Sharath Kamal

Sharath Kamal
Kamal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi
Personal information
Full nameSharath Kamal Achanta[1]
Born (1982-07-12) 12 July 1982 (age 42)
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Height1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight82 kg (181 lb; 12.9 st)
Table tennis career
Playing styleRight-handed, shakehand grip
Highest ranking30 (2019)[2]
Current ranking37 (April 2024)[3]
Medal record
Men's table tennis
Representing  India
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal – first place 2006 Melbourne Men's singles
Gold medal – first place 2006 Melbourne Men's team
Gold medal – first place 2010 Delhi Men's doubles
Gold medal – first place 2018 Gold Coast Men's team
Gold medal – first place 2022 Birmingham Men's singles
Gold medal – first place 2022 Birmingham Mixed doubles
Gold medal – first place 2022 Birmingham Men's team
Silver medal – second place 2014 Glasgow Men's doubles
Silver medal – second place 2018 Gold Coast Men's doubles
Silver medal – second place 2022 Birmingham Men's doubles
Bronze medal – third place 2010 Delhi Men's singles
Bronze medal – third place 2010 Delhi Men's team
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Gold Coast Men's singles
Asian Games
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Jakarta Men's team
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Jakarta Mixed doubles
Asian Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2021 Doha Men's team
Bronze medal – third place 2021 Doha Men's doubles
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Pyeongchang Men's team

Achanta Sharath Kamal (born 12 July 1982) is an Indian professional table tennis player. He is the first Indian table tennis player ever to become ten time Senior National Champion[4] hence breaking the record of eight-time National Champion Kamlesh Mehta. In 2019 he was awarded the Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian award[5] and in 2022, he was awarded the Khel Ratna Award, India's highest sporting honour.[6] He is ranked 32 in ITTF world ranking. He beat Joo Se Hyuk and Chuang Chih-yuan, world no. 8 and 16 respectively in 2015 28th Asian cup at Jaipur.[7] Sharath won the men's singles gold in the 16th Commonwealth table tennis championship held at Kuala Lumpur in 2004. He is a recipient of the Arjuna award for the year 2004.[8][9]

He won the Gold medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, beating crowd favourite Australian William Henzell in the final, apart from helping the Indian team clinch gold in the table tennis team event against Singapore. He teamed up with Subhajit Saha to win the Men's Doubles gold at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi. He won three medals in 2018 Commonwealth Games; Gold in men's team event; Silver in men's doubles;[10] and bronze in men's singles event.[11][12][13]

Sharath qualified for the 2016 Rio Olympics after beating Iran's Noshad Alamian in the Asian Olympic qualification.[14] However, he made a first round exit in the men's individual event.[15] He is an alumnus of PSBB Nungambakkam school[16] (class of 2000) and Loyola College, Chennai.[8][17] He is employed with the Indian Oil Corporation as an officer.[18]

  1. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Sharath Kamal Achanta". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 23 June 2018.
  2. ^ "World ranking Record for ACHANTA Sharath Kamal (IND)". ITTF. Archived from the original on 13 August 2016. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
  3. ^ "World Table Tennis".
  4. ^ "Senior TT Championships: Sharath Kamal wins 10th national title, Sreeja Akula her first". thebridge.in. 25 April 2022.
  5. ^ "Kamal, Chhetri, Punia and Gambhir to receive Padma Shri Award". Sportstar.thehindu.com. 25 January 2019. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  6. ^ "Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports announces National Sports Awards 2022". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
  7. ^ "Current WR – Men". results.ittf.link. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
  8. ^ a b "Fresh Faces". India Today. Retrieved 6 August 2009.
  9. ^ Ramanujam, Srinivasa (5 May 2021), "How table tennis champ Sharath Kamal is chasing his Olympics dream", The Hindu
  10. ^ "Sharath-Saha win men's doubles TT". Rediff India. Retrieved 13 October 2010.
  11. ^ "CWG 2018: Iconic Achantha Sharath Kamal bows out with TT bronze". Times of India. 15 April 2018. Retrieved 15 April 2018.
  12. ^ "CWG 2018: Sathiyan G, Sharath Kamal settle for Silver in men's doubles table tennis". India Today. 14 April 2018. Retrieved 15 April 2018.
  13. ^ "Commonwealth Games 2018: Sharath Kamal leads India to gold medal in men's table tennis team event". Firstpost. 10 April 2018. Retrieved 15 April 2018.
  14. ^ "Achanta Sharath Kamal qualifies for Rio 2016". Inshorts. 16 April 2016. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  15. ^ "TT Players Mouma, Manika, Soumyajit and Kamal Lose in 1st Round". The Quint. 7 August 2016. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  16. ^ "PSBB Alumni". PSBB Schools. Retrieved 28 August 2009.
  17. ^ "Achanta Sharath Kamal Fan Webpage". Achanta Sharath Kamal. Archived from the original on 28 May 2010. Retrieved 20 May 2010.
  18. ^ "Sharath Kamal storms into final". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 26 March 2006. Archived from the original on 20 April 2006. Retrieved 26 March 2006.