Born and raised in Kalamb, a small town in Maharashtra’s Dharashiv district, Vasundhara Nangare had almost no access to standard facilities. Her practice court was made of uneven stone slabs; during monsoons it leaked, and there was no qualified coach nearby. Nonetheless, after a rudimentary court was built locally, she picked up the racket, and almost immediately, was hooked.

Unable to rely on formal training, Vasundhara turned to YouTube for learning footwork, racket grip, swing mechanics, and fitness drills. She would watch, re-watch, emulate on her patchy court, her father helping her decode videos frame by frame. Her breakthrough came when Chance2Sports organised a camp in Kalamb where coach Abhinav Sinha noticed her raw hunger and potential.

Under his mentorship and with monthly trips to Mumbai for proper coaching, Vasundhara sharpened her technique, fitness and competitive temperament. By age 13, she had placed third at the Under-15 Asian Junior Trials, earning her a place in India’s junior squash team.

Despite her rustic beginnings, hardship and lack of infrastructure, it’s her discipline, adaptability, and sheer resilience that have carried her forward. In Kalamb, she is already inspiring thirty-odd local children to take up squash on the same cracked court. Vasundhara dreams of playing at the World Junior Championships and for the Indian senior team.