Khelo India Youth Games 2023: Tripathi Siblings from Uttar Pradesh Eye Significant Impact in Squash Arena

In the early 2000s, Hari Om Tripathi coached Dipika Pallikal, the 2022 Asian Games mixed doubles gold medallist, to the national Under-13 girls squash title, marking a significant achievement for his players.

Tripathi, a former national coach, was instrumental in establishing the Indian Squash Academy in Chennai, where his three children, Ansh, Unnati, and Atulit, grew up watching and playing the sport.

Ansh and Unnati Tripathi, now representing Uttar Pradesh, are making a homecoming at the Indian Squash Academy for the 6th Khelo India Youth Games 2023. The inclusion of squash in the Khelo India Youth Games, especially with the prospect of the sport's Olympic debut in Los Angeles 2028, has energized the Tripathi siblings.

Unnati, the Under-17 girls title winner at the Indian Junior Open Squash Championship in Mumbai, sees the Games as a significant opportunity to compete with senior players.

For 18-year-old Ansh, the Khelo India Youth Games is a crucial platform to leave a lasting impression at the junior level. Both siblings expressed their excitement about playing at the Indian Squash Academy, considering it their home turf.

In the initial matches, Unnati secured a convincing victory, while Ansh advanced to the quarter-finals. Ansh, who started playing squash at the age of 6, has also played cricket at the district level in Dehradun. Unnati took up squash inspired by her elder brother and counts Asian Games medallist Anahat Singh as her role model.

Despite their competitive spirit on the court, Ansh and Unnati deny any sibling rivalry, emphasizing that they have never been on opposing teams. Their youngest sibling, Atulit, has also shown promise in squash, reaching the boys U-15 quarterfinals at a championship in Delhi.

Although their father, Hari Om Tripathi, couldn't be present in Chennai this time, the Tripathi siblings are determined to make him proud at the Khelo India Youth Games, showcasing their talent and skills in the sport they grew up with at the Indian Squash Academy.