Promising tennis player from Kerala dies in Dubai mishap

KOCHI: The death of promising tennis player Tanvi Bhat, 21, in a road accident in Dubai — where she was living with her parents — has come as a huge shock to her former coach and relatives in Kochi. According to reports, Tanvi died in the emirate on Sunday.

Mansingh Thapa, who coached Tanvi for many years at the Mahesh Bhupathi Tennis Academy of the Regional Sports Centre in Kadavanthra, is yet to come to terms with the news. “Tanvi used to tell me that I was like her parent. The news (of her death) came as a huge shock to us. She started training in tennis at the age of eight,” Thapa told TNIE.

Tanvi had won the under-14 Asian series girls’ singles title in Doha. Thapa said her tennis career was plagued by injuries, and had undergone three major surgeries. “Still, she had a bright future ahead of her,” he said.

Tanvi is survived by her father Dr Sanjay Bhat, mother Lilan and brother Adithya. Adithya is a former Kerala champion. Tanvi did her schooling at the Bhavan’s Vidya Mandir, Elamakkara, and at the Choice School, Tripunithura. She was doing her degree course in psychology and English at Dubai’s Heriot-Watt and Middlesex College.