Rajiv Ranjan Bhakt at 08:37, 1 October 2023

2023-10-01T08:37:35Z

New page

{{short description|Indian table tennis player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2018}}
{{Infobox table tennis player
| name = Manika Batra
| image = Manika Batra 1 (cropped).jpg
| image_size =
| caption =
| fullname = Manika Batra
| nicknames =
| nationality = Indian
| residence =
| playingstyle = Shakehand grip
| equipment =
| hrank = 33
<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ittf.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/2022_18_SEN_WS.html|title=ITTF Table Tennis World Ranking Women's Singles 2022 Week #18|website=ittf.com|accessdate=19 November 2022}}</ref>
| crank = 39 (May 2023)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ittf.com/rankings/|title=ITTF Table Tennis World Ranking|website=ittf.com|access-date=19 November 2022}}</ref>
| club =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1995|6|15|df=yes}}<ref name=cwg/>
| birth_place = [[Delhi]], [[India]]<ref name=cwg/>
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height = {{convert|1.8|m|ftin|abbr=on}} (2018)<ref name=cwg/>
| weight = {{convert|67|kg|lb|abbr=on}} (2018)<ref name=cwg/>
| show-medals = yes
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalSport | Women's [[table tennis]] }}
{{MedalCountry | {{IND}} }}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Asian Games]] }}
{{MedalBronze | [[2018 Asian Games|2018 Jakarta/Palembang]] | [[Table tennis at the 2018 Asian Games – Mixed doubles|Mixed doubles]] }}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Asian Cup Table Tennis Tournament|Asian Cup]]}}
{{MedalBronze |2022 Bangkok |Women's singles}}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Commonwealth Games]] }}
{{MedalGold | [[2018 Commonwealth Games|2018 Gold Coast]] | [[Table tennis at the 2018 Commonwealth Games – Women's team|Women's team]] }}
{{MedalGold | [[2018 Commonwealth Games|2018 Gold Coast]] | [[Table tennis at the 2018 Commonwealth Games – Women's singles|Women's singles]] }}
{{MedalSilver | [[2018 Commonwealth Games|2018 Gold Coast]] | [[Table tennis at the 2018 Commonwealth Games – Women's doubles|Women's doubles]] }}
{{MedalBronze | [[2018 Commonwealth Games|2018 Gold Coast]] | [[Table tennis at the 2018 Commonwealth Games – Mixed doubles|Mixed doubles]] }}
{{Medal|Competition|[[South Asian Games]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[2016 South Asian Games|2016 Guwahati/Shillong]] | [[Table tennis at the 2016 South Asian Games|Women's team]] }}
{{Medal|Gold|[[2016 South Asian Games|2016 Guwahati/Shillong]] | [[Table tennis at the 2016 South Asian Games|Women's doubles]] }}
{{Medal|Gold|[[2016 South Asian Games|2016 Guwahati/Shillong]] | [[Table tennis at the 2016 South Asian Games|Mixed doubles]] }}
{{Medal|Silver|[[2016 South Asian Games|2016 Guwahati/Shillong]] | [[Table tennis at the 2016 South Asian Games|Women's singles]] }}
}}

'''Manika Batra''' (born 15 June 1995) is an Indian [[table tennis]] player. She is the top female table tennis player in India and she is currently world number 39 in ITTF as of May 2023. She is one of the female players who use long pimple rubber. <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ittf.com/rankings/|title=ITTF Table Tennis World Ranking|website=ittf.com|access-date=19 November 2022}}</ref> She was awarded the [[Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna]] in 2020.<ref>{{cite news |title='It motivates me to work harder': Manika Batra on winning Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna |url=https://www.dnaindia.com/sports/report-it-motivates-me-to-work-harder-manika-batra-on-winning-rajiv-gandhi-khel-ratna-2840070 |access-date=18 October 2020 |work=DNA India |date=29 August 2020 |language=en}}</ref>

==Early life==
Batra was born on 15 June 1995 as the youngest of three children.<ref name=ie>{{cite news|last1=Judge|first1=Shahid|title=India's table tennis hope for Rio 2016 Olympics – Manika Batra|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/sports/sport-others/rio-2016-olymics-table-tennis-manika-batra-2890311/|access-date=6 July 2016|work=The Indian Express|date=3 July 2016}}</ref> She hails from [[Naraina Area|Naraina Vihar]] in Delhi<ref>{{cite news|title=Paddler Manika Batra completes hat-trick of gold medals at South Asian Games|url=http://www.news18.com/news/other-sports/paddler-manika-batra-completes-hat-trick-of-gold-medals-at-south-asian-games-1201398.html|access-date=4 July 2016|work=News18|date=10 February 2016}}</ref> and began playing table tennis at the age of four.<ref name=hindu>{{cite news|title=Manika Batra: the new hope of the nation|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-sports/manika-batra-the-new-hope-of-the-nation/article2378176.ece|work=The Hindu|access-date=28 June 2016|date=21 August 2011}}</ref> Her elder sister Anchal and elder brother Sahil both played table tennis,<ref name=espn>{{cite news|last1=Sen|first1=Debayan|title=Manika Batra looks to Rio and beyond|url=http://www.espn.in/olympics/story/_/id/17145775/manika-batra-looks-rio-beyond|access-date=2 August 2016|work=ESPN.in|date=27 July 2016}}</ref> with Anchal having an influence on her during her early playing career.<ref name=yahoo>{{cite news|last1=Ghoshal|first1=Shuvro|title=Interview with Manika Batra: "I don't want to go to Rio Olympics and return without a medal"|url=https://in.news.yahoo.com/interview-manika-batra-don-t-140150037.html|access-date=4 July 2016 |work=Yahoo!|date=11 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160822193541/https://in.news.yahoo.com/interview-manika-batra-don-t-140150037.html|archive-date=22 August 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> After winning a match in a state-level under-8 tournament, Batra decided to train under coach Sandeep Gupta who suggested her to switch to [[Hans Raj Model School]] where he ran his academy.<ref name=espn/>

Batra turned down many modelling offers as a teenager.<ref name=cwg>{{cite web|title=Manika Batra|url=http://g2014results.thecgf.com/athlete/table_tennis/1027589/m_batra.html|publisher=Glasgow 2014|access-date=28 June 2016}}</ref> When she was 16, she declined a scholarship to train at the [[Peter Karlsson (table tennis)|Peter Karlsson]] Academy in Sweden.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Judge|first1=Shahid|title=Improved fitness key to Manika Batra's consistency|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/sports/sport-others/improved-fitness-key-to-manikas-consistency/|work=The Indian Express|access-date=28 June 2016|date=18 December 2015}}</ref> She studied at the [[Jesus and Mary College]], [[New Delhi]] for a year before dropping out to concentrate on table tennis.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Patra|first1=Pratyush|title=Delhi love & Rio talk before Olympics|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/events/delhi/Delhi-love-Rio-talk-before-Olympics/articleshow/52126764.cms|access-date=6 July 2016|work=The Times of India|date=6 May 2016}}</ref>

==Career==
[[File:ManikaBatra.jpg|thumb|270px|Manika Batra in action at 2019 [[Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships]], [[Odisha]], India]]

In 2011, Batra won the silver medal in the under-21 category of the Chile Open.<ref name=hindu/> She represented India at the [[2014 Commonwealth Games]] at Glasgow, where she finished quarterfinalist,<ref name=espn/> as well as the [[2014 Asian Games]]. She won three medals at the 2015 [[Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships]],<ref name=yahoo/> winning silver in the women's team event (with [[Ankita Das]] and [[Mouma Das]]) as well as the women's doubles event (with Ankita Das) and bronze in the women's singles event.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Keerthivasan|first1=K.|title=Singapore sweeps singles titles|url=http://www.thehindu.com/sport/other-sports/avadh20th-commonwealth-table-tennis-championships-singapore-sweeps-singles-titles/article8014783.ece|access-date=6 July 2016|work=The Hindu|date=21 December 2015}}</ref>

Batra won three gold medals at the [[2016 South Asian Games]],<ref>{{cite news|title=Rio Zone – Manika Batra: Nation's new hope|url=http://www.punemirror.in/sports/others/Rio-Zone-Manika-Batra-Nations-new-hope/articleshow/52542678.cms|work=Pune Mirror|access-date=28 June 2016|date=1 June 2016}}</ref> winning the women's doubles event (with [[Pooja Sahasrabudhe]]), mixed doubles event (with [[Anthony Amalraj]]) and women's team event (with Mouma Das and [[Shamini Kumaresan]]). Batra was denied a fourth gold medal at the Games by Mouma Das, who defeated her in the final of the women's singles event.<ref>{{cite news|title=South Asian Games: India clean sweeps 12 medals in Table Tennis|url=http://www.tensports.com/news/south-asian-games-india-clean-sweeps-12-medals-table-tennis|access-date=6 July 2016|work=Ten Sports|date=10 February 2016}}</ref> She qualified for the women's singles event of the [[2016 Summer Olympics]] by winning the South Asia group of the [[Table tennis at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Qualification|qualification tournament]] in April 2016.<ref>{{cite news|title=Table Tennis: Soumyajit Ghosh, Manika Batra book Rio Olympics berths with victories in Asian Qualifiers|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/sport/report-table-tennis-soumyajit-ghosh-manika-batra-book-rio-olympics-berths-with-victories-in-asian-qualifiers-2202068|work=DNA India|access-date=28 June 2016|date=14 April 2016}}</ref> However, her appearance at the 2016 Olympics short-lived, as she lost to [[Katarzyna Grzybowska]] of [[Poland]] in the first round of the [[Table tennis at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Women's singles|women's individual event]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Rio Olympics 2016: Mouma Das, Manika Batra lose as Indian women's challenge in table tennis ends|url=http://www.firstpost.com/sports/rio-olympics-2016-mouma-das-manika-batra-lose-as-indian-womens-challenge-in-table-tennis-ends-2939704.html|access-date=8 August 2016|publisher=First Post|date=6 August 2016}}</ref>

Batra led the [[Table tennis at the 2018 Commonwealth Games – Women's team|Indian women's team]] to a gold medal win in the final against four-time gold medalists and defending champions Singapore at the [[2018 Commonwealth Games]] in Gold Coast, Australia.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/sports/manika-batra-leads-india-to-historic-women-table-tennis-gold-at-commonwealth-games/articleshow/63668849.cms | title=Manika Batra leads India to historic women Table Tennis gold at Commonwealth Games | newspaper=[[The Economic Times]] | date=8 April 2018 | access-date=8 April 2018}}</ref> The Singapore women's table tennis team had never lost in the Commonwealth Games since the sport was inducted in the program in 2002. Batra defeated world number 4 [[Feng Tianwei]] as well as [[Zhou Yihan]] in India's 3–1 win in the final.<ref>{{cite news|title=CWG 2018: India women win gold in table tennis team event |department=Commonwealth Games News |newspaper=Times of India
|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/commonwealth-games/cwg-2018-india-women-win-gold-in-table-tennis-team-event/articleshow/63668428.cms |date=8 April 2018}}</ref>

Batra and [[Mouma Das]] won India's maiden silver medal in the women's doubles category at the [[2018 Commonwealth Games]] losing to defending champions Feng Tianwei and Yu Mengyu of Singapore in the gold medal clash.
Batra became the first Indian woman to bag a commonwealth table tennis individual gold medal in CWG 2018 by beating Yu Mengyu of Singapore. She won 4 medals in 4 events she was participating out of which 2 are gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze medal.<ref>{{cite web|title=Manika Batra wins bronze in the mixed doubles to win her fourth medal|date=14 April 2018|url=http://www.espn.com/commonwealth-games/story/_/id/23175253/manika-batra-wins-bronze-mixed-doubles-win-fourth-medal-cwg|access-date=15 April 2018}}</ref>

At the 2019 [[Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships]], Batra was the member of the women's team which win the gold by defeating [[Singapore]] in the final.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://zeenews-india-com.org/v/s/zeenews.india.com/other-sports/commonwealth-table-tennis-championships-india-men-women-paddlers-storm-into-final-2220400.html/amp?amp_js_v=a6&amp_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQKKAFQArABIIACAw%3D%3D#aoh=16491716004097&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fzeenews.india.com%2Fother-sports%2Fcommonwealth-table-tennis-championships-india-men-women-paddlers-storm-into-final-2220400.html|access-date=19 July 2019|title=Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships: India men, women paddlers storm into final}}</ref>

At the [[2020 Summer Olympics]], Batra reached the third round of the women's singles event, becoming the first Indian paddler to reach the third round at the Olympics in a singles event.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Manika Batra – All You Need To Know|work=SportsTiger|url=https://www.sportstiger.com/manika-batra-all-you-need-to-know/|access-date=24 July 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Tokyo Olympics {{!}} Manika Batra stuns Ukraines's Margaryta Pesotska to reach third round|work=[[The Hindu]]|url=https://www.thehindu.com/sport/other-sports/tokyo-olympics-manika-batra-stuns-margaryta-pesotska-to-reach-third-round/article35520526.ece|access-date=25 July 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=26 July 2021|title=Tokyo Olympics: Manika Batra bows out with 3rd round loss to Austria's Polcanova|work=[[hindustantimes]]|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/sports/olympics/tokyo-olympics-manika-batra-bows-out-with-3rd-round-loss-to-austria-s-polcanova-india-s-challenge-ends-in-table-tennis-women-s-singles-101627291466132.html|access-date=27 July 2021}}</ref>

Batra won the 2021 wtt contender Budapest mixed doubles with [[Sathiyan Gnanasekaran]] by outplaying [[Hungary]]'s [[Dora Madarasz]] and Nandor Ecseki 3-1.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/other-sports/story/manika-batra-sathiyan-gnanasekaran-win-2021-wtt-contender-budapest-mixed-doubles-title-1843428-2021-08-20|access-date=20 August 2021|title=Manika Batra, Sathiyan Gnanasekaran win 2021 WTT Contender Budapest mixed doubles title}}</ref> Batra then won wtt contender Lasko 2021 women's doubles with Archana Girish Kamath by beating Diaz Sisters pair of [[Melanie Diaz]] and [[Adriana Díaz (table tennis)|Adriana Diaz]] from [[Puerto Rico]] 11-3, 11-8, 12-10. The Indian duo saved four game points in the third set to seal the match.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://m-timesofindia-com.org/v/s/m.timesofindia.com/sports/more-sports/others/manika-archana-win-womens-doubles-title-in-slovenia/amp_articleshow/87571979.cms?amp_js_v=a6&amp_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQKKAFQArABIIACAw%3D%3D#aoh=16491813716319&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From%20%251%24s|access-date=7 November 2021|title=Manika and Archana win their maiden women's doubles title in Slovenia}}</ref>

Batra participated at the 1st ever [[World Table Tennis (ITTF)|WTT]] Grand Smash event which was the Singapore Smash 2022. In the singles her run ended in the 1st round after losing to [[Zhang Mo (table tennis)|Zhang Mo]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/sports/singapore-smash-2022-g-sathiyan-prevails-sharath-kamal-manika-batra-make-first-round-exit-news-186586|access-date=12 March 2022|title=Singapore Smash 2022: G Sathiyan Prevails; Sharath Kamal, Manika Batra Make First Round Exit}}</ref> In the mixed doubles she and [[Sathiyan Gnanasekaran]] lost top seeds [[Lin Yun-ju]] and [[Cheng I Ching]] in straight games 3-0. In the women's doubles event she and Archana Girish Kamath lost to Japanese pair of [[Hina Hayata]] and [[Mima Itō]] 3-0 in the Quarter-finals.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.news18.com/news/sports/indian-campaign-ends-in-singapore-smash-after-exit-of-manika-batra-archana-kamath-pair-4877870.html|access-date=15 March 2022|title=Indian Campaign Ends in Singapore Smash after Exit of Manika Batra-Archana Kamath Pair}}</ref>

Batra settled for silver at WTT Contender Doha 2022 with [[Sathiyan Gnanasekaran]] in mixed doubles where they lost against the top-seeded [[Chinese Taipei]] pair of [[Lin Yun-ju]] and [[Cheng I-Ching]]. The Indians lost 4-11, 5-11, 3-11 in straight games.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://theprint.in/sport/wtt-contender-manika-batra-g-sathiyan-pair-settle-for-silver-sharath-kamal-ends-up-with-bronze/887603/|access-date=25 March 2022|title=WTT Contender: Manika Batra-G Sathiyan pair settle for silver, Sharath Kamal ends up with bronze}}</ref> Batra then bagged a bronze at WTT Star Contender Doha 2022 in women's doubles event with Archana Girish Kamath. They lost in the Semi-finals to Li Yu-Jhun and [[Cheng I-Ching]] 8-11, 6-11, 7-11.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://m.timesofindia.com/sports/more-sports/others/manika-archana-pair-settles-for-bronze-in-wtt-star-contender/amp_articleshow/90544302.cms|access-date=30 March 2022|title=Manika-Archana pair settles for bronze in WTT Star Contender|website=[[The Times of India]] }}</ref>

On 5 April 2022, the pair of Batra and Archana Girish Kamath reached the pair ranking of world no. 4 which is the highest ever ranking by an Indian tennis player in all categories (Men's Singles, Women's Singles, Men's Doubles, Women's Doubles, Mixed Doubles).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.jansatta.com/khel/manika-batra-and-archana-kamath-create-history-become-1st-indian-to-reach-number-4-in-ittf-rankings/2116770/|access-date=5 April 2022|title=Manika Batra and Archana Kamath create history, become first Indian to reach number 4 in ITTF rankings}}</ref>

==Controversies==
In September 2021, Batra accused Indian National Coach Soumyadeep Roy of pressuring her to throw a match at the Olympic Qualifiers (in March) to his personal student.<ref>{{Cite web|date=4 September 2021|title=Manika Batra Accuses Indian National Coach of Match-Fixing|url=http://edgesandnets.com/2021/09/04/manika-batra-accuses-indian-national-coach-of-match-fixing/|access-date=4 September 2021|website=edgesandnets.com|language=en-US}}</ref>

==Awards==
*2020 – [[Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna]], highest sporting honour of India
*2018 – [[Arjuna Award]], second-highest sporting honour of India
*2018 – The Breakthrough Star Award by ITTF

==In the media==
Batra was featured on the cover of the July 2018 issue of [[Femina (India)|Femina]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.rediff.com/getahead/report/fashion-indias-golden-girls-glam-up-feminas-latest-cover/20180710.htm|title=India's golden girls glam up Femina's latest cover|work=Rediff|access-date=17 July 2018}}</ref>

She also featured in the November 2018 edition of [[Vogue Magazine]].{{citation needed|date=August 2021}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==

* {{WTT player|115920}}
* {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160817025854/http://www.ittf.com/ittf_ranking/WR_Table_3_A2_Details.asp?ID=25454482&s_Player_Name=& |date=dmy |title=Manika Batra at the International Table Tennis Federation}}
* [http://www.tabletennisbug.com/2018/06/manika-batra-profile.html Manika Batra at Table Tennis Bug]
* {{Olympedia}}
* {{Olympics.com|manika-batra}}
* {{CGF profile|65832|archive=20221215232312}}

{{Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Awardees}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Batra, Manika}}
[[Category:1995 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Indian female table tennis players]]
[[Category:Racket sportspeople from Delhi]]
[[Category:Sportswomen from Delhi]]
[[Category:Table tennis players at the 2016 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Table tennis players at the 2020 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic table tennis players for India]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian women]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian people]]
[[Category:Table tennis players at the 2014 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Table tennis players at the 2018 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Table tennis players at the 2022 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Asian Games medalists in table tennis]]
[[Category:Asian Games bronze medalists for India]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2018 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Table tennis players at the 2018 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Table tennis players at the 2022 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games medallists in table tennis]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists for India]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists for India]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games bronze medallists for India]]
[[Category:Delhi University alumni]]
[[Category:South Asian Games gold medalists for India]]
[[Category:South Asian Games silver medalists for India]]
[[Category:South Asian Games medalists in table tennis]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Khel Ratna Award]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Arjuna Award]]
[[Category:Medallists at the 2018 Commonwealth Games]]

Manika Batra - Revision history

Rajiv Ranjan Bhakt at 08:37, 1 October 2023