Archana Kamath surprised everyone by deciding to end her career after competing in the Olympics.
At the young age of 24, Archana Kamath, who proudly represented India at the prestigious Paris Olympics, made the tough but courageous choice to leave her career in table tennis behind and instead dedicate her time and energy to her studies.
Archana faced challenges leading up to the Paris Olympics as her selection over Ayhika Mukherjee, who had defeated World No. 1 Sun Yingsha, was questioned.
However, Archana remained unfazed by the doubts and played a crucial role in the Indian women’s table tennis team’s historic achievement of reaching the quarterfinals in the team event at the Olympics, the country’s best performance in table tennis at the Olympics.
In India’s loss to Germany, Archana was the sole victor, winning the only match in the tie against the higher-ranked Xiaona Shan.
Archana said “I have had a wonderful 15 years with table tennis, and there is no greater honour than getting an opportunity to give my best for my country. The last thing I want to do is pull people away from table tennis. It is an amazing sport that I have had the privilege of playing for a long time and my love for it continues.I have received extraordinary support, and I neither have the right nor inclination to complain on that front doing so would be extremely unfair to the athletes who have really struggled for want of support.”
She also added “The best thing about the Olympics was being with seniors like Sharath Kamal and Manika Batra. The environment was so good. I also got to meet Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Carlos Alcaraz. I made memories of life there. I have also loved fighting for my country and that is something I will miss the most. I hope to keep playing in the US.”
Coach’s reaction
Archana told her coach, Anshul Garg, that she no longer believed she had a future in professional table tennis.
After coming back from the Paris Games, 24-year-old Kamath had a sincere discussion with her coach, Anshul Garg, about the possibility of winning a medal in the upcoming games. The coach, understandably surprised by Archana’s decision, chose to give an honest reply.
“I told her that it’s difficult. It’s going to take a lot of hard work. She’s ranked outside the top 100 in the world but she improved so much in the past couple of months. But I think she had already made up her mind to go. And once she makes up her mind, it’s difficult to change it.”
Archana’s Passion for academics
Archana, a determined and talented individual, made the decision to pursue her education abroad, recognizing her academic abilities and shifting the course of her life. While her initial aspiration was to win an Olympic medal, she now sees pursuing education abroad as a more promising career path.
In an interview, she revealed that her inspiration comes from her brother, who works at NASA. She credits him for encouraging her to prioritize her studies, which she thoroughly enjoys and excels in.
After earning her Bachelor’s degree in Economics, her dedication fueled her pursuit of a Master’s in International Relations. Now, she is passionate about serving India in the field of public policy as she embarks on her second Master’s degree.
She said “I have always liked studying, as much as table tennis. I had inquired about this course in Michigan last year as well but then we qualified for the Paris Olympics as a team for the first time, and I wanted to focus on that.
Her father also speaks highly of her, describing her as a brilliant student and applauding her commitment to both her table tennis career and her academic pursuits.
He said “Archana has always been academically oriented and all along her TT career has pursued her studies with graduation in Economics and has recently completed the requirements for a master’s degree in International Relations, Strategies, and Securities. Having played table tennis with so much dedication and passion for more than 15 years which culminated in her representing our country at the Olympics, she felt it was time for her to pursue her other passion- full-time studies. She has taken this difficult step with absolutely no regrets and after having given her best for the sport and the country,”
Decision not financially driven
Archana confirmed that she did not encounter any financial difficulties and described the support she received as “exceptional.” She received backing from organizations such as TOPS (Target Olympic Podium Scheme), Olympic Gold Quest (OGQ), and other sponsors in preparation for the Paris Games.
In her own words, “If I have retired from competitive table tennis, it is solely due to my fervor for academics. The remarkable support, including financial assistance, that I received made it clear that my decision was not financially driven.”
