During her interaction with PTI at the Godrej Industries Assistive Tech Conference, former world champion Manasi Joshi reflected on her preparations for an exceptionally demanding 2025 season and shared updates on her recent form, recovery journey and renewed competitive goals. She stated that her immediate focus was the World Championships scheduled for February, where she aimed to reclaim the gold medal she won in 2019. She also noted that 2025 would be unusually packed, with both the World Championships and the Asian Games falling in the same year due to the post-COVID scheduling disruptions.
Joshi confirmed that she had received her official selection letter for the upcoming World Championships and had qualified across all three formats, singles, doubles and mixed doubles, an achievement she described as a matter of great pride. She highlighted her consistent performance in recent months, citing a gold and bronze in women’s and mixed doubles at the Japan International, a gold and bronze in mixed doubles and singles at the Australia event, and a silver and bronze in Indonesia. She explained that after the Paralympics her ranking had dipped as she had participated in fewer tournaments, requiring her to push harder to regain her standing and remain within India’s top three.
“Playing three events is definitely challenging… but that’s the reality of our sport. The main thing is recovery: finish one match, recover quickly, and be ready to put full energy into the next one.” Said Manasi Joshi
Discussing the evolving competitive landscape, Joshi observed that the entry of younger players had intensified the field. She acknowledged the physical demands of playing across categories, reiterating how crucial recovery has become in the current structure of the sport. She noted that while training spanned six to eight hours daily, competition days required adapting quickly between matches.
Joshi also addressed her performance at the Paris Paralympics, where she exited in the group stage. She admitted that the outcome had been emotionally difficult and led her to take a break from competitive badminton. During this period, she engaged in multiple international conferences, including in Singapore and Hong Kong, where she spoke extensively on disability-related issues and interacted with students. She said the break helped her reset after more than a decade of continuous play.
A surgery in June to remove multiple uterine fibroids had further interrupted her season. She explained that recovery took nearly two and a half months and was especially challenging as a prosthetic user. Joshi credited her support team at the Gopichand Academy in Hyderabad, led by coach Rajendra Kumar Jakkampudi, for helping her navigate training schedules and rehabilitation.
Despite her setbacks, Joshi was determined to qualify for the World Championships. Once medically cleared, she returned to competition and participated in three tournaments to secure qualification. She added that before undergoing surgery, she had requested her doctor for a brief delay so she could compete in the Asian Championships, where she won a bronze and a silver. She underwent the surgery immediately after returning home.
Overall, Joshi’s interaction captured her resilience, disciplined preparation and renewed ambition as she prepared for a pivotal 2025 season while participating in the Godrej Industries Assistive Tech Conference.