Fashion, gadgets and sports sum up the focus of Dipika Pallikal’s 18-year-old life. Born in Chennai into a family of sports enthusiasts, she is a true star child to a mother who played cricket for India (1975 to 1981) and even captained India during the 1978 World Cup. She adds, “Both my grandfather and grandmother played basketball for Kerala. Naturally, I fell in love with squash from the day I touched the racquet; squash is a very dynamic and raw game, it tests your athletic as well as your mental abilities. You need to develop superb eye-hand coordination.”

So while she practises her hand at the game, in her personal space she is busy practising eye-hand coordination on smart gadgets. Looking hopefully into the future she brims with excitement, as she says, “I hope squash will become an Olympic sport one day as it is a truly global sport with 170 countries playing the game. Squash was short-listed for the Olympics (2012, 2016) but to my huge disappointment it didn’t make it. It would be a dream to play at the Olympics and to win the World Open Championship! I’d also like to pursue my education further, so I will be juggling a degree and training in Egypt and England.” While travelling she misses her family the most, but the permanent fixtures in her life – her pink iPod, MacBook, camera, Nintendo Wii and Blackberry – help her keep in touch.

The fashionista in her cuddles her Chanel bag and confesses to being obsessed with handbags and shoes as she states, “As an athlete I spend a lot of time in sneakers and shorts, so when I do get a chance to go out with my friends I look forward to really dressing up – stilettos and skirts. I have a whole collection of Jimmy Choos. I feel so feminine when I slip a pair of them on.”

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