Nishta Gangisetti became the 'first' Indian woman to win a medal in the Junior female category of the prestigious Milo International Karate Championship.
Nishta Gangisetti with her coach Keerthan Kondru after winning the two medals at the 22nd Milo Open Karate Championship. (Supplied)
“Malaysians are really good, with several Asian Games medalists in their team. I was really intimidated by them at the start of the competition,” an assertive Nishta Gangisetti said.
The 17-year-old from Hyderabad was a bit nervous, when she landed in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, a week ago.
However, the Class 12 student heaved a sigh of relief after winning a silver and a bronze at the 22nd edition of the Milo International Karate Championship at Titiwangsa Indoor Stadium.
The tournament is considered a “prestigious” annual event in Asia among the karate fraternity.
Nishta won the bronze medal in the individual Under-53 kg junior female category, after she lost the semifinal bout against the Malaysian opponent with a 2-5 score.
Nishta Gangisetti after winning the bronze at the 22nd Milo Open Karate Championship. (Supplied)
In the team Kumite event, Nishta secured a silver medal, and her team member Karthik Reddy Arabandi, also a Hyderabad prodigy, won bronze. The scoreboard read the same, 2-5.
“I think my defense was low overall. I need to improve it. Once I do that, I will definitely win the gold,” an elated Nishta told South First over a phone interaction from Kuala Lumpur.
Nishta trains under Indian karate team coach Keerthan Kondru at My Dojo Karate Academy in Nizampet. “He boosted my confidence even before the bouts here as he always does,” she shared.
Like every other sport, circumstances alone do not create a champion. Hard, work and grit take precedence, like in the case of Nishta.
Her coach Kondru claimed that Nishta is the “first” Indian woman to win a medal in the Junior female category. “She never misses her training or focus in everything she does which makes her different from other players,” he told South First.
In an earlier interview, Nishta, a student of Sri Abhida school, said she took up karate as a sport seven years ago.
“My younger brother (aged 12) joined a karate academy. It was then that I thought of signing on to learn self-defense,” she said.
Nishta Gangisetti after winning gold and silver medals at the 2022 South Asian Karate Championship in Colombo, Sri Lanka. (Supplied)
However, the Kukatpally resident took a year-long break in 2017.
“After I got my black (belt) in December 2017, my coach moved on and the training was not up to the mark. So I took a break,” Nishta, now a dan-two black belt, explained.
Her parents ensure she remains humble. “As they knew it was a tough tournament, they were happy. My dad asked me to not get overconfident, stay down-to-earth and practice more,” she said.
Nishta, who also won a gold and a silver at the 2022 SAFF Championships in Colombo, now has her eyes set on the Karate-1 Youth League in Mexico’s Merida city, if she qualifies for it.
Her ultimate target is to win gold in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
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