Manisha Ramdass is an Indian SU5 para-badminton shuttler (in SU5, the player has an impairment of the upper limbs). She is the first Indian female player who wins the Para-Badminton Player of the Year Award 2022. She made her international debut in March 2022 and won two golds. Her impeccable performance in each tournament kept her first place intact in the world ranking; as of May 2023, she held the first rank in women’s singles, second in women’s doubles with Mandeep Kaur, and ninth with Pramod Bhagat in the mixed category.
Wiki/Biography
Manisha Ramdass was born on Thursday, 27 January 2005 (age 18 years; as of 2023) in Thiruvallur, Chennai, Tamil Nadu. In 2023, she pursued her higher secondary education in commerce at Shree Niketan Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Thiruvallur, Tamil Nadu. She got trained in badminton under the guidance of S. Ramkumar at Appu Indoor Sports Academy, Thrivullur, Tamil Nadu.
Manisha Ramdass at the age of 15 years
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5 feet
Weight (approx.): 40 kg
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Black
Family
Manisha belongs to the Ramadoss family of the Vanniyar community of Tamil Nadu.
Parents & Siblings
Manisha’s mother’s name is Sumita; she is a homemaker. Her father worked in a bank but lost his job a few years ago. He then started working as a civil contractor; he was a district-level ball badminton player. Manisha has 2 sisters.
Career
Manisha Ramdass made her international debut in March 2022 with Spanish Para-Badminton International where she clinched 2 Golds, and a Bronze medal in women’s singles (WS), women’s doubles (WD), and mixed (XD) categories respectively. She defeated Beatriz Monteiro of Portugal in singles. In doubles, her partner was Mandeep Kaur, together they defeated Manasi Joshi and Shanthiya Vishwanathan of India.
Manisha Ramdass after winning in Spanish Para-Badminton International
Manisha Ramdass (left) with Mandeep Kaur
After her international debut in March 2022, she performed consistently in the following tournaments including Brazil Para-Badminton International (April 2022), Bahrain Para-Badminton International (May 2022), Fazza Dubai Para-Badminton International (May 2022), and Spanish Para-Badminton International (February 2023).
Manisha Ramdass after registering a win at the 4th Fazza Para-Badminton International Dubai
In November 2022, she participated in Hulic Daihatsu BWF Para-Badminton World Championship, Tokyo and won a gold in WS SU5 (women’s singles), and a bronze with Mandeep Kaur in WD (women’s doubles) category.
Manisha Ramdass celebrating her win at World Para-Badminton Championship Tokyo 2022
Her consistent performance improved her world rank and she became the No. 1 player in the women’s SU5 category in 2022. In an interview, she talked about her ranking and Player of the Year Award and said,
It was an honour to be chosen ahead of many senior players. I felt very proud and happy to receive the award in front of many legendary players. This [BWF honour] is my greatest achievement so far and it will motivate me to achieve more in the future. I want to win a medal at the Asian Para Games and the 2024 Paris Paralympics.”
Medals
Gold
- Spanish Para-Badminton International Toledo 2023 (women’s singles)
- Spanish Para-Badminton International Vitoria 2023 (women’s singles)
- Hulic Daihatsu Para-Badminton World Championship 2022 (women’s singles)
- Thailand Para-Badminton International 2022 (women’s singles)
- Canada Para-Badminton International 2022 (women’s singles)
- 4th Fazza Para-Badminton International Dubai 2022 (women’s singles)
- 4th Fazza Para-Badminton International Dubai 2022 (women’s doubles) with Mandeep Kaur
- Bahrain Para-Badminton International 2022 (women’s doubles) with Mandeep Kaur
- Bahrain Para-Badminton International 2022 (mixed) with Pramod Bhagat
Manisha Ramdass with Pramod Bhagat
- Brazil Para-Badminton International 2022 (women’s singles)
- Brazil Para-Badminton International 2022 (women’s doubles) with Mandeep Kaur
- Spanish Para-Badminton International 2022 (women’s singles)
Silver
- Brazil Para-Badminton International 2023 (women’s doubles) in SU5 with Mandeep Kaur (SL3)
Bronze
- Bahrain Para-Badminton International 2023 (women’s singles) in SU5
- Bahrain Para-Badminton International 2023 (mixed) in SU5 with Pramod Bhagat (SL3)
- Thailand Para-Badminton International 2023 (women’s doubles) with Mandeep Kaur
- Spanish Para-Badminton International Toledo 2023 (mixed) with Pramod Bhagat
Manisha Ramdass playing with Pramod Bhagat in Spanish Para-Badminton International 2023
- Brazil Para-Badminton International 2023 (women’s singles)
- Hulic Daihatsu Para-Badminton World Championship 2022 (women’s doubles) with Mandeep Kaur
- Thailand Para-Badminton International 2022 (mixed) with Pramod Bhagat
Awards, Honours, Achievements
- Female Para-Badminton Player of the Year Award 2022
Manisha Ramdass Player of the Year 2022
Favourites:
Facts/Trivia
- Manisha was born as a forceps baby (a form of assisted delivery that can help mothers deliver their babies vaginally when labour is not progressing). It was the impact of this natal injury that she was born with an impediment in her right hand. She has gone through three surgeries but still, her hand recovered only 60%.
- There are marks on her face. These are due to the natal injury she went through during her birth time.
- Initially, Manisha played in the able-bodied section. For four years she competed in able-bodied badminton tournaments at the state and district levels but couldn’t qualify for national levels.
- Tamilnadu CM, M. K. Stalin honoured her for becoming the first Indian female to win the Player of the Year Award 2022.
Manisha Ramdass with Tamilnadu CM MK Stalin
- Manisha Ramdass has been a sports enthusiast since childhood. She participated in various games including football, volleyball, and tennikoit in her school days but in 2015, she chose badminton to go ahead with.
- Manisha Ramdass considers Saina Nehwal and Lin Dan her inspiration.
- Her hobbies are dancing and drawing.
- She is also known as Manisha Ramadoss.
- Her school, Shree Niketan Matriculation Higher Secondary School, celebrated her victories and gave her the title ‘The Golden Girl.’
Principal of Shree Niketan School honouring her student Manisha Ramdass
- She was trained for the BWF World Championship, Tokyo by coach Mayank Gole.
- Mission Olympic cell in their May 2023 meeting added Manisha Ramdass to the core team list of the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS); it is an initiative of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports aimed at providing support to India’s top athletes to help them win medals at the Olympics.
