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Tamilnadu Amateur Rowing Association

Tarunikha does Tamilnadu Proud

Tarunikha Pratap has done the country and Tamilnadu proud by her sterling performance at the Asian Junior Rowing Championships, concluded recently at Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Tarunikha was part of the Indian women's coxless Four that picked up the Silver medal in Samarkand.

Born in 1996, Tarunikha started rowing at the tender age of 12, at the Madras Boat Club. Even as she started in the year 2008, she came under the tutelage of Chacko Kandathil, who is known for the many outstanding rowers he has produced as a Coach. From the early years, Tarunikha showed a kind of determination and perseverance far beyond her age. Under the watchful eyes of Chacko, she blossomed into a fine rower and over the years acquired the kind of finesse and rowing technique that any rowing buff would be proud of. It was not uncommon to hear people remark .."what a pleasure it is, to watch her row" or "look at her technique, she seems so perfect".

Tarunikha did not stop at just looking good or pretty on the water. She followed it up with strong and outstanding performances. Her grit and determination and her never-say-die attitude were her plus points. At the age of 13 she claimed the Gold in the Single sculls at the Sub-junior Nationals 2010, beating a much more fancied opponent. She reprised that performance the very next year, 2011, by claiming the Gold again, creating a record of sorts. Tarunikha had announced her arrival. By now the rowing fraternity had started noticing the potential that she obviously was.

In 2012 she was invited to the National Camp and has never looked back after that. She has already represented India more than once and her recent Silver medal is truly a feather in her cap. At the camp, it has never been too easy for her as she is up against rowers who are sponsored by the Sports Authority of India, drawn from States like Kerala, Odisha and Manipur and whose primary focus is only rowing. Tarunikha, on the other hand, has had to juggle between her studies and rowing and to her credit, has done exceedingly well in both.

Today, she forms the core of the junior rowing talent in the country and promises much more in the future. Her parents, Pratap and Usha, have been a source of great support, egging her on to greater heights. Coming from a sporting family, it has not been too difficult for them to understand and nurture her passion for the sport.

Are we going to see more from this young lass? One would think, an emphatic YES.


- Arati Rao (India Color 1989-90)
24 October 2013