Nov 09 2024 to Nov 09 2024 6 p.m.

Where

Bangalore International Centre

7 4th Main Rd, Stage 2, Domlur 560071

Event Description

Two extraordinary young athletes, Dhinidhi Desinghu and Rakshitha Raju, sit down with veteran sports journalist Prajwal Hegde to explore Karnataka’s sporting future. Dhinidhi, at just 13, is India’s youngest Olympic qualifier for Paris 2024 and a national swimming champion. Rakshitha, a para-athlete from Chikmagalur, is an Asian Para Games gold medalist who has overcome significant personal challenges. Join these inspiring young champions as they share their journeys, discuss the state of sports infrastructure, and envision the future of athletics in Karnataka. Through their fresh perspectives and Prajwal’s experienced lens, discover what it takes to nurture sporting talent in our state. Their conversation promises insights into the challenges, opportunities, and dreams that shape Karnataka’s sporting landscape.

ಪ್ರತಿಭಾನ್ವಿತ ಯುವ ಕ್ರೀಡಾಪಟುಗಳಾದ ಧಿನಿಧಿ ದೇಸಿಂಗು ಮತ್ತು ರಕ್ಷಿತಾ ರಾಜು ಅವರು ಹಿರಿಯ ಕ್ರೀಡಾ ಪತ್ರಕರ್ತೆ ಪ್ರಜ್ವಲ್ ಹೆಗಡೆ ಅವರೊಂದಿಗೆ ಕರ್ನಾಟಕದ ಕ್ರೀಡಾ ಭವಿಷ್ಯದ ಕುರಿತು ಮಾತನಾಡಲಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಕೇವಲ ೧೩ ವರ್ಷದ ಧಿನಿಧಿ, ಪ್ಯಾರಿಸ್ ೨೦೨೪ ಒಲಿಂಪಿಕ್ಸ್‌ಗೆ ಅರ್ಹತೆ ಪಡೆದ ಭಾರತದ ಅತಿ ಕಿರಿಯ ಕ್ರೀಡಾಪಟು ಹಾಗೂ ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರೀಯ ಜಲತರಣ ಚಾಂಪಿಯನ್. ಚಿಕ್ಕಮಗಳೂರಿನ ಪ್ಯಾರಾ-ಅಥ್ಲೀಟ್ ರಕ್ಷಿತಾ, ಏಷ್ಯನ್ ಪ್ಯಾರಾ ಗೇಮ್ಸ್ ಚಿನ್ನದ ಪದಕ ವಿಜೇತೆ ಹಾಗೂ ಅನೇಕ ವೈಯಕ್ತಿಕ ಸವಾಲುಗಳನ್ನು ಮೀರಿ ಬೆಳೆದವರು. ಈ ಸ್ಫೂರ್ತಿದಾಯಕ ಯುವ ಚಾಂಪಿಯನ್‌ಗಳು ತಮ್ಮ ಪಯಣ, ಕ್ರೀಡಾ ಮೂಲಸೌಕರ್ಯಗಳ ಸ್ಥಿತಿಗತಿ ಮತ್ತು ಕರ್ನಾಟಕದ ಕ್ರೀಡಾ ಭವಿಷ್ಯದ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಚರ್ಚಿಸಲಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಯುವ ದೃಷ್ಟಿಕೋನ ಮತ್ತು ಪ್ರಜ್ವಲ್ ಅವರ ಅನುಭವದ ನೋಟದ ಮೂಲಕ, ನಮ್ಮ ರಾಜ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಕ್ರೀಡಾ ಪ್ರತಿಭೆಗಳನ್ನು ಬೆಳೆಸುವ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ತಿಳಿಯಿರಿ. ಅವರ ಸಂವಾದವು ಕರ್ನಾಟಕದ ಕ್ರೀಡಾ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರವನ್ನು ರೂಪಿಸುವ ಸವಾಲುಗಳು, ಅವಕಾಶಗಳು ಮತ್ತು ಕನಸುಗಳ ಕುರಿತು ಒಳನೋಟಗಳನ್ನು ನೀಡಲಿದೆ.

With support from:
Speakers
Dhinidhi Desinghu
Swimmer

Dhinidhi Desinghu is a 13-year-old swimming prodigy from Bengaluru, Karnataka. She began swimming recreationally in 2018, but her natural talent was quickly spotted, leading her to competitive swimming under coach B. M. Madhu Kumar at Dolphin Aquatics.

Specializing in 200m freestyle, Dhinidhi has set multiple national records in various events including 100m freestyle and 200m individual medley. Her breakthrough year was 2023, when she clinched seven gold medals at the National Games in Goa and secured gold at the 76th Senior National Aquatic Championships in women’s 200m freestyle. She continued her winning streak into 2024, claiming gold at the 54th Singapore National Age Group Championships.

Currently a 9th-grade student at Kendriya Vidyalaya DRDO in Bengaluru, Dhinidhi has achieved a remarkable milestone by qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics through a University Quota place in the women’s 200m freestyle event. She holds the distinction of being not only India’s youngest athlete for the Paris Olympics but was also the youngest Indian athlete at the 2022 Asian Games.
Rakshitha Raju
Para-Athlete

Rakshitha is a Para-Athlete from Chikmagalur, a small town in Karnataka. She lost her parents at a very early age and is taken care of by her grandmother who herself is deaf and dumb. Her PT master from Ashakirana Blind School would take her for national meets, where she was recognized by her current guide runner Sowmya, who introduced her to Rahul Balakrishna. He brought her to Bangalore to train under him at SAI.

In 2017, she got selected for the Youth Asian Para Games but unfortunately could not attend due to passport issues. The following year at the Asian Para Games she won Gold in the 1500m event, being one of the first female athletes in her category to do so. She is dedicated, hardworking, smart, and determined to achieve her goals.
Prajwal Hegde
Moderator

Prajwal Hegde is the author of What’s Good About Falling (2018) and the Times of India’s Tennis editor since July 2005. She began her journalism career with Mid-Day in Mumbai, before moving to Deccan Herald in Bengaluru. Prajwal has reported on all four Grand Slams – Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open – for several years. She is on the International Tennis Federation’s Media Commission and is also a member of the International Tennis Writers Association. The Association of Tennis Professionals awarded Prajwal the 2021 Ron Bookman Media Excellence Award, making her the first Indian and second Asian to receive the honour. She wrote the ‘Steffi Graf’ chapter in Sportstars 40, published by The Hindu in January 2020. She features in Break Point, the Leander Paes-Mahesh Bhupathi docuseries. Prajwal lives in Bengaluru with her husband, Dr Sanjay Hegde, a senior orthopaedic surgeon with Manipal Hospitals.