Kuttanda Joshna Chinnappa

Kuttanda Joshna Chinappa a famous Kodava sportsperson is the first Kodava and Indian who won the British Squash Championship, taking Indian squash to the pinnacle of fame and success. The youngest woman National Champion of India, Joshna Chinappa has been playing the game of squash since the age of 7. She was born in Chennai, Tamil Nadu India on the 15th of September 1986. It was at the tender age of 8 that Joshna Chinappa started playing squash at the Madras Cricket Club.

The game of squash runs in the blood of this young National Champion. Joshna Chinappas family has been playing the game for the last four generations. Joshnas great grandfather, Field Marshall K.M. Cariappa, who was also the first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army, was a regular player of the game of squash. Joshna’s father, Anjan Chinappa, like her grandfather, also plays squash regularly and has also represented Tamil Nadu several times.

Family

Great grand father

Field Marshall K.M. Cariappa

Father

Kuttanda Anjan Chinappa

Achievements

• From a very young age, Joshna Chinappa was interested in the game and wanted to take it up as a career. Therefore, although she continued her studies she never really concentrated in academics. Joshna Chinappa has till date played 10 senior and 10 junior Championships. At the age of 14 Joshna was crowned the Youngest Senior National Champion and by now she has several numbers of achievements under her belt.
• She reached a career-high world ranking of World No. 10 in July 2016.
• Joshna was the first Indian to win the British Squash Championship title in 2003 in the under 19 category and was also the youngest Indian women’s national champion.
• Joshna Chinappa is the first beneficiary of Mittal Champions Trust. A trainee of the Indian Squash Academy Chennai, Joshna was ranked 19th in the world in March 2014.
• At the 2014 Commonwealth Games she along with Dipika Pallikal Karthik won the squash women’s doubles gold medal, making it India’s first ever Commonwealth Games medal in the sport.
• After finishing as a finalist at HKFC International, Joshna Chinappa rose to her career-best ranking of 11th on June 1, 2016.
• In May 2012, Joshna defeated Sarah Jane Perry of England to win the Chennai Open.
• On Feb 2, 2014, she won the Winnipeg Winter Open trophy-her maiden WSA world title, by defeating Egypt`s Heba El Torky in the final.
• India’s highest ranked squash player in the world Joshna Chinappa improved her stature further by rising to 11th place – her career best – as per the latest ranking.
• On May 5th 2019 she won the Asian Squash championship singles title held at Hongkong,Malaysia

Awards

• Arjuna Award-2013
• Padmashree – 2024

Archives

• Joshna Chinnappa has no complaints
• Sets bar High, eyes top 30 in 2005