Tamil Nadu girl Jerlin ka has won the gold medal in the World Deaf Youth Badminton Championships held in Taipei last week.
ka bagged four medals in the championship, including the gold, two silver and one bronze.
The 15-year-old ka is a tenth standard student in the Ouvaiyar government in Madurai. From an early age, she became interested in badminton.
Jeya Ratchagan, the father of ka, said his daughter's performance is a matter of pride for India and Tamil Nadu.
"In recently held competition in Taipei, she has won a gold medal. This medal is for India. It is a matter of pride for Tamil Nadu. The main reason behind her success is the support extended by her school and the efforts put in by her coach Saravanan," Ratchagan told .
"She started learning badminton from the age of eight years," he said, adding the guidance from her coach made her acquire the skills.
ka's mother Leema urged the government to help her daughter as she has a lot of potential.
"I felt very happy when she got the gold medal. It is not only for her but for the country and Tamil Nadu. I cried when I saw India's flag being unfurled at the medals ceremony. Now, I urge the government to come forward and help this young sportsperson," Leema told .
( With inputs from ANI )