15They are power, they are inspiration, they are a whole world in themselves.
00:19Today we are with such an athlete who has turned the struggle into success.
00:23And has the strength to get India the medal of table tennis in the Olympics.
00:28Namaskar, I am Vivek and with me is India's number one table tennis player, Diya Sheetle.
00:33Sheetle, welcome to Patrika.com.
00:36First of all, I wish you all the best.
00:39Thank you, thank you.
00:43Diya, you have achieved a lot in such a short time.
00:47And your aim for India to win gold in the Olympics,
00:51so far we have had a lot of legends, stars, but they have not won a medal yet.
00:55So when did you start thinking about that medal?
01:01Actually, when I first started table tennis, it was just like a hobby.
01:07I started when I was 8 years old.
01:09But in 2014, I won a silver medal in the national championship under 12.
01:17So then I thought, yes, this is something I can do professionally.
01:22And then my hobby became my passion, table tennis.
01:27And after that, I actually started going to Germany for international training, abroad training.
01:35Then I started playing a lot of international tournaments.
01:38So that's how I actually started my journey.
01:41And I think since then, it was my goal, of course, ultimately,
01:45to win a gold medal for India in the Olympics and the World Championship and all the big events.
01:52Diya, where did you get the inspiration?
01:54When did you feel that you have to go into this sport and win a medal for India?
02:02I think I was a very active child since childhood.
02:05I mean, I used to do something or the other.
02:08But when I started playing table tennis, like I said,
02:11it was just a hobby that I was doing in my free time.
02:15But after winning that national medal in the under 12 category,
02:19I started liking the game a lot.
02:22And I felt that this is what I can do all the time.
02:28So that's when I thought that I would take it up professionally.
02:34You were skating for seven years.
02:37You have also won medals at the state level.
02:40You have been a champion there.
02:42So how did you feel about leaving skating and playing the sport that you played in childhood?
02:48Even after that, it was your childhood.
02:51But you played a starting in childhood.
02:53What was the reason for leaving that and coming to table tennis?
02:57Actually, I mean, I started in Gymkhana.
03:01And we used to go on a lot of holidays before.
03:04So then there was a table tennis table.
03:07So we used to play in our free time.
03:10So I started in Gymkhana just like a hobby.
03:15I never thought that this would be something that I would take up professionally.
03:20But later, and now this is my whole life.
03:24I mean, there is not much else.
03:28As a woman athlete, what challenges did you have to face on this journey?
03:34Because we are celebrating Women's Day today.
03:36Just celebrating one day or making one day for women,
03:41I don't think that's a lot.
03:45So how do you see this?
03:47What challenges did you face in your journey?
03:53So I think times have changed a lot now.
03:56Earlier, if you look at cricket,
04:00men's cricket was given a lot of importance.
04:04But now I think a lot of people watch women's cricket a lot.
04:11And a lot of people know about it.
04:13People are following it.
04:14Exactly.
04:15And I think now in table tennis,
04:18at least in the national circuit,
04:20there is a lot of equality.
04:21Both are getting equal importance and recognition.
04:28And I feel like Manika and Shreeja are the highest ranked players.
04:36Both men and women are the highest ranked.
04:39So I think women are also doing very well in our sport.
04:42Like in badminton, PV Sindhu is also doing amazing.
04:48So I think a lot of women players are coming up in India.
04:53And their importance is also increasing.
04:59Diya, after you started your journey,
05:04you must have faced a lot of challenges.
05:07What kind of challenges did you face?
05:10When you left skating and came to table tennis,
05:13what was your family's reaction?
05:16In my family, everyone is like a teacher or a doctor.
05:21But when I decided to play professionally,
05:25my family supported me a lot.
05:28They never told me to just focus on my studies.
05:33Whatever decisions I took, they were always with me.
05:38And they supported me a lot.
05:41Even now, whenever I lose a match or feel very low,
05:47they are always with me and motivate me a lot.
05:51They always tell me to give my best and just enjoy.
05:57There is no pressure that I just have to win.
06:00Because of that, whenever I play, I can play for free.
06:06I don't feel any additional pressure.
06:11Diya, when you started table tennis for the first time,
06:20did you ever feel like you can't move forward
06:24after becoming the number one paddler in India?
06:28Or did you face any challenges?
06:33Of course, it happens in every sportsperson's journey.
06:38There is always a low phase.
06:40When you think, what is the use of all this hard work?
06:44If you lose a lot of matches or feel like you are not playing well,
06:49you always think, I worked so hard, why am I not winning?
06:55There is no motivation to continue.
07:00But as I said, my family and my coach Sachin Shetty
07:05were always by my side.
07:07They always motivated me and pushed me.
07:11Sometimes there is a down phase,
07:14but you should learn from it and not make those mistakes again.
07:19Of course, there is a doubt and you don't feel like doing anything.
07:26But I think that is the moment when you become a champion.
07:32You become a champion when you overcome it.
07:36When you don't feel like pushing,
07:42if you can overcome it, you can go a lot further.
07:49And what about the champion who has not faced any challenges?
07:53Diya, do you think that men's and women's athletes
07:59are treated equally in every sport?
08:07Be it coaching, gym or exercise training.
08:14As I said, I think that times have changed a lot.
08:18I think there is a lot of equality between men and women.
08:22And both are getting a lot of recognition.
08:26Be it men's or women's athletes,
08:29everyone is getting equal respect and recognition.
08:32I think it is a very good thing.
08:34Because both are working at the same level.
08:36And both have to work hard to reach that level.
08:44Diya, when boys at home say that they want to go into sports
08:50and become like a certain player,
08:52everyone is ready to support them.
08:55But when women say it, there are a lot of problems.
08:58A lot of questions are asked.
09:00There are a lot of questions in the society.
09:02Did you ever have to go through this phase?
09:04No. Fortunately, I never had this difficulty.
09:09As I said, my entire family supported me a lot
09:13when I decided that I wanted to play table tennis professionally.
09:17And throughout the journey, they were always with me.
09:21And they supported me a lot.
09:24So I am very lucky for this.
09:27So the result of this is that if you want to move forward as a women's athlete,
09:32family support is very important.
09:34Yes, definitely.
09:35I think that any athlete, be it a man or a woman,
09:38you need to have the right people around you.
09:41And it is very important to have that complete support.
09:46Diya, is there a moment that you would like to share with us
09:49that you still remember?
09:51I am talking about table tennis.
09:53Of course, when I became a national champion.
09:56Because I had already become a national champion when I was under 15, under 18, under 21.
10:04But I had never become a senior in the women's category.
10:07And this was my first time becoming a senior national champion.
10:10And of course, this was a milestone that I definitely had to achieve.
10:15This is the biggest tournament in India.
10:17Becoming a senior national champion is a very big thing.
10:22And I think my entire team and I worked very hard for this.
10:29Before this, we did a lot of preparation.
10:31And of course, physically.
10:35Then what strategies do I have to execute game-wise.
10:38But mentally, I did a lot of preparation for this tournament.
10:43Because in such tournaments, I feel that all the players are very good.
10:48And everyone has to win.
10:50But the one who can stay mentally strong at that moment,
10:53he wins normally.
10:57So I did a lot of mental preparation.
10:59And I was very, very happy that I was able to become a national champion in the end.
11:03And I became India's number one.
11:06But of course, I think I had an injury in 2023.
11:12So it was a little difficult to come back after that.
11:16Because I couldn't practice for a while.
11:19And when I was a national champion last year, I wasn't 100 percent.
11:27So of course, I had to become a national champion last year as well.
11:32But because of the injury, I think I wasn't fully prepared.
11:36But this time, I did a very good preparation.
11:41So I am very, very happy that I won.
11:45Sir, I would like to ask you one more thing.
11:48You must be following the Olympic Games.
11:51And you must be following table tennis.
11:54What happens is that we win medals in other tournaments.
12:00But when our big players, star players, go to events like the Olympics,
12:04they don't win medals there.
12:09I think that too…
12:11I mean, if you look at last year, a lot of people,
12:14a lot of Indian players did very well in the Olympics as well.
12:19I think the thing about other countries is that
12:21their entire sports ecosystem is very, very strong.
12:27And in India, as I said, it has improved a lot since the first time.
12:33And I think there is one more thing.
12:36I think, especially in table tennis,
12:39players from China, Japan and other Asian countries
12:43start from a very, very young age.
12:45For example, they start from 2 or 3 years old.
12:47And their basics are very, very strong.
12:52So, by the time they reach the senior category,
12:55they already have that experience and exposure.
12:59Because they have started playing from such a young age.
13:03So, when they finally reach the senior level,
13:06their foundation is also very strong.
13:10And I think that's why they are able to perform at high levels.
13:17But I think India…
13:19But I think India has also progressed a lot.
13:23For example, Neeraj Chopra has also won athletics.
13:26Then, as I said, in badminton, PV Sindhu has also won two medals.
13:31So, I think all this is slowly changing.
13:34And India will win more medals in the future.
13:39Okay, Diya, you said that their infrastructure,
13:43their sports ecosystem is different.
13:45When you step on the table,
13:48does it also have a mental pressure
13:50that their sports are different
13:53and our sports or the background we come from is different?
13:59I think, game-wise, if you look at it,
14:03we are almost at that level.
14:05I think it's a myth that we are inferior to them.
14:12And when we don't think much about it
14:16and believe in ourselves,
14:19I think Indian athletes can beat anyone.
14:22Because we have so much talent in India.
14:26I think we have so much talent.
14:28And all Indian athletes are very hardworking
14:31and very intelligent.
14:33So, I think if we can improve the mental aspect more,
14:39I think we can definitely beat any foreign country
14:45and win a lot of medals.
14:48Of course, Diya, India has so much talent
14:50that we can beat any athlete in the world.
14:53But there are many selection processes
14:55and many shortcomings that need to be eliminated.
14:58That's what I feel.
14:59Have you ever felt that there is a need for change
15:03in the selection process of the federation
15:05or in the facilities provided by them
15:08that are essential and not available to you?
15:11I mean, in the sense that athletes don't get them.
15:14So, are there any things that need to be changed?
15:22Actually, I am getting a lot of support from the government.
15:27For example, the top scheme.
15:29Because of that, we, the athletes,
15:32are sponsored for international tournaments.
15:36The top scheme sponsors us.
15:38And when I go abroad for training,
15:41or when my foreign coach comes to India for my training,
15:45he is helping me a lot.
15:48And I think, as I said,
15:51there have been a lot of changes already.
15:54Sports, like the way people look at sports in India.
15:57And that is really changing.
15:59I feel, if you see,
16:01in earlier times,
16:03there were very few Indians
16:06who took up sports professionally
16:10or had a career in sports.
16:13But now, if you see,
16:15there are a lot of athletes who have made sports their career.
16:19And I think the government is trying a lot
16:22to support all the athletes
16:24so that we all win medals in the Olympics.
16:28Absolutely.
16:29There are a lot of athletes like you
16:31who have brought India to where it is today
16:34at a very young age.
16:36And there is a lot more hope than you.
16:39I would like to ask one more question.
16:41In this journey,
16:43if a 8-9 year old girl wants to start
16:47in any sport,
16:49what is the most important thing for her?
16:53I think, I feel,
16:55first, I think,
16:57the support of the whole family
16:59is very, very important.
17:01Because when they are young
17:03and they go through such a tough phase
17:06where they are not getting enough performance
17:09or they are going through a low phase,
17:11when you are around the right people
17:13and when you get that support,
17:15then you get that confidence in yourself
17:18that you can still do it, you know,
17:20when everyone is standing behind you.
17:22And also, I think,
17:24just enjoy the whole time.
17:26Don't just go after winning and losing.
17:29But there should be that enjoyment
17:32that yes, I have to do this professionally.
17:36It shouldn't be that someone is forcing you to do it.
17:40So that enjoyment and just give your best.
17:43Every match, just give your best
17:46and keep working hard.
17:50Diya, you have said that
17:52you get the best support in the family.
17:55There is one member in the family
17:57who supports you in everything.
18:00Who is that in your family?
18:02Who is the backbone for you?
18:04Both my mom and dad, I think.
18:07When I used to go for international training,
18:12when I was young,
18:14my mom used to come everywhere with me.
18:17She used to come to Germany too.
18:19And whenever possible,
18:21my dad also comes to Indian tournaments with me.
18:24Both of them always stay with me whenever possible.
18:28And when I am playing,
18:30and I know that he is in the stands
18:32and will support me no matter if I win or lose.
18:36It is in my mind that he is always with me
18:39and will always support me.
18:41So with that, I can play more freely
18:44and give my best.
18:48Diya, what message would you like to give to the youth athletes?
18:52Like I said, I think
18:54winning and losing will happen in sports.
18:57But it is important that
18:59when you lose,
19:01you learn from it and move forward.
19:04I think you just have to enjoy it.
19:07And of course, you have to be patient
19:09because sports is a very long journey.
19:12You don't get anything easily.
19:14You have to work very hard.
19:16But in the end, I think finally,
19:18if you work hard,
19:20you will get results.
19:25Thank you, Diya, for talking to us.