Priceless: the definition of the word ‘Anmol’ in Hindi. Well, a priceless find she has been indeed, as Anmol Kharb brought home a priceless Gold, the first ever for India, after putting away Pornpicha Choeikeewong of Thailand in the final of the 2024 Badminton Asia Team Championships.
The 17-year-old sensation created waves in the world of Indian sport as she remained the point of difference, not once or twice, but thrice across India’s run in the tournament.
Kharb was India’s last resort and trump card, slated to be their ultimate match-winner, as the youngster clinched India the tie-breaker through three rounds of the tournament.
Her exploits has garnered comparisons with the likes of Saina Nehwal, for the instant impact that she has brought about in her short career so far.
But, where did India unearth the priceless gem that is Anmol?
Born on January 20, 2007, in Haryana’s Faridabad, Anmol Kharb took up badminton at a young age having seen her elder brother Hardik play the sport.
Her brother’s interest in the sport waned, but it only cleared the way for Anmol, whose spark for the sport shone brighter as she continued to grow as a player with the support of her parents.
In order to pursue a career in badminton, Anmol was due a shift of location. She needed guidance and direction to harness the potential in her. And so she did at the Sunrise Shuttlers Academy in Noida, under coach Kusumm Singh, a former national-level peer of Olympic medallist Saina Nehwal and Ashwini Ponnappa.
It was only a matter of time till Anmol’s talents would produce results. In 2019, at the age of 12, her exploits began as she won the U-178 All India Ranking title in Hyderabad, and by the next year, she would go on to get picked for the ‘Khelo India’ Scheme which provides assistance to rising athletes.
Her victories came in thick and fast soon onwards, as she clinched both the U-17 National Titles in 2020, along with her partner Vennala K. By 2022, Kharb became India’s No.1 ranked player in both U-17and U-19 age groups.
The cheery on top before she would ultimately be chosen to represent the nation at the highest level was her triumph at the Senior Nationals in 2023, where she poketed her first Senior title at the age of merely 16.
Up next was the ultimate challenge, going international.
Partaking in her her first-ever senior international meet, Anmol was sent up to play the deciding tie in India’s group stage clash against the People’s Republic of China, where she battled it out over three sets of 22-20, 14-21, 21-18 to seal the deal for India.
But, this was merely the beginning, as up next was a daunting Japan to face in the semi-final for Anmol.
India and Japan traded blows, eventually tying the game at 2-2, and it was all up to Kharb, ranked World No. 472, once again to take on World No. 29 Natsuiki Nidaira in the final encounter.
But, those rankings barely made any difference as the Faridabad native just slashed away at Nidaira in two straight sets of 21-14, 12-18 to propel India to the final.
And finally, the promised land was merely one step away, but it almost proved to be one step too far away for India.
After taking a commanding 2-0 lead against Thailand in the final, India incurred successive losses as the likes of Ashmita Chaliha and the duo of Shruti Mishra and Priya Konjengbam both fell to the Thai, who tied the scores.
With one last game left, one last hurdle between India and the Gold, Kharb walked out against the momentum shift and in no time, washed Thailand’s Pornpicha Choeikeewong in two sets of 21-14, 21-9 to secure the ultimate prize for the country.
Her giant-killing spree garnered the attention and respect of countless in the Indian badminton circles, including the legendary Gopichand, who lasvished praise on the young phenom.
“To take the pressure on and show that kind of nerve, it is very refreshing. She is fearless. The kind of strokes that she plays, come naturally to her. She is reading the game well, you can see her intelligence. She played beautifully,” Gopichand stated.
And now, Anmol has the hopes and dreams of the Indian badminton world at the palm of her hand, as everyone looks to her to yield her racket proudly and to bring glory for years to come.
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