Badminton Star Balu | Maiidan

ANUP PRAKASH

At 24, Balram Thapa is a member of the Armed Police Force, but instead of bullets from a gun, he chooses to fire shuttle cocks. A rising star in Nepali badminton, Balu as he is affectionately called, is busy practicing for the Asian Badminton Championship in Malaysia this month.

"I wanted to be a football player and had never thought of playing badminton," says Balram. But once he entered the covered hall at the Dasrath Stadium at the age of 11, he was hypnotised by the atmosphere and the adrenalin rush the game provided.

Spotted by Deepak Thapa, a national level badminton player, Balram proved his mettle in just two months by qualifying for the national championship at the boys level. This was followed by a series of titles including that of national champion at the age of just 19 in 2004. He followed that up by winning the title again in 2006 and 2007. He has also won the Carlsberg Open, twice, along with the Krishna Mohan Cup and the APF Cup. Balram's passion for the game has also brought him fame in international courts with bronze medals in team events at the 9th and the 10th SAF Games, another bronze in the mixed doubles at the Satellite Open in Sri Lanka and the Pakistan International Challenge.

Though kissed by success in most of his tournaments, Balram's journey to the top hasn't been easy, especially when the hurdle is named Pashupati Paneru, his strongest opponent. Records show that Balram had to face Pashupati six times in a year. He lost all six times. But the jinx didn't last long in front of his drive to win. Finally in 2006, Balram was able to defeat Pashupati at the Krishna Mohan Smirti Badminton Tournament followed by another win at the National Championships held in Chitwan last year.

"Playing against Pashupati is pressurising as well as fun. It feels exhilarating to defeat him," he says. The two have become regulars at almost every national tournament and seeing them battle is like watching an India-Pakistan cricket match, only faster.

Balram might not make as much as cricketers do but he has till date approximately won a total of Rs 400,000, a big sum for any sportsperson in Nepal. So does that give him any hope for a fulltime career in badminton? Like all the rest, he is sceptical. "The association is trying to generate interest but the private sector has overlooked us." He adds: "Despite my personal success, I will only be satisfied if the entire sport of badminton moves forward." Harbouring a desire to push Nepali badminton to the international level and to be a coach in the years to come, Balram feels sports is a good way to keep the youth focused. "Regular practise and encouragement from parents will help in keeping them away from wrong habits," guarantees Balram who admires Indonesian player Taufik Hidayat. With the correct dose of passion, talent and concern, it is people like Balram who heighten the hopes for Nepali sports.