On Day 3 of the Paris Olympics, a historic moment occurred in the world of Indian sports. For the first time ever, an Indian table tennis player made it to the Olympic singles round of 16. Manika Batra, a name already synonymous with achievements in Indian table tennis, reached a revolutionary turning point.  

Batra gave a stunning performance that cemented her legacy in Olympics history by defeating France’s higher-ranked Prithika Pavade. This achievement marks a new era as Batra becomes the first paddler from the country to advance to this prestigious point.  

Who is Manika Batra? 

Manika Batra, a Delhi-born table tennis player, took up the sport when she was four years old. She got her inspiration from her elder siblings (Anchal and Sahil), who were also tennis players. She trained under coach Sandeep Gupta and her talent was evident from the very start.  

Her Sports Career so far 

Batra rose to fame after winning a silver medal at the 2011 Chile Open and represented India at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. Her big break came in 2015 when she took home three medals at the Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships.  

Batra’s most notable accomplishment was at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia, where she led India to a historic gold medal victory over Singapore. She finished the league with four medals overall, including India’s first silver in women’s doubles and a historic gold in singles. Extending her streak, she won a gold at the 2019 Commonwealth Table Tennis Championship.  

Manika at Olympics 2024 

At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Manika created history, by being the first Indian table tennis player to reach the round of 16 in singles competition. This achievement surpasses her previous record from the Tokyo Olympics, where she became the first Indian woman to advance to the round of 32 in singles.