Velavan Senthilkumar
Indian squash player (born 1998)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Velavan Senthilkumar (born 26 March 1998) is an Indian professional squash player.[1] He is a World Cup gold medallist and a three-time Asian Champion.
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | 26 March 1998 Salem, Tamil Nadu, India |
| Education | |
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) |
| Weight | 63 kg (139 lb) |
Spouse |
Aaradhana Kasturiraj
(m. 2024) |
| Sport | |
| Country |  India |
| Handedness | Left-handed |
| Club |
|
| Coached by | Paul Price Cyrus Poncha |
| Retired | Active |
| Racquet used | Tecnifibre |
| Men's singles | |
| Highest ranking | 39 (March 2025) |
| Current ranking | 45 (December 2025) |
| Title | 10 |
| Tour final | 14 |
| PSA Profile | |
Medal record | |
Early life
Velavan was born March 26, 1998 in Salem, Tamil Nadu, India to Shanmukham Priyadharshini and Ramasamy Senthilkumar. While his mother was a part of the national badminton team, his father played basketball for the country. His brother Guhan, a student of the University of Manchester, also plays squash. Senthilkumar finished his education from Don Bosco School.[2] When he won the British Junior Open during the 2017 edition, several college coaches contacted him. After some deliberation, he decided to move to the United States to be a part of Columbia University, New York.[3] He became a part of the college's squash team Columbia Lions.[4]
Personal life
Senthilkumar married fellow Indian squash player Aaradhana Kasturiraj in June 2024.
Career
In 2016, Senthilkumar won the Asian Junior Championships defeating Mohammad Al-Saraj.[5] He then won the 2017 British Junior Open, besting his compatriot Abhay Singh in the final. He bagged his first PSA title in April 2018 at the Madison Open in Wisconsin. He is coached by Paul Price.[6]
Titles and finals
| Year | Tournament | Opponent | Result | Score | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | British Junior Open | Abhay Singh |
Win | 3–1 (16-14, 11-2, 10-12, 11-7) | [7] |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | ASF Awards | Outstanding Performance Junior Men | Won | |
| 2023 | Outstanding Team Men | Won | [8] | |
| 2025 | Times of India Sports Awards | Squash Player of the Year Male | TBA | [9] |