Cinderella Das
At just 16 years of age, Cinderella Das from Kolkata is rapidly becoming one of India’s brightest table tennis prospects. The youngster from Baghajatin has already made a remarkable impact at both the national and international levels, earning medals and establishing herself as one of the country’s most exciting talents.
Her biggest breakthrough came after defeating India’s top women’s paddler Manika Batra in the Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) league, a victory that underlined her immense potential and strengthened her case for selection to India’s squad for the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya.
Cinderella has enjoyed an extraordinary season. She earned selection for the Asian Games, the Commonwealth Games, and the Youth Olympic Games, becoming the first Indian table tennis player to qualify for both the Asian Games and the Youth Olympic Games in the same calendar year.
Despite her young age, she has consistently impressed on the international circuit while improving her world ranking through regular participation in global tournaments.
Speaking about her selection, Cinderella said she always believed that hard work would pay off.
“I worked really hard to earn my place in the Asian Games squad. I was confident because I had played several international tournaments to improve my ranking. When I found out I had been selected for both the Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games almost at the same time, it became one of the most special moments of my life.”
When asked whether representing India at major multi-sport events brings extra pressure, the teenager responded with remarkable maturity.
“Why should I feel pressure? I have already played many international tournaments. If I think too much about pressure, I won’t be able to perform well.”
Her fearless attitude has become one of her greatest strengths.
Cinderella credits much of her success to former Indian paddlers Soumyadeep Roy and Poulomi Ghatak, under whose guidance she has trained in Kolkata.
The Kolkata paddler has already built an outstanding resume at a young age.
She won a silver medal at the Asian Youth Table Tennis Championships in Bangkok, claimed a bronze medal in doubles at the WTT Contender Tunisia, and previously reached the World No. 1 ranking in the U-17 girls’ doubles category.
She also secured the women’s singles silver medal at the 87th Senior National Table Tennis Championships in Indore before stunning Manika Batra in Ultimate Table Tennis.
Now representing Dempo Goa Challengers, Cinderella Das continues preparing for the biggest challenges of her young career as she aims to bring more medals to India at the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and beyond.
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