Meet Gautam Dhruvansh, Lucknow University's Table Tennis champ

Cricket is a religion in India and any other sports has always been an alternative. The table tennis scenario in India has mostly gone unnoticed but some players like World No.32 Sathiyan Gnanasekran have made his presence felt at the global level. It is a very biased scenario, where table tennis players train as hard as any cricketer but are hardly given any limelight.

Gautam Dhruvansh, currently ranked India No. 42 is an inspiration to young aspirants of Table Tennis, as the Lucknow University Table Tennis Champion is providing shelter and training to young players in Dehradun. The young lad was selected among 150 aspirants in the CAG Final for the job in the Central Government, Gautam always rose to the challenge and grabbed every opportunity.

Peaking at an early age

[rebelmouse-image 24660892 is_animated_gif=false crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//assets.rbl.ms/24660892/origin.jpg%22%2C%20%22thumbnails%22%3A%20%7B%22origin%22%3A%20%22https%3A//assets.rbl.ms/24660892/origin.jpg%22%2C%20%222000x1500%22%3A%20%22https%3A//assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY2MDg5Mi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMDg5ODA2MH0.Zi-FELN7cgH0_L6udaAv4zCW2vqT5WxDUDAYU7tA_oM/img.jpg%3Fwidth%3D2000%26coordinates%3D0%252C121%252C0%252C121%26height%3D1500%22%2C%20%22600x200%22%3A%20%22https%3A//assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY2MDg5Mi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMDg5ODA2MH0.Zi-FELN7cgH0_L6udaAv4zCW2vqT5WxDUDAYU7tA_oM/img.jpg%3Fwidth%3D600%26coordinates%3D0%252C340%252C0%252C341%26height%3D200%22%2C%20%2235x35%22%3A%20%22https%3A//assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY2MDg5Mi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMDg5ODA2MH0.Zi-FELN7cgH0_L6udaAv4zCW2vqT5WxDUDAYU7tA_oM/img.jpg%3Fwidth%3D35%26height%3D35%22%2C%20%22600x600%22%3A%20%22https%3A//assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY2MDg5Mi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMDg5ODA2MH0.Zi-FELN7cgH0_L6udaAv4zCW2vqT5WxDUDAYU7tA_oM/img.jpg%3Fwidth%3D600%26coordinates%3D10%252C0%252C10%252C0%26height%3D600%22%2C%20%22980x%22%3A%20%22https%3A//assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY2MDg5Mi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMDg5ODA2MH0.Zi-FELN7cgH0_L6udaAv4zCW2vqT5WxDUDAYU7tA_oM/img.jpg%3Fwidth%3D980%22%2C%20%22700x1245%22%3A%20%22https%3A//assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY2MDg5Mi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMDg5ODA2MH0.Zi-FELN7cgH0_L6udaAv4zCW2vqT5WxDUDAYU7tA_oM/img.jpg%3Fwidth%3D700%26coordinates%3D235%252C0%252C236%252C0%26height%3D1245%22%2C%20%221000x750%22%3A%20%22https%3A//assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY2MDg5Mi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMDg5ODA2MH0.Zi-FELN7cgH0_L6udaAv4zCW2vqT5WxDUDAYU7tA_oM/img.jpg%3Fwidth%3D1000%26coordinates%3D0%252C121%252C0%252C121%26height%3D750%22%2C%20%221500x2000%22%3A%20%22https%3A//assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY2MDg5Mi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMDg5ODA2MH0.Zi-FELN7cgH0_L6udaAv4zCW2vqT5WxDUDAYU7tA_oM/img.jpg%3Fwidth%3D1500%26coordinates%3D139%252C0%252C139%252C0%26height%3D2000%22%2C%20%22600x%22%3A%20%22https%3A//assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY2MDg5Mi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMDg5ODA2MH0.Zi-FELN7cgH0_L6udaAv4zCW2vqT5WxDUDAYU7tA_oM/img.jpg%3Fwidth%3D600%22%2C%20%221200x400%22%3A%20%22https%3A//assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY2MDg5Mi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMDg5ODA2MH0.Zi-FELN7cgH0_L6udaAv4zCW2vqT5WxDUDAYU7tA_oM/img.jpg%3Fwidth%3D1200%26coordinates%3D0%252C340%252C0%252C341%26height%3D400%22%2C%20%22600x400%22%3A%20%22https%3A//assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY2MDg5Mi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMDg5ODA2MH0.Zi-FELN7cgH0_L6udaAv4zCW2vqT5WxDUDAYU7tA_oM/img.jpg%3Fwidth%3D600%26coordinates%3D0%252C165%252C0%252C165%26height%3D400%22%2C%20%221200x800%22%3A%20%22https%3A//assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY2MDg5Mi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMDg5ODA2MH0.Zi-FELN7cgH0_L6udaAv4zCW2vqT5WxDUDAYU7tA_oM/img.jpg%3Fwidth%3D1200%26coordinates%3D0%252C165%252C0%252C165%26height%3D800%22%2C%20%22600x300%22%3A%20%22https%3A//assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY2MDg5Mi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMDg5ODA2MH0.Zi-FELN7cgH0_L6udaAv4zCW2vqT5WxDUDAYU7tA_oM/img.jpg%3Fwidth%3D600%26coordinates%3D0%252C253%252C0%252C253%26height%3D300%22%2C%20%22210x%22%3A%20%22https%3A//assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY2MDg5Mi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMDg5ODA2MH0.Zi-FELN7cgH0_L6udaAv4zCW2vqT5WxDUDAYU7tA_oM/img.jpg%3Fwidth%3D210%22%2C%20%22300x300%22%3A%20%22https%3A//assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY2MDg5Mi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMDg5ODA2MH0.Zi-FELN7cgH0_L6udaAv4zCW2vqT5WxDUDAYU7tA_oM/img.jpg%3Fwidth%3D300%26coordinates%3D10%252C0%252C10%252C0%26height%3D300%22%2C%20%221245x700%22%3A%20%22https%3A//assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY2MDg5Mi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMDg5ODA2MH0.Zi-FELN7cgH0_L6udaAv4zCW2vqT5WxDUDAYU7tA_oM/img.jpg%3Fwidth%3D1245%26coordinates%3D0%252C220%252C0%252C220%26height%3D700%22%2C%20%22750x1000%22%3A%20%22https%3A//assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY2MDg5Mi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMDg5ODA2MH0.Zi-FELN7cgH0_L6udaAv4zCW2vqT5WxDUDAYU7tA_oM/img.jpg%3Fwidth%3D750%26coordinates%3D139%252C0%252C139%252C0%26height%3D1000%22%2C%20%22300x%22%3A%20%22https%3A//assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY2MDg5Mi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMDg5ODA2MH0.Zi-FELN7cgH0_L6udaAv4zCW2vqT5WxDUDAYU7tA_oM/img.jpg%3Fwidth%3D300%22%2C%20%221200x600%22%3A%20%22https%3A//assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY2MDg5Mi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMDg5ODA2MH0.Zi-FELN7cgH0_L6udaAv4zCW2vqT5WxDUDAYU7tA_oM/img.jpg%3Fwidth%3D1200%26coordinates%3D0%252C253%252C0%252C253%26height%3D600%22%7D%2C%20%22manual_image_crops%22%3A%20%7B%223x1%22%3A%20%7B%22width%22%3A%201052%2C%20%22top%22%3A%20340%2C%20%22height%22%3A%20351%2C%20%22left%22%3A%200%2C%20%22sizes%22%3A%20%5B%221200x400%22%2C%20%22600x200%22%5D%7D%2C%20%223x2%22%3A%20%7B%22width%22%3A%201052%2C%20%22top%22%3A%20165%2C%20%22height%22%3A%20702%2C%20%22left%22%3A%200%2C%20%22sizes%22%3A%20%5B%221200x800%22%2C%20%22600x400%22%5D%7D%2C%20%221x1%22%3A%20%7B%22width%22%3A%201032%2C%20%22top%22%3A%200%2C%20%22height%22%3A%201032%2C%20%22left%22%3A%2010%2C%20%22sizes%22%3A%20%5B%22600x600%22%2C%20%22300x300%22%5D%7D%2C%20%223x4%22%3A%20%7B%22width%22%3A%20774%2C%20%22top%22%3A%200%2C%20%22height%22%3A%201032%2C%20%22left%22%3A%20139%2C%20%22sizes%22%3A%20%5B%221500x2000%22%2C%20%22750x1000%22%5D%7D%2C%20%2216x9%22%3A%20%7B%22width%22%3A%201052%2C%20%22top%22%3A%20220%2C%20%22height%22%3A%20592%2C%20%22left%22%3A%200%2C%20%22sizes%22%3A%20%5B%221245x700%22%5D%7D%2C%20%229x16%22%3A%20%7B%22width%22%3A%20581%2C%20%22top%22%3A%200%2C%20%22height%22%3A%201032%2C%20%22left%22%3A%20235%2C%20%22sizes%22%3A%20%5B%22700x1245%22%5D%7D%2C%20%224x3%22%3A%20%7B%22width%22%3A%201052%2C%20%22top%22%3A%20121%2C%20%22height%22%3A%20790%2C%20%22left%22%3A%200%2C%20%22sizes%22%3A%20%5B%222000x1500%22%2C%20%221000x750%22%5D%7D%2C%20%22600x300%22%3A%20%7B%22width%22%3A%201052%2C%20%22top%22%3A%20253%2C%20%22height%22%3A%20526%2C%20%22left%22%3A%200%2C%20%22sizes%22%3A%20%5B%22600x300%22%5D%7D%2C%20%222x1%22%3A%20%7B%22width%22%3A%201052%2C%20%22top%22%3A%20253%2C%20%22height%22%3A%20526%2C%20%22left%22%3A%200%2C%20%22sizes%22%3A%20%5B%221200x600%22%2C%20%22600x300%22%5D%7D%7D%7D" pin_description="" dam="1" site_id=20074994 caption="Gautam Dhruvansh in action" original_size="1052x1032" photo_credit="" expand=1] Gautam Dhruvansh in action

He began his tennis journey at the tender age of 9 and then shifted to Agra. He peaked early in his career, as he won U-12, U-14, and U 19 state championship. He grabbed U-19 ranking No.1 ( Singles) and No.2 ranking in U-21. He represented Lucknow University in the All India University Tournament and remained unbeaten in 2018.

Talking about his struggle days

He also qualified for senior nationals and youth nationals in 2018. He used to travel from Vikas Nagar to Chinhat on a rented bicycle in 2018 for reaching the training venue and today he is all set to play senior nationals in 2020. He said, " I used to travel on a rented bicycle and used to make my meal because everything else was luxury to me. "

The University champion made most of the lockdown with regular training and practice sessions for young acers.