New Delhi, July 30: Shrija Akula is recognized as one of India’s star table tennis players. After overcoming initial struggles, she carved a niche for herself in the sport through hard work and dedication. Shrija won a gold medal in mixed doubles at the Commonwealth Games alongside veteran player Sharath Kamal. She also made history by becoming the first Indian to win an individual title at the WTT Contender level.
Born on July 31, 1998, in Hyderabad, Shrija’s father worked as a manager in a private insurance company. Her elder sister, Ravali, played table tennis at the college level and introduced Shrija to the sport.
Together with her sister, Shrija learned the intricacies of table tennis. She later enrolled in Somnath Ghosh’s academy, deciding to pursue a career in the sport. Despite her athletic aspirations, Shrija excelled academically, scoring 98.7% in her 12th-grade exams.
In 2019, Shrija showcased her talent at the South Asian Games, winning gold medals in both women’s doubles and team events. In April 2022, she continued her success at the Senior National and Inter-State Table Tennis Championships, winning titles in both singles and doubles.
The year 2022 proved to be pivotal for Shrija’s career. At the Commonwealth Games, she won a gold medal in mixed doubles with the legendary Sharath Kamal, a performance that significantly raised her profile on the global stage.
In January 2024, Shrija claimed her first WTT singles title at the WTT Feeder Corpus Christi event held in Texas. Later, in June 2024, she triumphed at the WTT Contender tournament in Lagos, Nigeria, defeating China’s Ding Yijie 4-1 to secure the title. She became the first Indian female player to win a title at the Contender level.
During the same tournament, she also succeeded in winning the women’s doubles title alongside Archana Kamath. For her significant contributions to table tennis, the government honored her with the Arjuna Award in 2022.
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