“I will be at the Commonwealth Games for sure,” says Jwala Gutta, badminton doubles star. “Winning the medal!” If it doesn’t seem super-sportsmanlike to display such an unabashed confidence – haven’t our greatest sportsmen and women always been on the reserved, disavowing, aw-shucks-little-old-men sorts? – too bad. Jwala Gutta is from that other breed of sports icon: confident, solid, utterly disinterested in making excuses for herself or her game. With former partner Shruti Kurien, she has won the national Badminton Doubles Championships seven times – and she’s just hitting her prime. Now with Ashwini Ponnappa, her ranking is at an all-time high of world number 13. Her mixed doubles form at world rank 7 is even better, as her partnership with V. Diju leaves little trails of fire behind it as it scorches up the rankings. Ask her what the day of badminton champion is like, and she shoots back, not with the details of a gruelling training schedule or fitness regime, but, “Oh, not much. Hanging around, eating, sleeping, shopping.” They called her Sparky when she first appeared on the scene, and the adjective clearly applies to more than her game.

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