Former national table tennis champ, Venugopal Chandrasekhar, overcame botched-up surgery to become one of the top coaches in India
“Life is like a table tennis game. It’s about finding the right balance between deft touches and powerful smashes,” former national champion Venugopal Chandrasekhar once told TOI during a conversation. It summed up his life — a fighter on and off court — battling till the last point. On May 12, though, the 63-year-old’s willpower was not enough to fight off Covid — the ace player and coach fell to the pandemic that has wreaked havoc. Chandra is survived by his wife Mala and son Sanjay.
Cricket was Chandra’s first love but a head injury while fielding at the slips made him take up table tennis. At 12, Chandra enrolled in the now-defunct Emesor Sports Club in Adyar and his rise in the sport was swift. In 1970, Chandra became the Tamil Nadu sub-junior champion. Three years later, he not only became the state junior champion but also made the quarters of the Nationals.
Cricket was Chandra’s first love but a head injury while fielding at the slips made him take up table tennis. At 12, Chandra enrolled in the now-defunct Emesor Sports Club in Adyar and his rise in the sport was swift. In 1970, Chandra became the Tamil Nadu sub-junior champion. Three years later, he not only became the state junior champion but also made the quarters of the Nationals.