The Commonwealth Games have already begun and Indian fans were left astounded when 14-year-old Anahat Singh, the youngest member of the Indian contingent in Birmingham, was scheduled to play on the first day itself. Little is known about the teenage squash player, who came into the limelight with her performance at the CWG 2022. On Day 1, she won her opening women’s single squash match.
The Indian contingent holds many world beaters, however, none are as young as Anahat. While squash is an emerging sport in the country, little has been reported on Anahat, who is in contention to become India’s youngest medallist, should she emerge victorious in her event. Let’s find out who she is and how did she find her way to Birmingham.
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Anahat was born in 2008 in New Delhi. She is also yet to finish her schooling, as she is currently studying in the ninth grade at The British School. She took a liking to badminton at a young age and began playing at the age of six, with her sister Amira. However, her affection turned to squash two years later, and Anahat began playing it.
Her sister was already playing squash at Siri Fort in New Delhi when Anahat began playing it, however, she took it up permanently following her impressive performances. When she was only eight, Anahat began to take professional squash lessons, before participating in competitions all over the country.
She displayed an impressive performance at the national selection trials for the Commonwealth Games 2022 when she was picked. The CWG will also see her make senior debut, as the 14-year-old starlet has never played in the senior circuit before in her life.
While Anahat is representing the country at the Commonwealth Games, her sister is currently on the squash team of Harvard University.
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She has won 46 national titles till now in her career, apart from two national championship titles and eight international trophies in the last six years. Anahat also became the first Indian woman to win the British Junior Squash Open, when she emerged victorious in the competition in 2019. Two years later, she also won the US Junior Squash Open.
She will face Jada Ross of St. Vincent & The Grenadines in the women’s singles Round of 64 in her senior debut at the Commonwealth Games 2022.