Xiaona shan

The Indian Express: India’s top paddler, Archana Kamath, has quit table tennis to pursue her passion for academics. The 24-year-old Olympian, who was a key member of India’s history-making women’s team at the Paris Olympics, said that her decision was driven solely by her love for studying.

“If I have retired from competitive table tennis, it is only and only because of my passion for academics. Having been the recipient of extraordinary support, including financial, I can confidently say, that it wasn’t in any way a financial decision,” she told The Indian Express from Michigan, where she is currently studying.

Kamath was instrumental in helping India’s team reach the quarterfinals in Paris, a milestone for Indian table tennis. Despite a tough loss to Germany, Kamath was the lone bright spot, securing a victory against the higher-ranked Xiaona Shan.