Hakeem Nafeesurrahman Thanvi: Entry

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{{short description|Swedish badminton player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2020}}
{{Infobox badminton player
| name = Ashwathi Pillai
| image = Ashwathi Pillai.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Pillai at the [[Badminton at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics|2018 Summer Youth Olympics]]
| nickname =
| birth_name = Ashwathi Vinodh Pillai
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|2000|7|14}}<ref name=":ba">{{cite web |title=Badminton Athlete Profile: PILLAI Ashwathi – Juegos Olímpicos de la Juventud de Buenos Aires 2018 |url=https://www.buenosaires2018.com/results/en/badminton/athlete-profile-n1020911-pillai-ashwathi.htm?lng=en |website=Buenos Aires 2018 |access-date=26 January 2019 |archive-date=26 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190126164946/https://www.buenosaires2018.com/results/en/badminton/athlete-profile-n1020911-pillai-ashwathi.htm?lng=en |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| birth_place = village near [[Thuckalay]], [[Kanyakumari district|Kanyakumari]], [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]]<ref name=":ie">{{cite news |title=Despite tasting Swede success, Ashwathi's heart remains in India |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/sport/other/2018/oct/23/despite-tasting-swede-success-ashwathis-heart-remains-in-india-1888772.html |access-date=27 January 2019 |work=The New Indian Express}}</ref>
| height = 172 cm
| weight = 63 kg
| event = Women's singles & doubles
| highest_ranking = 215 (WS 10 May 2018)<br /> 400 (WD 5 July 2018)
| date_of_highest_ranking =
| current_ranking =
| date_of_current_ranking =
| country = [[Sweden]]
| coach = Rio Willianto<ref name=":ba"/>
| handedness = Right
| titles =
| bwfbadminton_id = 81068
| bwf_id = E90141E6-695C-4C1B-87F3-D4BB705B95C1
| medal_templates =
{{MedalSport | Women's [[badminton]] }}
{{MedalCountry | {{nowrap|{{flagicon|IOC}} [[Mixed-NOCs at the Youth Olympics|Mixed-NOCs]]}} }}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Badminton at the Youth Olympic Games|Youth Olympic Games]] }}
{{MedalGold | [[Badminton at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics|2018 Buenos Aires]] | [[Badminton at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics – Mixed teams|Mixed team]] }}
}}

'''Ashwathi Vinodh Pillai''' (born 14 July 2000) is a Swedish professional [[badminton]] player. She has participated in several national and international tournaments across Europe, and was part of the Alpha team which won the gold medal at the [[Badminton at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics|2018 Summer Youth Olympics]].<ref name=":ba"/>

== Early life ==
Pillai was born to Gayathri and Vinod Pillai. She hails from a village near Thucklay in [[Kanyakumari district|Kanyakumari]], [[Tamil Nadu]], India.<ref name=":NIE"/> She has one sibling, a brother.<ref name=":TIO">{{cite news |title=Ashwathi Pillai: Playing in India in front of my people is one of my biggest goals |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/ashwathi-pillai-playing-in-india-in-front-of-my-people-is-one-of-my-biggest-goals/articleshow/66376681.cms |access-date=16 January 2019 |work=The Times of India}}</ref> She studied at the National Public School, Bangalore, until class 4.<ref name=":NM"/>

She was intrigued by [[badminton]] during her childhood as she watched her father play along with his friends.<ref name=":TIO"/> In 2009, the Pillai family moved to Sweden owing to her father's professional requirements. While in Sweden, she continued her schooling at [[Internationella Engelska Skolan]].<ref name=":2"/> In her class 12, she studied math and biology.<ref name=":TIO"/> She takes inspiration from [[Carolina Marín]], and is reported to admire actress [[Deepika Padukone]].<ref name=":2"/>

== Career ==
Pillai started playing badminton at the age of seven. After moving to Sweden, she did not want to stop training. She entered the [[Täby]] badminton club under the coach Rio Willianto and joined the national training centre in [[Uppsala]] under the coach [[Anders Kristiansen (badminton)|Anders Kristiansen]].<ref name=":NIE">{{cite web |title=Kerala girl Ashwathi Pillai shoulders Swedish badminton hopes |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2018/oct/07/kerala-girl-ashwathi-pillai-shoulders-swedish-badminton-hopes-1882303.html |website=The New Indian Express |access-date=26 January 2019}}</ref> She is coached by [[Prakash Padukone]] at his academy in Bengaluru, India, for three weeks every year, and trained by [[U. Vimal Kumar|Vimal Kumar]] and Yousaf Johari.<ref name=":NM">{{cite news |title=First Indian to play for Sweden in Youth Olympics |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/17-yr-old-india-born-shuttler-ashwathi-pillai-represent-sweden-youth-olympics-83458 |access-date=16 January 2019 |website=The News Minute}}</ref> She trains for at least three and a half hours a day, including training by physical trainers from [[Swedish Sports Confederation|Swedish National Sports Federation]].<ref name=":NIE"/>

Pillai participated in several national and international tournaments such as European 8 Nations, Danish Junior International, Glasgow International Junior Championship, and Finnkampen in Helsinki. Later, Pillai was given admission into the National Sports Gymnasium for playing badminton.<ref name=":2">{{cite web |title=Ashwathi Pillai – Chasing My Dream |url=https://searchindie.com/blogs/ashwathi-pillai-chasing-my-dream/ |access-date=26 January 2019| publisher=Search Indie}}</ref>

Pillai's achievements at national and international tournaments is as follows:
* 2015 – Swedish national champion in U-15 category<ref name=":NIE"/>
* 2015 – Winner in singles at Swiss Junior Open<ref name=":NIE"/>
* 2016 – Runner-up in singles at Polish Junior International Championship<ref name=":NIE"/>
* 2017 – Made to quarterfinals of Bulgaria Open<ref name=":NIE"/>
* 2018 – Youngest-ever winner of the Swedish Senior National Championship (age 18)<ref name=":NIE"/>
* Youngest qualifier for the Swedish Elite class tournaments<ref name=":2"/>

== Awards and recognition ==
Pillai received the Prestigious Player of the Year award (Girls Junior) 2012–2013 in Stockholm with prize money.<ref name=":2"/> She also received a Bengt Erik Hoijers stipend for 2013 with prize money.<ref name=":2"/>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
*{{sports link}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pillai, Ashwathi}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:2000 births]]
[[Category:Swedish female badminton players]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Stockholm]]
[[Category:People from Kanyakumari district]]
[[Category:Indian emigrants to Sweden]]
[[Category:Swedish people of Tamil descent]]
[[Category:Badminton players at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics]]
[[Category:21st-century Swedish sportswomen]]
[[Category:Sportspeople of Sri Lankan descent]]
[[Category:Sportspeople of Indian descent]]

Ashwathi Pillai - Revision history

Hakeem Nafeesurrahman Thanvi: Entry