Manasi Girishchandra Joshi

Manasi Girishchandra Joshi (born 11 June 1989) is an Indian para-badminton player, the current World Champion and a changemaker.[8] She started her professional sporting journey in 2015 and at present, she is ranked world no. 2 in women’s singles (SL3 category).[9] [10] [11] [12]

Manasi Girishchandra Joshi
Personal information
Country	India
Born	11 June 1989[1]
Height	171 cm (5 ft 7 in)
Weight	66 kg (146 lb)[2]
Medal record Representing  India Women Para-Badminton player BWF Para-Badminton World Championships 2019 Basel Switzerland 2015 Stoke Mandeville, England[3] 2017 Ulsan, South Korea[4] Asian Championships 2016 Asian Para-Badminton Championship[5] International Championships 2018 Thailand Para-Badminton International Women's singles[6] Asian Para Games 2018 Women's singles[7]

Manasi was listed as the Next Generation Leader 2020 by TIME Magazine in October 2020 and she appeared on their Asia cover, making her the first para-athlete in the world and the first Indian athlete to be featured on the magazine’s cover, for being an advocate of rights for people with disabilities. [13]

On the occasion of the International Day of Girl Child (11 October 2020), Barbie celebrated Manasi and her achievements by modelling a one-of-a-kind Barbie doll to her likeness to inspire young girls.[14] She has also been recognized by BBC as one of the 100 most inspirational & powerful women across the world in 2020 and was nominated for the BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year award 2020 alongside PV Sindhu, Mary Kom, Vinesh Phogat and Dutee Chand. [15][16]

Early life and background

Manasi was born in Rajkot, Gujarat and she was raised in Anushaktinagar, Mumbai. She graduated in Electronics Engineering from K. J. Somaiya College of Engineering, University of Mumbai, in 2010. Sports lover, Manasi played sports such as football and badminton through her school and college life. Joshi was six when she started playing badminton with her father, a retired scientist from Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and over the years she represented her school, college and corporate at various tournaments. After finishing graduation in 2010, she worked as a software engineer until December 2011, when she met with a road accident while riding her motorbike to work, and her leg had to be amputated.[17][18][19] After 45 days of hospitalisation, Manasi got discharged from MGM hospital Vashi, Navi Mumbai.[20]

Career

During 2012-2013 after her accident, Manasi started practicing yoga, meditation and badminton to regain her fitness. She played badminton as part of her rehabilitation and another para-badminton player urged her to try out for the national team; she was selected for Asian Para-Games 2014 and played her first international tournament in Spain.[19] In 2015, Manasi along with her XD partner won a Silver medal in mixed doubles at the BWF Para Badminton World Championship held in Stoke Mandeville, England. [21] [22] In 2018, she asked Pullela Gopichand to coach her,[19] and enrolled in his badminton academy at Hyderabad.[23]

In September 2015, Joshi won a silver medal in mixed doubles at the Para-Badminton World Championship held in Stoke Mandeville, England.[24] In October 2018, she won a bronze medal for India at the Asian Para Games 2018, held in Jakarta, Indonesia. In August 2019, at the Para-Badminton World Championship 2019 in Basel, Switzerland, she beat her countrywoman Parul Parma to win a gold medal.[19][25]

Manasi is based out of Hyderabad, India, and she is currently preparing to qualify in para badminton at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics to be held in September 2021.

Awards and recognition

• 2017 - Maharashtra Rajya Eklavya Khel Krida Puraskar (Highest State honour)
• 2019 - National award for Best Sportsperson with Disability (female)[26]
• 2019 - Differently abled athlete of the year award at ESPN India Awards[27]
• 2019 - Times of India Sports award for Best para-athlete of the year[28]
• 2019 - Aces 2020 Sportswoman of the Year (Para-sports) Hindu Newspaper (Nominee)[29]
• 2019 – BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year[30]
• 2020 – TIME Next Generation Leader[31]
• 2020 - BBC 100 Women[32]
• 2020 – Forbes India, Self-made Women of 2020[33]

Medals

Major tournaments

• 2015 medal in mixed doubles, Para-Badminton World Championships[3]
• 2016 Bronze in women's singles & women's doubles, Para-Badminton Asian Championships [5]
• 2017 Bronze in women's singles, Para-Badminton World Championships[4]
• 2018 Bronze in women's singles, Thailand Para-Badminton International[17][34]
• 2018 Bronze in women's singles, Asian Para Games 2018
• 2019 Gold in women's singles, Para-Badminton World Championship, Basel, Switzerland[25]

Other level-1 tournaments

S.No.	Championship	Month + Year	Category	Medal
1	Peru Para-Badminton International 2020	February 2020	Women Singles SL3	Bronze
2	YONEX Canada Para-Badminton International 2019, Ottawa	May 2019	Women Singles SL3	Silver
3	YONEX Canada Para-Badminton International 2019, Ottawa	May 2019	Women Doubles	Bronze
4	2nd Fazza - Dubai Para-Badminton International 2019, Dubai	April 2019	Women Singles SL3	Silver
5	Uganda Para-Badminton International 2019, Kampala, Uganda	April 2019	Women Singles SL3	Silver
6	Uganda Para-Badminton International 2019, Kampala, Uganda	April 2019	Women Doubles	Silver
7	Uganda Para-Badminton International 2019, Kampala, Uganda	April 2019	Mixed Doubles	Bronze
8	5th Turkish Para-Badminton International - ENESCUP 2019, Antlya, Turkey	March 2019	Women Singles SL3	Silver
9	Australia Para-Badminton International 2018, Geelong, Australia	November 2018	Women Singles SL3	Gold
10	Japan Para-Badminton International 2018, Tokyo Japan	September 2018	Women Singles SL3	Gold
11	Thailand Para-Badminton International 2018, Bangkok Thailand	July 2018	Women Singles SL3	Bronze
12	1st Fazza - Dubai Para-Badminton International 2018, Dubai UAE	April 2018	Women Doubles	Silver
13	1st Fazza - Dubai Para-Badminton International 2018, Dubai UAE	April 2018	Mixed Doubles	Bronze
14	Spanish Para-Badminton International 2018, Alcudia Spain	March 2018	Women Singles SL3	Gold
15	Spanish Para-Badminton International 2018, Alcudia Spain	March 2018	Women Doubles	Silver
16	Spanish Para-Badminton International 2018, Alcudia Spain	March 2018	Mixed Doubles	Bronze
17	USA Para-Badminton International 2017, Colorado Springs USA	October 2017	Women Singles SL3 (Playoffs)	Silver
18	Japan Para-Badminton International 2017, Tokyo Japan	September 2017	Women Doubles	Gold
19	Spanish Para-Badminton International 2017, Alcudia Spain	March 2017	Women Singles SL3 (Exhibition match)	Gold
20	Spanish Para-Badminton International 2017, Alcudia Spain	March 2017	Women Doubles	Bronze
21	Irish Para-Badminton International 2016, Belfast, N. Ireland	June 2016	Women Singles SL3	Silver
22	Irish Para-Badminton International 2016, Belfast, N. Ireland	June 2016	Women Doubles	Bronze

References

1. "BWF Para-Badminton Classification Master List" (PDF). BWF. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 August 2018.
2. "Manasi Joshi-Indian Para-athlete" (PDF). Maharashtra Badminton Association.
3. "Indian Para badminton team wins 11 medals at World Championships - Firstpost". www.firstpost.com. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
4. "India win 10 medals in Para-Badminton World Championships". www.sportskeeda.com. 26 November 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
5. "Parul Parmar Makes India Proud, Wins Two Gold Medals At Para World Championships". www.indiatimes.com. 27 November 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
6. "BWF - Thailand Para-Badminton International 2018 - Winners". bwf.tournamentsoftware.com. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
7. "BWF - Asian Para Games 2018 - Winners". bwf.tournamentsoftware.com. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
8. "90% of India can't afford high-end prostheses: Para athlete Manasi Joshi". Hindustan Times. 6 October 2020. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
9. "Para-Badminton World Ranking Singles".
10. "BBC 100 Women 2020: Who is on the list this year?". BBC News. 23 November 2020. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
11. Kidangoor, Abhishyant. "This Badminton Star Is Fighting For Disability Rights in India". time.com. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
12. "2019 BWF Para-Badminton World Championships", Wikipedia, 19 January 2021, retrieved 3 February 2021
13. Kidangoor, Abhishyant. "This Badminton Star Is Fighting For Disability Rights in India". time.com. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
14. "Barbie doll modelled after para-badminton champ Manasi Joshi | Ahmedabad News - Times of India". The Times of India. 12 October 2020. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
15. "BBC 100 Women 2020: Who is on the list this year?". BBC News. 23 November 2020. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
16. "Indian Sportswoman of the Year nominees revealed". BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
17. Subrahmanyam, V. V. (8 August 2018). "Manasi in search of an Asiad medal". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
18. "At 22, She Lost Her Leg. At 26, Manasi Joshi Was an International Level Para-Badminton Player!". The Better India. 29 February 2016. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
19. Perera, Ayeshea (4 February 2020). "Manasi Joshi: The accident that created a world champion". BBC News.
20. "Manasi Joshi: The accident that created a world champion". BBC News. 4 February 2020. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
21. "Who is Manasi Joshi, who won gold at BWF Para Badminton World Championships?". The Week. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
22. "2015 BWF Para-Badminton World Championships", Wikipedia, 20 June 2020, retrieved 3 February 2021
23. "Who Is Manasi Joshi: Gold Medalist At Para World Badminton Championship 2019". Sakshipost. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
24. "Success Stories: Office of The State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Government of Meghalaya". megscpwd.gov.in. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
25. "World Para Badminton Championships Title a Dream Come True: Manasi Joshi". News 18. IANS. 25 August 2019.
26. admin. "Winners of National Disability Awards 2019!". Retrieved 3 February 2021.
27. "Sindhu, Saurabh win ESPN Indias player of year award". outlookindia.com. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
28. "TOISA 2019: Happy that my efforts are helping me get recognition, says Para-athlete of the Year Manasi Joshi - Times of India". The Times of India. 8 March 2020. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
29. Sportstar, Team. "Sportstar ACES Awards 2020 - As it happened". Sportstar. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
30. "Indian Sportswoman of the Year nominees revealed". BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
31. Kidangoor, Abhishyant. "This Badminton Star Is Fighting For Disability Rights in India". time.com. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
32. "BBC 100 Women 2020: Who is on the list this year?". BBC News. 23 November 2020. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
33. "Self-Made Women 2020: India's top women achievers". Forbes India. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
34. "Badminton: India's Manasi Joshi wins Bronze in women's singles at Thailand Para-Badminton International,2018". Sports India Show. 9 August 2018. Retrieved 11 August 2018.