Beating Divya Ramesh, Ketaki Thakkar and Parul Priyadarshini, three of the top ranked players in the girls section, was no mean feat. And to think that she came from the qualifying rounds.

Jwala, based at Hyderabad, and coached by the Chief National coach SM Arif, attributed her growing stature to her supportive parents and the encouragement from sponsors, Srinath Jewellers.

She is on a five-year contract with Srinath Jewellers, who spend to the tune of Rs One lakh every year on her, towards air fare and the tournament fees.

Jwala was in the Senior KG when her mother, herself a badminton player of some standing, threw her into the fray. Coach Arif's words of wisdom to Jwala was to bide her time and the advice to do some exercises in the gym was well taken by thekid.

Arif kept his word and duly took Jwala under his wings, when she was in the fifth standard.

Touching 15, Jwala had won the Mini National singles title and the National junior girls doubles title, partnering Shruti. She is hopeful of adding a sub-junior National title this time, in her last year.

Jwala will be playing in the senior section from this year. She looks forward to that experience and the exposure. She is due to play in a spate of major prize money ranking tournaments.

Jwala is aware that the next few years will be crucial to her budding career. What augurs well is the BAI policy of sending the two most promising players to the World Academy Camp held at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, recently. Chetan Anand and Thomas Kurien got the nod this time.

To make further strides at the highest level, Jwala feels that her stamina has to improve considerably. And she could do with some more consistency in the strokes was how the SAI coach Sanjeev Sachdeva put it, even as he saw a long rewarding careerbeckoning the youngster.

An 11th Standard student of Kendriya Vidyalaya, Jwala is not short of encouragement from her schoolmates and an understanding Principal. She avers that studies do not get a back seat as she figures in the top 10.

How far Jwala goes remains to be seen but what will linger for a long time is her impeccable show in the ninth edition of the Krishna Khaitan tournament.