But the 17-year-old is fully aware his life is far from conventional: Darrshan is a national tennis player, ranked 277 by the International Tennis Federation in the under-18 category.
“My life is different compared with others who go to school and don’t have any competitive sports outside,” he acknowledged. Attending Mont’ Kiara International School, he is sometimes jokingly referred to as a “part-time student” as he is excused from classes during tournaments.
Darrshan comes from a family with a rich sporting and military legacy. His mother, Major K Nirmala, was also a national tennis player, and his aunt and uncle were former national and state players, respectively.
His maternal grandfather, Major (Retired) S Krishna, an Armed Forces tennis player for over 25 years, is his coach. Speaking with FMT Lifestyle, the 72-year-old remarked on his grandson’s “ball sense” for tennis, saying it was “really good”.
“He had more interest than anybody else,” Krishna said, recalling Darrshan’s early days of training at age seven. “He would never say he’d had enough; he was really motivated to play.”
To maintain and improve his form, Darrshan trains four times a week with his grandfather and undergoes fitness training with his father on weekends. Somehow, he manages to keep up with his studies, although this requires sacrifice.
“I only get to go out around once a month, if I don’t have any tournaments. During that time, I really enjoy myself with my friends.”
Family matters
Darrshan’s introduction to tennis is a story of family bonding. Feeling lonely as a boy before his sister came along, he found solace in joining his relatives on the court at the Royal Port Dickson Yacht Club.
One of his fondest memories involves a doubles match during which he felt he had finally reached the level of his family members. “So the next step was to beat them in singles. That’s why I kept going. That match made me really happy, and I’ll never forget that day.”
These small victories fuelled Darrshan’s ambition: “I want to be better than them (in tennis). That’s what motivates me.”
Make no mistake, though: his family remains his biggest cheerleaders. “They put so much effort into making me a better tennis player and a better person,” he said. “That support system is really valuable to me.”
His biggest supporter, of course, is his grandfather, under whom training has been both “tough and fulfilling”. Krishna instils in him the requisite tactics and techniques, including how to play in high temperatures.
“Tournaments are always played under the hot sun,” the septuagenarian explained. “So I train him to prepare for this. That makes him a better player who knows how to play in the hot sun.”
Other lessons from granddad? “The match is never over until you shake hands.” Darrshan admitted: “I have problems closing matches, so we work on that a lot.”
Darrshan’s advice to other aspiring young athletes is profound. “Trying different sports is really important, but don’t let anyone else decide it for you. Don’t ever quit a sport because you’re losing a lot. That’s not how you improve as a person.”
And while he dreams of playing tennis professionally, he has a realistic approach to his future and also aspires to become a doctor.
“I want to pursue college tennis in the United States. It’s high-level, and it’s a way to go pro while studying. That’s what my parents want – a balance,” he said.
Krishna, too, shared his hopes for his grandson: “I want to make him an ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) player. That’s my ultimate goal. We are trying our best. Let’s see how far we can go.”