5 Medals. Complete Silence. Meet the unstoppable Harini | Mic & Magic with Manan

The Leftie Rewriting Indian Badminton — Sankar Subramanian | Mic & Magic

He was ranked World No. 64. His opponent was World No. 2 — a three-time World Championship medallist. Sixty-six minutes later, the scoreline read 18-21, 21-12, 21-5, and Indian badminton had a brand-new name to remember. Today on Mic & Magic, Manan sits down with Sankar Subramanian — the left-handed shuttler from Chennai who stunned Anders Antonsen at the Swiss Open and announced himself to the world. But the upset is only the beginning of the story. Sankar dropped out of school at 15 to chase badminton full-time — with no Plan B. His father, a former tennis player, knew exactly what the climb would cost. His mother and father both left their jobs to travel with him. His sister, once a state champion herself, became the mind behind his schedule. This is a family that bet everything on one boy and one racket. In this episode, Manan explores what it actually takes to go from a middle-class home in Tamil Nadu to beating the world's best. Sankar opens up about why he sees the court differently as a left-hander, why he's chosen the "unglamorous" art of defence in a sport obsessed with the smash, how moving from training with his dad to the Gopichand Academy transformed his game, and what was running through his mind in real time as he dismantled a world No. 2. He also shares his lowest point — the 2024 season that quietly broke and rebuilt him — and answers a question every ambitious young person has asked themselves: is it selfish to put your dream first? This episode is for every kid who's been told to keep a "safe" Plan B, every athlete who's been made to feel that defence is boring, and every dreamer who has ever wondered whether chasing something big makes them selfish. Sankar's answer might change how you think about your own goals. 3 THINGS YOU'LL TAKE AWAY FROM THIS EPISODE: Defence is a weapon, not a weakness. Sankar explains why reading the game and sustaining any pace in a rally can dismantle a pure attacker — and why the shots that never make the highlight reel are often the ones that win the match. What it really takes to turn pro. From dropping out of school with no Plan B to a whole family rearranging their lives around one career, Sankar is honest about the cost of commitment — and how results, not hope, told them they were on the right path. ABOUT OUR GUEST — SANKAR SUBRAMANIAN: First Indian to stun World No. 2 Anders Antonsen at the Swiss Open 2025 — while ranked World No. 64 Former Junior World No. 1 in boys' singles Silver medallist, 2022 BWF World Junior Championships Bronze medallist, Asian Junior Championships Left-handed men's singles player from Chennai, Tamil Nadu Trains at the Gopichand Academy, known for his defence, control, and rallying game ABOUT MIC & MAGIC WITH MANAN This is a podcast hosted by young India's most curious interviewer — bringing you honest, inspiring conversations with the country's rising sports stars, achievers, and changemakers. New episodes drop every fortnight at 7 AM. SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss the next conversation: www.youtube.com/ @micandmagicpodcast Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/mic.and.magic Listen on Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/1kbEtEA5YS6sES1shYvBJL Listen on Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/mic-and-magic-with-manan/id1835196806 Twitter/X x.com/micandmagic Write to us - Email: micandmagic@gmail.com #Badminton #SankarSubramanian #IndianBadminton #MicAndMagic #SportsPodcast

How A Girl From Chennai Became A World Snooker Champion | Anupama Ramachandran

Today on Mic & Magic, Manan sits down with someone who proved that history doesn't always come from the people you expect. Anupama Ramachandran picked up a snooker cue at a summer camp when she was just 13 years old. Ten years later, with one perfect shot in 11 seconds, she became the first Indian woman to win the World Snooker Championship. In this episode, Manan explores how a young woman from Tamil Nadu broke into a sport long considered "a man's game" in a country that most people don't even associate with cue sports. Anupama opens up about her first century break, the cue she had custom-made in Bangkok, the coaches who shaped her game, the lonely lockdown years that quietly built her into a world champion, and what it felt like to carry the Tamil Nadu flag at the National Games. She also shares something many young athletes need to hear: snooker isn't just about pocketing balls. It is about reading the table, sequencing your shots, trusting yourself in the silence between moves, and adapting to a new table in a new country in 15 minutes flat. That lesson travels far beyond the green felt. This episode is for every kid in India who has been told their sport is "too small," every girl who has been told the game is not for her, and every dreamer who has ever stood at a table — sport, school, life — and wondered if they had what it takes to line up the next shot. In this episode, you'll learn: Why the difference between snooker and billiards matters more than most people realise What really happens during the 11 seconds before a championship-winning shot Why the 15 Red format is considered the truest form of snooker (and why shorter formats exist) How Anupama used the lockdown years to quietly build a world champion's game The story behind her first competitive century break — and the rival who inspired it How the MIMS (Mission International Medal Scheme) is helping Indian athletes compete globally Why "adaptability" is the real name of the game in international competition The bow-tie debate: should snooker keep its old-school tradition or move on? What hay ball is, and why Anupama is learning a brand new sport at the top of her career What excites her most about the future of cue sports in IndiaAbout our guest — Anupama Ramachandran: First Indian woman in 95 years to win the IBSF Women's World Snooker Championship (15 Red format) World ranked No. 6 8 national junior titles Flag bearer for Tamil Nadu at the National Games, Goa Highest competitive break: 119 Highest practice break: 139 ABOUT MIC & MAGIC WITH MANAN This is a podcast hosted by young India's most curious interviewer — bringing you honest, inspiring conversations with the country's rising sports stars, achievers,  and changemakers. New episodes drop every fortnight at 7 AM. SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss the next conversation: www.youtube.com/ [http://www.youtube.com/] @micandmagicpodcast Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/mic.and.magic [http://instagram.com/mic.and.magic] Listen on Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/1kbEtEA5YS6sES1shYvBJL [http://open.spotify.com/show/1kbEtEA5YS6sES1shYvBJL] Listen on Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/mic-and-magic-with [http://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/mic-and-magic-with] manan/id1835196806 Twitter/X x.com/micandmagic [http://x.com/micandmagic] Write to us - Email: micandmagic@gmail.com [micandmagic@gmail.com]

India's #2 U-19 Squash Star on the Road to LA28 | Pooja Arthi

We're told sport is about winning — but the real story is what happens in the ten years before the win. Manan sits down with Pooja Arthi, India's No. 2-ranked U-19 women's squash player and Khelo India Youth Games gold medallist, and almost immediately, they land on something most young athletes feel but rarely say out loud: losing to the same opponent for ten straight years can quietly drain the love out of a sport. Pooja shares a striking truth — when she finally beat her toughest rival, Yuvna Gupta, after a decade of defeats, it wasn't just a win, it was the moment her belief came back. More importantly, the way an athlete handles those long stretches of "almost" doesn't stay on the court — it shapes how they show up in their next tournament, their training, their entire career. This conversation isn't just about squash or rankings. It's about the emotional life of a young athlete chasing one of the biggest milestones in Indian sport: squash's historic debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.  Together, they explore what it actually takes to train for an Olympic dream that's still two years away. While it's easy to romanticise talent, Pooja challenges that idea and points to something deeper: a 50-50 split between natural ability andrelentless hard work, supported by sports nutrition, physiotherapy, and a family that understood the pain of losing because they'd lived it themselves (her mother is an Asian gold medallist in triathlon). They unpack the difference between Egyptian aggression, Asian precision, and European skill on the squash court — a masterclass in how the same sport is played in completely different languages around the world. Pooja also opens up about the Asian Junior Championships in China, where she came back from 2-0 down against the third seed with only her travelling Indian fans believing in her. It's a moment that captures everything this episode is really about: belief, comeback, and what it means to represent India when nobody's giving you a chance.  Squash makes its historic Olympic debut at the LA 2028 Games — learn more here: https://www.olympics.com/en/sports/squash/ [https://www.olympics.com/en/sports/squash/] Follow Pooja Arthi's journeythrough the Squash Rackets Federation of India: https://www.indiansquash.in/ [https://www.indiansquash.in/]  Discover squash programmes andacademies in India through HCL Squash: https://www.hclsquash.com/ [https://www.hclsquash.com/] ABOUT MIC & MAGIC WITH MANAN  This is a podcast hosted by young India's most curious interviewer — bringing you honest, inspiring conversationswith the country's rising sports stars, achievers, and changemakers. New episodes drop every fortnight at 7 AM.  What We Discuss: 00.00 - Intro — Meet Pooja Arthi  1:25 - Winning Gold at Khelo India Youth Games  02:01 - The Support System at MOP Vaishnav College  2:33 - The First Gold Medal That Changed Everything  2:49 - World University Games & Team India in SouthAfrica  3:15 - Beating Her Toughest Opponent After 10 Years ofLosses 3:48 - Talent vs Hard Work — The 50/50 Rule  4:09 - Why Sports Nutrition and Physio Matter 5:06 - Coming Back From a Knee Injury  5:34 - How Egyptians, Asians & Europeans Play SquashDifferently 6:14 - How to Choose the Right Squash Racket  7:29 - The Most Underrated Piece of Squash Equipment  8:10 - How to Re-Watch Your Own Matches the Right Way  8.59 - The Asian Junior Championships Comeback inChina  9:57 - The People & Parents Who Shaped HerMindset  10:53 - One Word for Every Player She's Faced  11:12 - The Road to LA 2028 — Squash's Olympic Debut  11:39 - Final ThoughtsSUBSCRIBE so you don't miss the next conversation: www.youtube.com/ [http://www.youtube.com/] @micandmagicpodcast Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/mic.and.magic Listen on Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/1kbEtEA5YS6sES1shYvBJL Listen on Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/mic-and-magic-with-manan/id1835196806 Twitter/Xx.com/micandmagic TikToktiktok.com/@micandmagic Write to us - Email: micandmagic@gmail.com [micandmagic@gmail.com]

“I Swam Till I Couldn’t Move…” | The Backstroke King | Srihari Nataraj | Mic & Magic with Manan

He swam five races in a single day. His body gave out. He still won a medal…lying flat on the lane rope, too exhausted to move. Srihari Nataraj is India's fastest backstroke swimmer. 2 Olympics. 14 national records. And he still panics before every race that he might get disqualified. In this episode of Mic & Magic with Manan, we go beyond the medals — into the ice-cold mornings, the mid-race mental math, the art of swimming blind, and why he still plays Kung Fu Panda on the keyboard. Manan is 15. Srihari is one of India's greatest. And this conversation hits different. WHAT YOU'LL HEAR: The Asian Championships day that broke him — and what got him through why he actually prefers racing abroad over winning easily in India How backstroke swimmers navigate a pool without looking forward The DQ terror that follows him into every race His cricket family, his hyperactive childhood, and the mom who put him in water to survive him His one non-negotiable daily habit (hint: it's not training) ABOUT MIC & MAGIC: Mic & Magic with Manan is a podcast hosted by 15-year-old Manan, where he interviews athletes, artists, and achievers and asks the questions nobody else thinks to ask Subscribe so you don't miss the next one. CONNECT WITH SRIHARI :Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/srihari33/ Chapters: 0:00 The day he swam 5 times — and nearly collapsed On fame: "It's not even on my mind" 2:47 Why he doesn't get challenged in India 3:41 His cricket family & hyperactive childhood 8:44 The DQ panic mid-race — Olympics semi-final story 12:05 Swimming blind: how backstroke actually works 13:01 What he thinks about during a race (it's not what you expect) 14:00 Rapid fire: coffee, Kung Fu Panda & cold desertIf you're having a tough week, watch this first. 🎙️ Mic & Magic with Manan — real conversations with real athletes. Subscribe so you don't miss the next one.Follow Mic & Magic: *YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@UCV6NNvHywv9lgDC1JWZJg0Q * Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/mic.and.magic/ * X / Twitter – https://x.com/micandmagic *TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@MicAndMagic * Listen on: * * YouTube Music Podcasts – https://www.youtube.com/@micandmagicpodcast/podcasts * Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/mic-and-magic-with-manan/ id1835196806 * Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/1kbEtEA5YS6sES1shYvBJL * JioSaavn – https://www.jiosaavn.com/shows/mic-and-magic-with-manan/1/0Rh,CYozGcg Loved This Episode? Like | Comment | Subscribe Your support helps us bring more inspiring youth and sports stories to the world. Contact: micandmagic@gmail.comHashtags: #SrihariNataraj #IndianSwimmer #Olympian #SwimmingIndia #SwimmerLife #IndianAthletes #Paris2024

5 Medals. Complete Silence. Meet the unstoppable Harini | Mic & Magic with Manan

She runs in complete silence. No gun. No crowd. No coach. And she's won 5 medals. Meet Harini — a 19-year-old deaf athlete from Chennai who competes at the national and international level in 100m and triple jump. This isn't just a sports story. It's about a girl who was told she couldn't. And a mother who refused to believe it. Her Instagram handle - https://www.instagram.com/_.harini_krishnan/ About Mic and Magic - Mic & Magic with Manan is a podcast by a teenager who loves sport more than anything — and isn't afraid to ask the questions adults forget to. In this episode of Mic & Magic with Manan, Harini opens up about: ◼️ Growing up deaf in a world that underestimated her — and how her family changed everything ◼️ Competing against hearing athletes before finding her home in Deaf Athletics ◼️ Representing India at the Asian Pacific Deaf Games in Malaysia — her first-ever flight, first international medal ◼️ The moment she went from 3rd place to 4th in the final jump — and why she's not done ◼️ Training twice a day, six days a week, with a coach who communicates through her mother ◼️ Pushing through back pain because stopping was never an option ◼️ Why sport gave her something no classroom could — respect, friendship, and confidence Harini's mother didn't just support her. She became her translator, her driver, her bridge to the world. This episode will make you rethink what a support system really looks like. Chapters: 0:00 – She Can't Hear the Gun. She Wins Anyway. 0:54 – Welcome to Mic & Magic 1:17 – The Girl Nobody Expected 1:58 – From School Tracks to National Medals 2:23 – The Day She Changed Everything 2:48 – What Winning Really Feels Like 3:25 – Running for a Billion People 3:47 – How Sport Taught Her She Belongs 4:16 – The Grind Nobody Sees 5:10 – The Moments That Made Her 5:27 – Pain Is Not a Reason to Stop 5.55 - The Shoe Story 6:08 – They Said She Couldn't. She Didn't Listen. 6:43 – The Mother Who Became Her Voice 7:28 – So Close. Not Done Yet 8:37 – The Dream She's Still Chasing 9:16 – One Message Before You Go If you're having a tough week, watch this first. 🎙️ Mic & Magic with Manan — real conversations with real athletes. 📌 Subscribe so you don't miss the next one. Follow Mic & Magic: - YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@UCV6NNvHywv9lgDC1JWZJg0Q - Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/mic.and.magic/ - X / Twitter – https://x.com/micandmagic - TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@MicAndMagic * Listen on:* - YouTube Music Podcasts – https://www.youtube.com/@micandmagicpodcast/podcasts - Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/mic-and-magic-with-manan/ id1835196806 - Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/1kbEtEA5YS6sES1shYvBJL - JioSaavn – https://www.jiosaavn.com/shows/mic-and-magic-with-manan/1/0Rh,CYozGcg_ Loved This Episode? Like | Comment | Subscribe Your support helps us bring more inspiring youth and sports stories to the world. Contact: micandmagic@gmail.com Hashtags: #HariniK #DeafAthlete #InspiringStories #WomenInSports #AthleteMotivation #IndianAthletes #SportsInspiration #NeverGiveUp #MotivationDaily #MicAndMagic Youtube Tags to include: deaf athlete India, Harini athlete Chennai, deaf sports India, Asian Pacific Deaf Games 2024, 100m sprinter India, triple jump girl India, inspiring athlete story, disability and sport, Mic and Magic Manan podcast, youth sports podcast India, deaf runner, hearing impaired athlete, Chennai athlete, sports motivation, India at Deaf Olympics