Despite impressing with her performance at the Paris Olympics, Archana Kamath’s medal-less return led her to reconsider her career path.
At the 2024 Paris Olympics, India’s women’s table tennis team made history by advancing past the Round of 16 for the first time. However, they were defeated by Germany in the quarter-finals, with Archana Kamath being the only player to win a game in the 1-3 loss. Although reaching the quarter-finals was a significant achievement for Indian table tennis, Kamath aimed higher. With no certainty of winning a medal at the 2028 LA Games, the 24-year-old has decided to retire from professional table tennis to pursue higher education abroad.
Upon returning from Paris, Kamath had a candid discussion with her coach, Anshul Garg, about the likelihood of earning a medal in the next Olympics. Garg, initially surprised by her stance, provided an honest assessment.
“I told her that it’s going to be tough and require a lot of hard work. She’s ranked outside the top 100 in the world, but she’s improved so much recently. However, I believe she had already made up her mind, and once she decides something, it’s hard to change it,” Garg shared with The Indian Express.
Kamath’s selection for the Paris Olympics had sparked debate, particularly since she was chosen over Ayhika Mukherjee, who had previously defeated World No. 1 Sun Yingsha. Nonetheless, Archana concentrated on her game and played a crucial role in securing India’s only match win against Germany in the quarter-final. Despite receiving support from TOPs, Olympic Gold Quest (OGQ), and other sponsors, Kamath was driven by the goal of winning an Olympic medal. Now, she sees studying abroad as a more promising career option.
“My brother works at NASA. He’s my role model, and he also encourages me to focus on my studies. I find time to complete my education, and I enjoy it. I’m good at it too,” Kamath had mentioned earlier.
Her father, Girish Kamath, also highlighted her academic inclination and said she has no regrets about her career decisions.
“Archana has always balanced her studies with her table tennis career. She recently completed a Master’s degree in International Relations, Strategies, and Security. After dedicating over 15 years to table tennis, culminating in representing India at the Olympics, she felt it was time to pursue her other passion—academics. She made this tough decision without any regrets, having given her best to the sport and the country,” he explained.
The financial sustainability of sports like table tennis remains a concern, which likely influenced Archana’s decision post-Paris Games. However, Kamlesh Mehta, an eight-time national champion and current secretary of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI), believes that the situation is rapidly improving.
“Table tennis is gaining considerable corporate support. The Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) league has corporate owners, and players are backed by professional sports agencies. There’s a lot of positive development, and the government, along with TTFI, is doing everything possible to support players and create an environment that encourages them to stay in the sport. The increase in professional academies across the country is proof of that, and our results on the international stage show that we are making progress,” Mehta stated.
Although there is support for table tennis players in terms of training and equipment, Archana’s coach, Garg, believes the sport has a long way to go before it can provide a sustainable livelihood. Therefore, Archana’s decision made sense to him.
“Top players usually have no issues as they receive ample support, but what about the emerging players? Yes, they get assistance with training and equipment, but making a living from the sport is challenging. So, Archana’s decision is understandable,” Garg concluded.
