India Today – August 13, 2018

2 INDIA TODAY PUNJABI F AUGUST 2018

These experts in their chosen fields are following

their dreams to make a difference

Cover Story

n By SUKANT DEEPAK and PREET ONKAR SINGH / Photographs by SANDEEP SAHDEV

AANIA DECODED Considered one of the

most promising Indian squash

players, the young woman

represented India in the World

Junior Championship in the un-

der-19 category held in July in Chen-

nai this year. She also carried the

country’s flag twice, first at the Asian

Junior Individual Squash Champion-

ship 2015 in Iran and again in 2016

in Malaysia in the girls under-15

category. She also represented India

at the Asian Junior Squash

Championship 2017 in Jordan.

HELLO SQUASH Singh credits her father

Amanpreet Singh for introducing

her to the game at the age of eight.

“A state-level shooter and mountain

Car Rally Champion (1990), my

father ensured that my brother and I

developed an interest in squash. We

were taught in a fun way with sans

any pressure,” she says.

FIGHTING FIT Since the game demands

a high level of stamina, Singh says

that her lifestyle is all about

discipline. “This sport is about both

physical and mental strength. So,

I make it a point to never miss out

on my exercises. Even if that means

depriving myself of that mouth-

watering pizza or saying no to

parties.”

ROAD AHEAD The young player feels

that the poor infrastructure for

squash is discouraging potential

players. “In a country obsessed with

cricket, it would really not hurt to

have a few squash courts in each

district,” she says.

A SPORT BESIDES SQUASH SWIMMING

WHEN NOT PLAYING READING

STRESS BUSTER MUSIC

OFF THE COURT ATTIRE JEANS

JAANIA SINGH 15,
SQUASH CHAMP, Chandigarh

SMASHING HER WAY THROUGH

J

The Changemakers