Rajahmundry Auto Driver's Daughter Fights Odds to Qualify for Under 14 Tennis Team

It is a dream come true for Thaniya Sarai Gogulamanda, a 13-year-old tennis player. Despite all odds, the bright child has made the Indian under-14 girls' tennis squad for the next U-14 ITF World Junior Tennis Championship final qualification tournament, which will be held in New Delhi from April 18 to 23.

Thaniya, the daughter of autorickshaw driver Samson, has been performing admirably in the junior division. With her continuous performance, she advanced to India's No. 3 position in the Under-14 category. Along with Aishwarya Dayanand Jadhav and Sohini Sanjay Mohanty, Thaniya got placed in the Indian team.

Samson, a Rajahmundry native, saw talent in his daughter Thaniya. Despite his financial difficulties, Samson ensured that his daughter pursued her passion. They relocated to Hyderabad for Thaniya's mother's medical care, while Thaniya began his education at St. Thomas School.

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She then transferred to the Sania Mirza Tennis Academy and was given free training. However, because the academy was on the outside, Samson was unable to drive the vehicle. He subsequently relocated his family to Manikonda in order to handle the financial crisis. Thaniya is currently a member of the Professional Tennis Academy, where she is coached by Mohammad Ghouse.

"I'm overjoyed to have made it to the Indian team." This has been my intention since the beginning of the year. "Now that I've made it to the Indian squad, I want to show off my potential and play well for my nation," Thaniya told Telangana Today.