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KOLKATA: It was in January this year that India’s ace table tennis player Poulami Ghatak had decided to retire from the sport which made her a household name. However, it is only now that people have come to know of that.
“I never announced my retirement formally because I thought who would be interested in knowing it. However, my family members and I have been extremely overwhelmed with the response we are getting. I never thought people have followed my game so closely and that I would get so much respect. My parents had sacrificed for my career and they are also very emotional,” said Poulami.
Having broken into the national team at quite an young age, Poulami remained an extremely consistent performer and excelled for more than two decades. It was in 2015 that she gave birth to her son but came back to the circuit to make it to the final in the 2016 senior nationals.
That brought her back to the national team fray. “I was being called for the national camp again. But, I made a conscious decision that I would not play internationally anymore. I had a son and I wanted to enjoy that phase entirely,” she said.
Standing on seven national titles, the aim was, however, there to chase Indu Puri’s record haul of eight national crowns.
“It is a huge regret as I was the closest. Everybody expected me to go for it. It was on my mind as well even when I started coaching last year. But, I have been an active member of the national team for 20 years and when I stayed away from the national team and saw others play, I could not keep the motivation. I am also injury prone and at this time I had to make double the effort as before. This is the game for which I had dedicated everything and I thought that when I am not being able to give 100 per cent, I should stop. It was before the nationals this year that the decision was sealed,” added Poulami.
“I have had so many moments to cherish in my career. Playing in Olympics, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and many world championships. The two medals at the Delhi Commonwealth Games will remain special as those were won in my country. I can say I was consistent.”
Since last year, the 37-year old has been engrossed with RCS Poulami Soumyadeep Table Tennis Academy.
“I had started with the kids and was about to begin advanced training in March before the pandemic struck. I want to pass on my experience and knowledge to the next generation. The aim is to build a proper system, like what (Pullela) Gopichand has done in badminton, so that many players come through. I would like to groom them in such a way that they go on to win a medal in the Olympics and fulfill a dream,” she said.
Poulami and her husband and former champion Soumyadeep Roy have another academy: UTT JSS Soumyadeep Poulami academy.
“I never announced my retirement formally because I thought who would be interested in knowing it. However, my family members and I have been extremely overwhelmed with the response we are getting. I never thought people have followed my game so closely and that I would get so much respect. My parents had sacrificed for my career and they are also very emotional,” said Poulami.
Having broken into the national team at quite an young age, Poulami remained an extremely consistent performer and excelled for more than two decades. It was in 2015 that she gave birth to her son but came back to the circuit to make it to the final in the 2016 senior nationals.
That brought her back to the national team fray. “I was being called for the national camp again. But, I made a conscious decision that I would not play internationally anymore. I had a son and I wanted to enjoy that phase entirely,” she said.
Standing on seven national titles, the aim was, however, there to chase Indu Puri’s record haul of eight national crowns.
“It is a huge regret as I was the closest. Everybody expected me to go for it. It was on my mind as well even when I started coaching last year. But, I have been an active member of the national team for 20 years and when I stayed away from the national team and saw others play, I could not keep the motivation. I am also injury prone and at this time I had to make double the effort as before. This is the game for which I had dedicated everything and I thought that when I am not being able to give 100 per cent, I should stop. It was before the nationals this year that the decision was sealed,” added Poulami.
“I have had so many moments to cherish in my career. Playing in Olympics, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and many world championships. The two medals at the Delhi Commonwealth Games will remain special as those were won in my country. I can say I was consistent.”
Since last year, the 37-year old has been engrossed with RCS Poulami Soumyadeep Table Tennis Academy.
“I had started with the kids and was about to begin advanced training in March before the pandemic struck. I want to pass on my experience and knowledge to the next generation. The aim is to build a proper system, like what (Pullela) Gopichand has done in badminton, so that many players come through. I would like to groom them in such a way that they go on to win a medal in the Olympics and fulfill a dream,” she said.
Poulami and her husband and former champion Soumyadeep Roy have another academy: UTT JSS Soumyadeep Poulami academy.
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