Regarding my ambitions I would like to continue playing table tennis for as long as I can as it is a very important part of my life. Presently I am pursuing my ACCA so in the future I would like to work in the field of accounting. And yes I do have my life ambitions but I see life more a journey than a destination. So even though I have some goals to achieve I take life as it comes.

What prompted you to come to the UK?

The best thing about UK is that every person is easily accepted and welcomed irrespective of his or her nationality. One can really feel at home in this country. The other thing that attracted me to the UK is the education system here.

Do you do any mental preparation before your big matches? And if so what do you do?

Before my big matches I just sit quietly for a few minutes. That’s it. I don’t do anything more than that.

If you have been playing for a long time what sorts of changes have you
noticed in the game?

I have been playing this game for 17 years now and I have seen big changes in the game. One was the introduction of speed glue. Second was the change in the size of the ball from 38mm to 40 mm and the third one was shortening the game to 11 points.

Which changes have been worse for the game?

I think the introduction of speed glue and increasing the size of the ball is contrasting. In one way, by using the glue, speed is increased and then by changing the size of the ball the game gets slowed. I think the players have to go through the unnecessary hassle of gluing their bats prior to every match and every practice session.

Which changes have been worse for you?

Regarding me, none of the changes have made a big difference in my game.

How did you get involved with Progress? When was that?

I came to London in the month of January, 2006 and before coming here I found out about London Progress from the internet.

Is there any particular type/style of player that you *HATE* playing against?

I can play against any type of player. I can adjust against any player.

You *LOVE/PREFER* playing against what type/style of player?

I love playing against fast attacking players.

How do you manage to combine sport and study/work?

I play twice or thrice a week and I study for the rest of the days. Although it’s quite difficult to combine both studies and work I am able to do both as I love both studying and my sport. But yes it gets really hectic.

What other sport would you be playing at a high level if you were not playing table tennis?

If I were not playing Table Tennis I am sure I would have been into some kind of martial arts, may be kung fu. In fact, even now I would love to learn it.

What other sports do you play casually at any level?

I like playing chess casually.

What do you do for relaxation?

I do meditation for relaxation. It can really give great peace of mind and great inner strength.

What advice would you give to young players to improve their game about equipment, practice, physical/mental training?

My advice to young players is to improve their games they should give more time to table tennis and practice hard. This game requires lots and lots of dedication and hard work both on and off the table. Youngsters should also concentrate on their physical fitness and also devote some time to off the table training and circuit training.

Any other interesting piece of information about yourself you would like to share?

I am also a yoga instructor and I can speak German as well.

Thank you