Around the time Dinesh Karthik had begun to turn on the heat in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in Royal Challengers Bangalore’s (RCB) red and gold hue, his wife and squash international Dipika Pallikal hit the headlines with twin World titles. The 30-year-old won the women’s doubles and the mixed doubles crowns alongside Joshna Chinnappa and Saurav Ghosal respectively at the World Doubles Championship in Glasgow a couple of weeks ago. While the achievement in itself was impressive, what made it even more special was that Dipika was returning to court after a gap of three years. And six months after becoming the mother of twin baby boys.
Sporting moms aren’t uncommon in the western world. From tennis players to golfers to runners, there are several inspirational examples of women who have enjoyed success on court, on the course and on the track post motherhood. Aussie tennis great Margaret Court won three of her 24 Grand Slams in 1973, a year after she became the mother of the first of her four children. Fellow Australian Evonne Goolagong and Belgian Kim Clijsters too won a Slam each after having babies. Briton Jessica Ennis-Hill won the 2015 World Championships heptathlon gold nine months after giving birth before retiring with a silver around her neck at the Rio Olympics in 2016.
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The concept is relatively new to India and less common in practice. There aren’t too many examples of elite athletes returning to resume their careers after having babies. That tribe, however, may be increasing. Decorated boxer MC Mary Kom was perhaps the first top athlete to do so and a year or so ago, Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza, who is married to Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik, made a successful comeback after becoming a parent. A few weeks ago, Dipika joined that small but proud and inspirational list.
Male or female, sporting careers generally have a shelf-life. But they can be shorter for women who choose to become mothers because of the varied challenges that motherhood throws up. Balancing training, taking care of children and competing across the world can be taxing both physically and mentally. It obviously requires harder work and greater determination, but Dipika also emphasises patience.
“It’s always hard to come back from a three-year break,” Dipika told DH on Sunday. “But I kept telling myself to be patient. Be patient with the process. Because that was the only way I was going to be able to move forward. Winning two gold medals at the highest level is obviously amazing and satisfying.”
So, were there any moments or incidents that made her doubt herself, and if so, how did she overcome them? “You do tend to compare yourself to the person you were before you took the break,” said Dipika, who was ranked in the top 20 in the world in 2018 when she took a break from the sport. “But there were several times I had to sit down and say, ‘don’t be too hard, a lot has changed in these three years.’ I’ve become older and my body has also changed a lot in the last three years. So, the key word for me was patience. To be patient with the results, body and mind. At the same time, there were many things I had learnt over the last three years off the court that helped me fight these doubts,” she elaborated.
Without being preachy, Dipika said motherhood, despite its myriad challenges, should be a motivation to do better in one’s chosen career.
“Personally, I felt there is a responsibility to do well,” she began. “I am only speaking for myself here. In general, being motivated is the key. It’s not going to be easy, but motherhood should be a motivation to do better. Of course, I was blessed with the support system, people around you also play a major role. My parents, Dinesh’s parents and my friend from Singapore who came down to take care of the kids at times... they have all been huge pillars of strength for me.”
Dipika juggles her sporting career and motherhood with interior designing, which she started when she temporarily weaned off squash three years ago.
“No, not at all,” she said when asked if that’s on the back burner now. “I have been working on presentations and other details even while playing. There was a time in Glasgow where I had to send emails to clients in between matches (laughs), not easy at all, but somehow I have managed it thus far.”
The Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games later this year remain her priority, and the World Championship was just one way to see where she stood as a player upon comeback.
“There is no greater honour than representing your country,” she noted. “As far as the World Championships go, it was just trying to get back on court. Of course, you go into every tournament wanting to win. I have actually trained well over the last few months. Having Saurav (who is also her brother-in-law) as partner is a huge bonus. He is family and one of the reasons I wanted to make a comeback. Myself and Joshna also share a very healthy relationship. We have been playing together for many years and also done so well. The expectations are high and we will do our best for sure.”
While she eyes glory at the CWG and Asian Games as she continues her comeback, hubby Karthik has made a strong pitch for an Indian comeback with his dazzling display in the ongoing IPL. Dipika said that while the couple was enjoying this phase in their respective careers, she also touched upon how they complemented each other.
“Yeah, he has been doing well,” she laughed. “As athletes playing at the highest level, we know it’s not easy. It’s a question of keeping your mind and body fit at all times. As a consummate professional, Dinesh understands what I go through from time to time and yes, we keep nudging each other whenever there is laxity. But we both know our careers come with a certain responsibility -- that we have to be away from our kids to train better and get better results. Hopefully, they (the kids) will understand our sacrifices when they become a little bigger. But it’s a new phase for both of us and we are thoroughly enjoying it.”
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