Fighter on & off the table: Chandrasekhar’s life story

CHENNAI: Three-time national table tennis champion and noted coach V Chandrasekhar passed away here on Wednesday due to Covid-19. He was 63 and was also the president of the Tamizhaga Table Tennis Association.

Chandrasekhar, who ran the SDAT-Medimix TT Academy in Mogappair, was admitted to a city hospital last week after testing positive for the virus. Soon, he developed lung infection and succumbed to the disease. Chandrasekhar is survived by his wife and son.

Back when table tennis didn’t put on bums on seats in the country, Chandra, as he was affectionately called, brought them in droves. Known for his attacking stroke play, he was the one of the first glamour boys of the sport in India.

His standing in a Indian sport was recognised when he was given the Arjuna award in 1984. That award, in normal circumstances, should have bookmarked his ascendancy towards the highest echelons of the men’s game. What followed, however, was an unfinished career, a surgery with disastrous consequences and a long fight in court. 

A routine knee surgery was botched up. Even though he slowly recovered, he carried with him the scars of that surgery till Wednesday. After learning how to walk again, he successfully sued the hospital, with the Supreme Court ruling in his favour.  Before the incident though, Chandra created magic and breathed life whenever he had the paddle in his hand. “He was a dashing player in his younger days,” said noted coach A Srinivasa Rao, who followed Chandra’s career both as a player and coach.

“Had he continued, he would have brought a lot more laurels to the country. A simple surgery went wrong and put an end to his career.” However, he didn’t begin to resent the sport. In fact, he looked at ways to contribute even more. So he took up to producing champions, mentoring them from the sidelines. Rao picks up the story. 

Full story: newindianexpress.com