Ayhika Mukherjee is an Indian table tennis player. She represented Team India in the 2018 and 2022 Asian Games. Ayhika Mukherjee and partner Sutirtha won the bronze medal in the women’s doubles table tennis event at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
Wiki/Biography
Ayhika Mukherjee was born on Tuesday, June 10, 1997, in Naihati, West Bengal, India (26 years old; as of 2023). Her zodiac sign is Gemini.
Ayhika Mukherjee childhood photos
appearance
Height (approximately): 5′3″
Hair color: black
Eye color: black
family
Parents and siblings
Aishika’s father Gautam Mukherjee served in the Border Security Force (BSF). In 2010, he quit his job to support and help train Ayhika. Her mother, Soma Mukherjee, was a housewife. Recalling the social injustice, prejudice and struggles the family faced in their early years, she said:
When she was young, no one supported our decision to cast her. People often ask me, “What will Aishika achieve playing table tennis?” There are also some unacceptable comments about her attire. But her father, uncles and aunts have always supported her. “
Ashika Mukherjee and her parents
Profession
Ayishika’s table tennis career lasts for more than 20 years. Initially, she started training professionally in table tennis at the Naihati Youth Association club under the guidance of coach Mihir Ghosh. In 2008, she won all state ranking events. Her interest in the sport was due to her mother. She recalled in an interview,
One of the main reasons I started this sport was because of my mother. In West Bengal, it is common for parents to enroll their daughters in singing or dancing lessons at a young age, but my mother wanted something different for me. She wanted me to switch to sports. “
She is one of three former RP-SG Mavericks paddlers who are part of the Puneri Paltan team in the third season of the Ultimate Table Tennis season.
Ayhika Mukherjee represents Puneri Paltans in Ultimate Table Tennis Tournament 2019
In 2022, she started training under the guidance of former international table tennis player Subajit Saha. She shared her training plan in an interview. she says,
I start my day by going to the gym at 7am. I started table tennis training around 10 am and continued until 4 pm. Although it took nearly two hours to get from school to return, I felt confident in my preparation. “
In 2023, she formed a women’s doubles team with Sudisha Mukherjee. In an interview, she explained how the two became a team. she says,
So I have known Sudhirtha since childhood because we used to play together in the college. I have known Sudhirtha since 2006-07. Before, we didn’t play doubles together, but recently, we started playing doubles because we thought it would be good. Yes, we are right. “
Aishika’s notable victories include the World Table Tennis (WTT) title, a silver medal in table tennis doubles at the 2019 South Asian Games and a historic victory in the quarter-finals of the 2023 Asian Games. Aishika and Sudhirtha became the first Indian women’s doubles pair to win a table tennis medal at the Asian Games, defeating world champions Chen Meng and Wang Yidi of China. They secured India’s third table tennis medal at the Olympics, following the men’s team and mixed team events in Jakarta in 2018.
Ashika Mukherjee and Sudisha Mukherjee at Asian Games Championships
Commenting on their achievement, former table tennis player Somoyadeep Roy, who also coaches the duo at the academy in Kolkata, said:
Asian Games TT medals are equivalent to Olympic medals, especially in women’s events. What they achieved today will go down in history. “
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also tweeted his congratulations to the two.
Congratulations to Ayhika Mukherjee and Sutirtha Mukherjee for winning the bronze medal. It was a special victory as it was India’s first medal in the women’s doubles event at the Asian Games. Their dedication, skill and teamwork are exemplary. pic.twitter.com/wVK2WOShRk
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 2, 2023
The Chinese combination that Sudhirtha and Ashika defeated won 12 world championship medals.
dispute
Withdrawn from Birmingham Commonwealth Games squad
In 2022, after the management committee announced the squad for the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, many experienced players who were removed from the squad have made their voices heard about irregularities. Ayhika Mukherjee is one of those left behind. She said in an interview,
incredible! I can’t believe they picked a team this way again. In 2018, before the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, the selection process was not clear, and I still can’t understand how they select the team. “
Ayhika and Tokyo Olympian Suthirta Mukherjee were also left out of the squad without any transparent basis for player selection. Other players like India No. 4 Swatika Ghosh took to social media platforms demanding justice in the matter, while Divya Chitale and a few others filed a petition in the Delhi High Court demanding Suspend team selection and provide a fair decision.
medal
gold
- 2018 State Championship
Ayhika Mukherjee wins medal at 2018 state championships
- 2019 National Senior Championship Team Champion
- 2019 Southern District Championship Women’s Singles Champion
- 2019 Odisha Cuttack Commonwealth Championships Women’s Singles Gold Medal
- 2022 National Senior Championship Champion
Ayhika Mukherjee after winning in Senior National Championship 2022
silver
- 2018 National Adult Championship Singles Semi-finals
- 2022 Belgian Open Under-21 Silver Medalist
- 2022 Muscat WTT Contender Women’s Doubles Silver Medal
bronze
- Table Tennis Women’s Doubles at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, People’s Republic of China
Ayhika Mukherjee and Sutirtha Mukherjee after winning medals at Asian Games Championships 2023
Awards and Honors
She received the Khel Samman Award in 2019 and received a special award from Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee for her performance in table tennis.
Ayhika Mukherjee wins Khel Samman Award 2019
Favorites
- Food: Ayhika has a sweet tooth and loves donuts.
Ayhika Mukherjee eats donuts
- Table Tennis Player: Thiago Appolonia
Facts/Trivia
- As of September 2023, she is ranked 177th.
- Her signature shot is the backhand block.
- Ayhika Mukherjee is a right-hander.
- Ayhika’s style of play is a handshake and her technique is more offensive.
- Ayhika’s highest ranking was 95th in October 2019.
- Since Ayhika and Suthirta share the same surname and are childhood friends from the same town, they are mistaken for sisters and are often referred to as the “Mukherjee sisters”.
- As of 2023, Aishika and Sudhirtha are ranked 16th in the world in the women’s doubles category.
- In March 2023, Ayhika was featured in Sananda Magazine for her performance and achievements in table tennis.
Ayhika Mukherjee in Sananda Magazine, 2023
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education