Indian table tennis star Sathiyan Gnanasekaran discussesbalancing academics, professional sport, and elite-level competition. He opens up about scoring 96% in Class 10 while playing Nationals, 6–7 hours daily training, defeating Sharath Kamal, and lessons from coach Raman. Sathiyan speaks candidly about losing his father days before winning Commonwealth Championship gold, recovering from career-threatening injury, handling online criticism, playing in the German Bundesliga, and managing success-drivenpressure. He also addresses India's Olympic table tennis prospects, predicting LA 2028 could deliver India's first Olympic TT medal.

WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH

 If you've ever wondered:

• Can you excel in academics and professional sport?

• How do elite athletes handle pressure?

• What makes China so dominant in table tennis?

• What does the German Bundesliga teach an Indian player?

• How difficult is it to return from an injury?

• When could India win its first Olympic table tennis medal?

• Can young athletes balance studies and sport?

ABOUT SATHIYAN GNANASEKARAN

• Indian international table tennis player

• Career-best ITTF World No.24

• Commonwealth Games gold medallist

• Asian Games medallist

• 2016 Belgium Open champion

• Arjuna Award recipient

• Former German Bundesliga player

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

• How Sathiyan balanced academics and table tennis

• How he scored 96% in Class 10 while playing Nationals

• His mindset while facing Sharath Kamal

• What coach Raman taught him

• How he dealt with the loss of his father

• The mental battle of injury rehabilitation

• Why pressure can be a privilege

• What China does differently in table tennis

• How the Bundesliga helped him handle pressure

• What he learned from Timo Boll

• Why fitness is essential in table tennis

• Sathiyan's prediction for India's first Olympic TT medal

• His advice to young athletes choosing between academics and sport

 People Mentioned:

Sharath Kamal —Indian Table Tennis Player & 10-time National Champion (@sharathkamal)

Subramaniam Raman — Sathiyan’s Table Tennis Coach (@raman_subramanian)

Ma Long — Chinese Table Tennis Player & Olympic/World Champion (@malong1020)

Timo Boll — German Table Tennis Player & Former World No. 1 (@timoboll)

Wang Chuqin — Chinese Table Tennis Player & World No. 1 @wangchuqin_official

Mary Kom — Indian Boxer & Olympic Medallist (@mcmary.kom)

M.S. Dhoni — Former Indian Cricketer & Captain @mahi7781

Divyanshi Bhowmick —Young Indian Table Tennis Player (@divyanshibhowmick)

Arun — Sathiyan Gnanasekaran’s son

Tournaments/ Leagues / Events Mentioned

Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028 Olympics

Commonwealth Games Commonwealth Championship Asian Games

ITTF / WTT Events
World Cup World Championships
German Bundesliga

Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT)

German Cup

Follow Sathiyan Gnanasekaran

Instagram:   @sathiyantt
Youtube : @sathiyangnanasekaran6976

X: (@sathiyantt)

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#SathiyanGnanasekaran #TableTennis #IndianTableTennis #MicAndMagic #Manan #TableTennisIndia #IndianSports #OlympicTableTennis #CommonwealthGames #ITTF#WorldTableTennis #TimoBoll #SharathKamal #SportsPodcast #IndianAthletes

Most of us grow up believing fitness myths that simply aren't true.Does lifting weights stunt your growth? Should children take protein powder? Is expensive gym gear really necessary? Can strength training improve your mental health? And why do so many people feel anxious walking into a gym for the first time?In this episode of Mic & Magic, host Manan sits down with Ahireta Mukherjee — BCCI Sprint Coach, Cricket Performance Specialist, ACE Certified Trainer, and founder of MoveMental — to separate science from social media.Drawing from her experience training professional cricketers, Ahireta explains how athletes actually train, why movement matters more than motivation, and how fitness transforms not just your body, but your mindset.Whether you're a student, parent, athlete, beginner, or simply trying to become healthier, this conversation is packed with practical advice backed by sports science.WHY YOU SHOULD WATCHIf you've ever wondered...Does weightlifting stop height growth?Is protein powder safe?Why am I scared to enter a gym?Is 20 minutes of exercise enough?Can strength training improve confidence and reduce anxiety?What's the biggest fitness myth people still believe? ...this episode answers all of them. ABOUT AHIRETA MUKHERJEEFormer BCCI Sprint Coach Cricket Performance SpecialistACE (American Council on Exercise) Certified TrainerFounder of MoveMental Strength & Conditioning CoachWHAT YOU'LL LEARN· Truth about weightlifting and height growth· Protein powder vs whole foods· Why gym anxiety is completely normal· Fitness myths that need to disappear· How cricketers train agility and speed· The importance of recovery and sleep· Whether expensive gym gear matters· Why movement starts with the mind· Strength training for stress, anxiety and confidence· How to build sustainable fitness habitsKEY TAKEAWAYS· Weightlifting does not stunt growth.· Whole food should always be your first source of nutrition.· Protein powder is a supplement—not a meal replacement.· Consistency beats intensity.· Strength training improves physical and mental health.· Everyone feels nervous on their first day at the gym.· Recovery is just as important as training. People MentionedBCCI (@bcci.indian.cricket)American Council on Exercise (ACE) (@acefitness)Follow Ahireta Mukherjee (@ahireeta_move.mental)SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss the next conversation: @micandmagicpodcastFollow us on Instagram: instagram.com/mic.and.magicListen on Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/1kbEtEA5YS6sES1shYvBJLListen on Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/mic-and-magic-with-manan/id1835196806Twitter/X: x.com/micandmagicWrite to us — Email: [email protected]#MicAndMagic #AhiretaMukherjee #FormerBCCICoach #FitnessPodcast#StrengthTraining#Weightlifting#FitnessMyths#GymAnxiety#ProteinPowder#CricketFitness#SportsScience#HealthyLifestyle#AthleteMindset #WorkoutTips #Manan

At just 10 years old, A.S. Sharvaanica has already become one of India's brightest young chess talents. A World Championand National Champion, she has defeated Grandmasters online, won the Nationals with a perfect 11/11 score, and dreams of one day defeating Magnus Carlsen.

In this episode of Mic & Magic,Sharvaanica shares how she bounced back after losing her first World Championship game, why she never uses chess engines, her pre-match routine,lessons from her coach, thoughts on Gukesh, blindfold chess, and the mindset that drives her success.

Hosted by Manan, Mic & Magic brings inspiring conversations with India's most promising athletes and changemakers.

 If you enjoy chess, sports, inspiring stories, or conversations with extraordinary young achievers, this episode is for you.

WHY YOU HAVE TO WATCH

Whether you're a chess enthusiast, student, parent, orsports fan, this episode offers a rare glimpse into the mindset of a young World Champion. From beating Grandmasters online to aiming for Magnus Carlsen, Sharvaanica's journey is a masterclass in discipline, confidence, and resilience.

WHAT SHE'S ACHIEVED

 • FIDE Under-12 Girls' World Rapid Champion

• Women Candidate Master (WCM)

• National Champion with a perfect 11/11 score

• Won 9 consecutive games after losing her opening World Championship match

• Represented India at International Championships

• Defeated Grandmasters in online chess

 TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS CONVERSATION

 • Preparation builds confidence.

• Discipline is more important than talent.

• Learn to think independently not just rely on technology.

• Every setback can become a comeback.

• Dream big, stay humble, and keep improving.

 In this episode:

 • Winning the National Championship with a perfect 11/11

• Becoming a World Chess Champion

• Beating Grandmasters online

• Why she never uses chess engines

• Learning from former coach Vishnu Prasanna

• Thoughts on Magnus Carlsen and Gukesh

• Blindfold chess challenge

• Rapid-fire questions

People Mentioned

Magnus Carlsen :  @magnus_carlsen)

Gukesh Dommaraju: @gukesh.official)

Vishnu Prasanna V : @chessgmvishnu)

Vladimir Kramnik: @vladimirkramnik)

Garry Kasparov: @garry_kasparov)
Sharvaanica's Father: P. Saravanan (mentioned multiple times)

Sharvaanica's Mother : P. Anburoja

Sharvaanica's Sister: A. S. Ratchikaa(who taught her chess during lockdown)

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Hashtags:
#ASSharvaanica #Sharvaanica #Chess#WorldChessChampion #IndianChess #ChessChampion #ChessProdigy #MagnusCarlsen #Gukesh #Grandmaster #BlindfoldChess #WomenCandidateMaster #FIDE #ChessPodcast #MicAndMagic #Manan #YoungChampion #SportsPodcast #India #ChessLife #Chennai #Tamilnadu

Ranadeb Bose bowled 10,708 deliveries in first-class cricket without a single no-ball — believed to be a world record — and never got his Test cap. In this episode, the man who spotted Mustafizur Rahman and backed Mukesh Kumar at Sourav Ganguly's Vision 2020 trials tells Manan what selectors really look for, why "how to bowl fast" is the wrong question, and what it cost to be one of India's best bowlers never to play a Test.
The host: Hosted by Manan (15), who sits down with India's sporting stars to find the real story behind the scoreline.
The channel: Mic & Magic is a youth-led sports podcast spotlighting the athletes carrying Indian sport forward. Ranadeb opens up about the 2007 India tour and the Test cap that never came ("I didn't even get a chance to fail"), the discipline behind 10,708 no-ball-free deliveries, discovering Mustafizur Rahman in Dhaka, the open trial where he backed Mukesh Kumar, and the honest advice he gives every cricketparent whose kid only wants to bowl fast.
Why you have to watch:
Whether or not you play cricket, the way he talks about working on your strengths instead of chasing someone else's gift — and carrying a heartbreak with grace — is a mindset lesson for life. Indian domestic cricket is full of storieslike this, and they deserve to be told.

What he's achieved: 317 first-class wickets for Bengal across a 15-year Ranji Trophy career (1998–2013).
10,708 consecutive deliveries without a no-ball — believed to be a world record in first-class cricket.
Toured England with Team India in 2007, taking a five-wicket haul against Sri Lanka in Leicester.
As a scout and coach: part of the group that first identified Mustafizur Rahman at the Dhaka academy, and the coach who backed Mukesh Kumar — now a Test cricketer — at Bengal's Vision 2020 open trials.

Takeaways from this conversation:
You cannot coach a fast bowler — pace is born, skill is built.

Find what YOU have and master that. He dropped his pace and took 57 wickets in a season. Nets are an extension of the match.

Aim to improve 5–10% every session — 25 focused minutes beat 2 wasted hours.
Discipline compounds into reputation.

He never bowled a no-ball even in practice — until umpires stopped checking his feet.
A setback without closure still deserves peace. "The wound has healed a lot. But it still aches."

Cricketers mentioned:
Ranadeb Bose - @ranadebbose
Mustafizur Rahman - @mustafizur_90

Mukesh Kumar - @mukeshkumar3924)

Sourav Ganguly - @souravganguly

Virender Sehwag - @virendersehwag)

Sachin Tendulkar -@sachintendulkar  

Rahul Dravid - @rahuldravidofficial

Gautam Gambhir - @gautamgambhir55

Wasim Jaffer - @wasimjaffer14

Mohammed Siraj - @mohammedsirajofficial

Jasprit Bumrah @jaspritb1

 Mohammed Shami - @mdshami.11

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Hashtags:
#RanadebBose #IndianCricket #FastBowling #MicAndMagic #RanjiTrophy #BengalCricket #MustafizurRahman #MukeshKumar #CricketPodcast #TestCricket#HowToBowlFast #CricketCoaching #YoungAthletes #SportsPodcast #Kolkata

She was 6-0, 5-3 up — two points from her first ITF junior title — when she fell and snapped her ACL. Eight months later, she became India's No. 1. This is Vaishnavi Adkar's story.

The guest: Vaishnavi Adkar is India's No. 1 women's singles tennis player, who climbed from outside the world's top 600into the WTA top 400 in a single breakthrough year.

The host: Hosted by Manan (15), who sits down with India's sporting stars to find the real story behind the scoreline.

The channel: Mic & Magic is a youth-led sports podcast spotlighting the athletes carrying Indian sport forward.

What this is about: Vaishnavi opens up about the injury that nearly ended her season, the comeback that made her India No.1, the move that changed everything, and what it really takes to chase a tennis dream in India.

Why you have to watch: Whether or not you play a sport, the way she talks about losing, setbacks and staying grounded isthe kind of mindset that stays with you for life. India has a deep bench of young stars worth being proud of — and stories like Vaishnavi's are exactly why the next generation should believe it's possible.

 What she's achieved:

India's No. 1 women's singles player as of April 2026 — climbing from outside the top 600 into the Top 400 in roughly a year. Big News NetworkIndiasportshub Reached the final of the ITF W100 event in Bengaluru — the best singles performance by an Indian woman in 17 years. Big News Network

First Indian woman to win a tennis medal at the World University Games (bronze, 2025), and a Billie Jean King Cup debutant for India. WikipediamyKhel

Takeaways from this conversation:

A setback can be a setup — she treated her injury layoff as time to fix the gaps she couldn't while competing. "A blessing in disguise."

A loss teaches more than a win. Take a day to feel it, then get back to work the next morning.

No one rises alone — coach, physio, family and the right academy turned promise into results.

Vaishnavi Adkar — IG @vaishnavi__adkar

Sania Mirza — IG @mirzasaniar | X @MirzaSania

Ankita Raina — IG@ankitaraina_official | X   @ankita_champ)  

Donna Vekić — IG @donnavekic

Novak Djokovic — IG @djokernole

Serena Williams — IG @serenawilliams

Rafael Nadal — IG @rafaelnadal

Roger Federer — IG @rogerfederer

Motilal OSwal — IG @motilaloswalgroup  

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#VaishnaviAdkar #IndianTennis #Tennis#MicAndMagic #WomensTennis #SaniaMirza #WTA #ITF #IndianSports #TennisIndia#SportsPodcast #Comeback #YoungAthletes #Bengaluru #Inspiration

He was 14-20 down. Six match points against him. What happened next is why you need to watch this episode till the end.

India's badminton smash machine Kiran George (BWF Top 50, Thomas Cup medallist) sits down with 15-year-old host Manan for his most unfiltered conversation yet — pressure, pain,comebacks, and the one David Goggins idea he uses on court every single day.

About the host: Manan is a Grade 10 student who interviews India's top athletes with the kind of questions adults are too polite to ask.

About the guest: Kiran George comes from badminton royalty — his father is an Arjuna Awardee,his mother played at state level — and heleft home at 14 to train at the Prakash Padukone

Badminton Academy alongside Lakshya Sen.

Why watch this? Because Kiran reveals exactly how he stayed calm at 14-20 down against Alex Lanier at India Open 2025, what was going through his head facing World No. 1 Shi Yu Qi at match point, and why he walked into the Swiss Open certain he'd beat former World Champion Loh Kean Yew — after losing to him twice.

A rising Indian badminton star breaks down the mindset, sacrifices, and rituals behind competing with the world's best — told to a teenager who asks what fans actually want to know.

Kiran's achievements covered in this episode:

Historic Thomas Cup medal with Team India

Beating former World Champion Loh Kean Yew in straight games (Swiss Open)

The legendary 14-20 comeback vs Alex Lanier (India Open 2025)

Facing World No. 1 Shi Yu Qi (Thailand Open 2023)

3 lessons you'll take away:

One point at a time — why thinking about the scoreboard is the fastest way to lose it

Learn to love the hard part — the Goggins principle Kiran applies to 6 AM training

Consistency beats talent — what training beside Lakshya Sen taught him about work ethic

Mentioned in this episode:

Lakshya Sen • Shi Yu Qi • Loh Kean Yew • Alex Lanier •Jonatan Christie • Viktor Axelsen ("Linden" — best

aura) • David Goggins • Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy (PPBA) • Thomas Cup • India Open • Swiss Open • Thailand Open • Sidemen Comment below: Could YOU come back from14-20 down? What's the biggest pressure you've

ever played under?

ABOUT MIC & MAGIC WITH MANAN

This is a podcast hosted by young India's most curious interviewer — bringing you honest,inspiring conversations with the country's rising sports stars, achievers, and changemakers. New episodes drop every fortnight at 7 AM.

Subscribe to Mic & Magic with Manan for raw, real conversations with India's sporting stars — SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss the next conversation:

www.youtube.com/@micandmagicpodcast

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id1835196806

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#KiranGeorge #Badminton #MicAndMagic#IndianBadminton #ThomasCup #LakshyaSen

#PrakashPadukoneAcademy #BWF #IndiaOpen#SwissOpen #BadmintonIndia #SportsPodcast

#LohKeanYew #ShiYuQi #DavidGoggins#AthleteMindset #BadmintonLovers #IndianSports

#PodcastIndia #TeenPodcaster

The first Asian to ever jump over 8 metres sits down with Manan. This is T.C. Yohannan — long jump legend, Asian Games gold medallist, and the man whose national record stood untouched for 30 years.
Watch this if you've ever been told you're "not ready yet" — because this entire career started with a 10-year-old falling into a stream for a glass of lemon water, and ended with a name written permanently into Indian sporting history.
T.C. Yohannan is the Kerala-born athlete who became the first Asian to clear 8 metres in long jump, jumping 8.07m to win gold at the 1974 Tehran Asian Games while injured and on painkillers.
Mic & Magic with Manan is a youth sports podcast where 15-year-old host Manan sits down with India's most extraordinary athletes to pull out the stories behind the medals.
 3 CAREER-DEFINING ACHIEVEMENTS
- First Asian in history to jump over 8 metres — 8.07m gold at the 1974 Tehran Asian Games (a new Asian Games and Asian record)
- Held the Indian national long jump record for nearly 30 years (1974–2004)
- Arjuna Award winner (1974) and Olympian — represented India at the 1976 Montreal Olympics
 MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE (SIMA PLS CHECK)
Athletes: Neeraj Chopra (@neeraj____chopra), Murali Sreeshankar (@sreeshankarmurali), Anju Bobby George, P.T. Usha, Milkha Singh, Suresh Babu, and son Tinu Yohannan (first Keralite Test cricketer for India)
Coaches: Suresh Gujarati, Dr. Muthaiah, M.B. Ganesh
Institutes: Bhilai Steel Plant, NIS Patiala, Sports Authority of India (SAI), MRF Pace Foundation
Gear: Adidas, Asics Tiger

  TAKEAWAYS
1. Don't specialise too early — build all-round athleticism and a strong foundation first. Yohannan's "three seasons" (off-season, middle season, competitive season) made the medals possible.
2. Long jump is speed + strength + coordination + a powerful core. Jumping straight into the event without conditioning is how athletes get hurt.
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#TCYohannan #LongJump #IndianAthletics #MicAndMagic #SportsPodcast

He was ranked World No. 64. His opponent was World No. 2 — a three-time World Championship medallist. Sixty-six minutes later, the scoreline read 18-21, 21-12, 21-5, and Indian badminton had a brand-new name to remember.

Today on Mic & Magic, Manan sits down with Sankar Subramanian — the left-handed shuttler from Chennai who stunned Anders Antonsen at the Swiss Open and announced himself to the world. But the upset is only the beginning of the story.

Sankar dropped out of school at 15 to chase badminton full-time — with no Plan B. His father, a former tennis player, knew exactly what the climb would cost. His mother and father both left their jobs to travel with him. His sister, once a state champion herself, became the mind behind his schedule. This is a family that bet everything on one boy and one racket.

In this episode, Manan explores what it actually takes to go from a middle-class home in Tamil Nadu to beating the world's best. Sankar opens up about why he sees the court differently as a left-hander, why he's chosen the "unglamorous" art of defence in a sport obsessed with the smash, how moving from training with his dad to the Gopichand Academy transformed his game, and what was running through his mind in real time as he dismantled a world No. 2. He also shares his lowest point — the 2024 season that quietly broke and rebuilt him — and answers a question every ambitious young person has asked themselves: is it selfish to put your dream first?

This episode is for every kid who's been told to keep a "safe" Plan B, every athlete who's been made to feel that defence is boring, and every dreamer who has ever wondered whether chasing something big makes them selfish. Sankar's answer might change how you think about your own goals.

3 THINGS YOU'LL TAKE AWAY FROM THIS EPISODE:

Defence is a weapon, not a weakness. Sankar explains why reading the game and sustaining any pace in a rally can dismantle a pure attacker — and why the shots that never make the highlight reel are often the ones that win the match.

What it really takes to turn pro. From dropping out of school with no Plan B to a whole family rearranging their lives around one career, Sankar is honest about the cost of commitment — and how results, not hope, told them they were on the right path.

ABOUT OUR GUEST — SANKAR SUBRAMANIAN:

First Indian to stun World No. 2 Anders Antonsen at the Swiss Open 2025 — while ranked World No. 64

Former Junior World No. 1 in boys' singles

Silver medallist, 2022 BWF World Junior Championships

Bronze medallist, Asian Junior Championships

Left-handed men's singles player from Chennai, Tamil Nadu

Trains at the Gopichand Academy, known for his defence, control, and rallying game

ABOUT MIC & MAGIC WITH MANAN

This is a podcast hosted by young India's most curious interviewer — bringing you honest, inspiring conversations with the country's rising sports stars, achievers, and changemakers. New episodes drop every fortnight at 7 AM.

SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss the next conversation: www.youtube.com/ @micandmagicpodcast

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#Badminton #SankarSubramanian #IndianBadminton #MicAndMagic #SportsPodcast

Today on Mic & Magic, Manan sits down with someone who proved that history doesn't always come from the people you expect. Anupama Ramachandran picked up a snooker cue at a summer camp when she was just 13 years old. Ten years later, with one perfect shot in 11 seconds, she became the first Indian woman to win the World Snooker Championship.
In this episode, Manan explores how a young woman from Tamil Nadu broke into a sport long considered "a man's game" in a country that most people don't even associate with cue sports. Anupama opens up about her first century break, the cue she had custom-made in Bangkok, the coaches who shaped her game, the lonely lockdown years that quietly built her into a world champion, and what it felt like to carry the Tamil Nadu flag at the National Games. She also shares something many young athletes need to hear: snooker isn't just about pocketing balls. It is about reading the table, sequencing your shots, trusting yourself in the silence between moves, and adapting to a new table in a new country in 15 minutes flat. That lesson travels far beyond the green felt.
This episode is for every kid in India who has been told their sport is "too small," every girl who has been told the game is not for her, and every dreamer who has ever stood at a table — sport, school, life — and wondered if they had what it takes to line up the next shot.
In this episode, you'll learn:
Why the difference between snooker and billiards matters more than most people realise
What really happens during the 11 seconds before a championship-winning shot
Why the 15 Red format is considered the truest form of snooker (and why shorter formats exist)
How Anupama used the lockdown years to quietly build a world champion's game
The story behind her first competitive century break — and the rival who inspired it
How the MIMS (Mission International Medal Scheme) is helping Indian athletes compete globally
Why "adaptability" is the real name of the game in international competition
The bow-tie debate: should snooker keep its old-school tradition or move on?
What hay ball is, and why Anupama is learning a brand new sport at the top of her career
What excites her most about the future of cue sports in IndiaAbout our guest — Anupama Ramachandran:
First Indian woman in 95 years to win the IBSF Women's World Snooker Championship (15 Red format)
World ranked No. 6
8 national junior titles
Flag bearer for Tamil Nadu at the National Games, Goa
Highest competitive break: 119
Highest practice break: 139
ABOUT MIC & MAGIC WITH MANAN
This is a podcast hosted by young India's most curious interviewer — bringing you honest, inspiring conversations with the country's rising sports stars, achievers,  and changemakers. New episodes drop every fortnight at 7 AM.
SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss the next conversation: www.youtube.com/ @micandmagicpodcast
Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/mic.and.magic
Listen on Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/1kbEtEA5YS6sES1shYvBJL
Listen on Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/mic-and-magic-with manan/id1835196806
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Write to us - Email: [email protected] 

We're told sport is about winning — but the real story is what happens in the ten years before the win. Manan sits down with Pooja Arthi, India's No. 2-ranked U-19 women's squash player and Khelo India Youth Games gold medallist, and almost immediately, they land on something most young athletes feel but rarely say out loud: losing to the same opponent for ten straight years can quietly drain the love out of a sport. Pooja shares a striking truth — when she finally beat her toughest rival, Yuvna Gupta, after a decade of defeats, it wasn't just a win, it was the moment her belief came back. More importantly, the way an athlete handles those long stretches of "almost" doesn't stay on the court — it shapes how they show up in their next tournament, their training, their entire career. This conversation isn't just about squash or rankings. It's about the emotional life of a young athlete chasing one of the biggest milestones in Indian sport: squash's historic debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

 Together, they explore what it actually takes to train for an Olympic dream that's still two years away. While it's easy to romanticise talent, Pooja challenges that idea and points to something deeper: a 50-50 split between natural ability andrelentless hard work, supported by sports nutrition, physiotherapy, and a family that understood the pain of losing because they'd lived it themselves (her mother is an Asian gold medallist in triathlon). They unpack the difference between Egyptian aggression, Asian precision, and European skill on the squash court — a masterclass in how the same sport is played in completely different languages around the world. Pooja also opens up about the Asian Junior Championships in China, where she came back from 2-0 down against the third seed with only her travelling Indian fans believing in her. It's a moment that captures everything this episode is really about: belief, comeback, and what it means to represent India when nobody's giving you a chance.

 Squash makes its historic Olympic debut at the LA 2028 Games — learn more here: https://www.olympics.com/en/sports/squash/

Follow Pooja Arthi's journeythrough the Squash Rackets Federation of India: https://www.indiansquash.in/

 Discover squash programmes andacademies in India through HCL Squash: https://www.hclsquash.com/

ABOUT MIC & MAGIC WITH MANAN

 This is a podcast hosted by young India's most curious interviewer — bringing you honest, inspiring conversationswith the country's rising sports stars, achievers, and changemakers. New episodes drop every fortnight at 7 AM.

 What We Discuss:

00.00 - Intro — Meet Pooja Arthi 

1:25 - Winning Gold at Khelo India Youth Games 

02:01 - The Support System at MOP Vaishnav College 

2:33 - The First Gold Medal That Changed Everything 

2:49 - World University Games & Team India in SouthAfrica 

3:15 - Beating Her Toughest Opponent After 10 Years ofLosses

3:48 - Talent vs Hard Work — The 50/50 Rule 

4:09 - Why Sports Nutrition and Physio Matter

5:06 - Coming Back From a Knee Injury 

5:34 - How Egyptians, Asians & Europeans Play SquashDifferently

6:14 - How to Choose the Right Squash Racket 

7:29 - The Most Underrated Piece of Squash Equipment 

8:10 - How to Re-Watch Your Own Matches the Right Way 

8.59 - The Asian Junior Championships Comeback inChina 

9:57 - The People & Parents Who Shaped HerMindset 

10:53 - One Word for Every Player She's Faced 

11:12 - The Road to LA 2028 — Squash's Olympic Debut 

11:39 - Final ThoughtsSUBSCRIBE so you don't miss the next conversation: www.youtube.com/ @micandmagicpodcast

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