Lakshmi seeks fair judgement

She says Babu always promotes Neelima Choudhury over her. 8220;I was relegated to play second singles ever since Babu took over as coach,8221; she says. That I8217;m a better player than Neelima is evident from the number of titles, including two Nationals, I have won. The coach, instead, has given the terrible impression that I played for prize-money Rs one lakh. It8217;s shocking,8221; she explains.

Lakshmi, who will represent the Petroleum Sports Control Board this year in the Nationals, and her father PV Krishna Rao hit out at Babu8217;s arbitrary decisions. When Arif was the National coach, how come Bhaskar Babu was beingallowed to called himself a National coach, asks Rao.

8220;As a SAI-adopted coach to a school, he has no right to accompany the State team. It8217;s only because he is close to the higher-ups of the APBA, he did what he felt like,8221; Rao says.

Lakshmi says she never played for money. 8220;In fact, the APBA is yet to pay my prize money after I helped the State finish runners-up in the 8217;98 Nationals in Hyderabad and winners in 8217;99 Nationals in Delhi. I never played for money,8221; she asserts.

All Lakshmi, 24, who recovered from a knee injury and went on to finish runner-up this year in the Delhi Nationals, asks for is a fair judgement.