Manush-Manav Aim To Make History Following Sharath Kamal’s Medal Challenge

Last Updated:July 21, 2026, 15:56 IST

Manush Shah, mentored by Sharath Kamal, eyes Asian Games men's doubles medal with Manav Thakkar. World No. 2 pair aims for historic podium finish.

Star Indian paddler Manush Shah has said that, having been mentored by the legendary Sharath Kamal, he and doubles partner Manav Thakkar are confident that they can fulfil Sharath’s wishes and bring home a men’s doubles medal from the upcoming Asian Games.

While India have won three medals at the continental stage, none of them have come in men’s doubles. But with Manush and Manav climbing to World No. 2, the highest-ever ranking achieved by an Indian pair in any doubles discipline, one can surely hope for a podium finish.

Having spoken to News18 Sports earlier, Sharath had said that he ‘needs’ Manush and Manav to win that elusive men’s doubles medal. What does Manush think of this demand made by the veteran paddler?

“Sharath is a mentor to both Manav and me, so we are constantly in touch with him. The experience he brings to our partnership is invaluable. Last time, we narrowly lost to the World No. 1 pair in the quarter-finals. We were just two points away from winning a medal," Manush reminisced while replying to a query from News18 Sports during a joint media interaction at Ultimate Table Tennis Season 7 in Goa.

“This time, I believe we will be in a much better position. We will also have a better seeding, with Manav and me currently ranked World No. 3 (2 now). We aim to keep improving in the lead-up to the Asian Games so that we carry strong momentum into the tournament," Manush said.

Playing for defending champions U Mumba TT at UTT, the 25-year-old had a good start to his campaign, although his team took some time to get back on track. But Manush has kept producing consistent results.

How much does he think the preparation at UTT would help him in the lead-up to the Asian Games?

“Yes, definitely. I feel this year will be crucial because we don’t get to play team events very often and the Asian Games will feature the team competition. We are already familiar with that format and the team-bonding process has been underway for quite some time," Manush said.

“We hope the tournaments leading up to the Asian Games serve as ideal preparation and help us build momentum heading into the event," Manush added.

Manush and Manav will next be in action at the Europe Smash Sweden, which starts on Saturday, August 8. The tournament will serve as an ideal build-up to the Asian Games, with the Indian pair all set to face a strong field that includes China’sLin Shidong/Wen Ruibo, South Korea’s Oh Junsung/Lim Jonghoon, Hong Kong’s Wong Chun Ting/Chan Baldwin and Singapore’s Pang Koen/Izaac Quek.

News sports other-sports Manush-Manav Aim To Make History Following Sharath Kamal’s Medal Challenge

Read More