When the 35-year-old bubbly `young' lady is not in action on the court,you'll probably find her chatting at the courtside with friends. The talkcan be on anything-from movies to jewellery, music or clothes. Butinvariably, the conversation will end with badminton, with which she ispassionately involved. A straightforward Libran and a looker, it's only whenshe talks about her six-year-old son, Harshvardhan, that you realise she isa mom, too.

Many young players have come and gone, but Madhumita has remained there likean edifice. She was in full form last week at the Uber Cup competitiondespite still recovering from a broken cartilage in her ankle. In betweenthe matches, she makes the time to talk to you. And she seems to enjoy everymoment of it.

Starry eyed, she goes nostalgic recalling her early days in Siliguri andthen Calcutta. She speaks about how her dad encouraged her to make it to thetop. ``In those days I just had to pick up the racket and play. He used togive me an oil massage before every match and even tied my shoelaces.Without him, I could not have played,'' she says.

Now, 25 years into the game, she's still a winner. Nothing seems to hold herback, in fact. She got married way back in 1983 to the then reigningbadminton champion, Vikram Bisht. Post-marriage, she played on and wonseveral medals, both at home and abroad.

Then she had a son-Harshvardhan-in 1993. But her game continued with thesame degree of commitment. Madhumita recalls what the legendary PrakashPadukone wrote to her when Harshvardhan was born: ``Welcome to sleeplessnights.'' But Harshvardhan was an amiable child and there were hardly anysleepless nights.

Madhumita says that coping with marriage, child, family and her game was notso tough for her mainly because her husband, Vikram, is a sportspersonhimself and understands what it means to be a player. But what makes hertick? ``Ambition, a lot of hard work, dedication and being true to myself,''she says. ``If you've practised for one hour, don't fool yourself by sayingyou've played three hours.''

Being true to her own self, that's what has been driving Madhumita since theage of 10 when she took the racket in hand. Of course, with dad and otherfamily members as the guiding spirit. Anybody that she looked up to as ahero maybe? Prakash Padukone, she says, without batting an eyelid. And theinfluence stayed on. Among other favourites, she names Ami Ghia. She saysabout Ami, ``Although we were thick friends, she was very difficult to playwith. Ami was so good that I used to feel I wouldn't be able to play withher.'' Madhumita's best moment in the game? ``When I beat the World No. 2Kusuma Sarwanda of Indonesia in the Indonesian Open in 1991,'' she says withcandour.

Outside of badminton, what is the world like for her? She works with theNorthern Railways as an officer. She's also the chief coach of the Railways.What about free time? ``There's hardly any free time, but whenever there is,I like to stay with my son and my family,'' she replies. Any reading thatshe particularly enjoys? ``No, not really,'' she said. Music? ``Not much,but when I listen to music, it's usually ghazals or old Hindi film songs.''Favourite food? ``Macher jhol, of course, and anything north Indian. Butglobetrotting has made me flexible.''

Eating habits may be flexible, but when it comes to badminton, she's rigid.Nothing less than 100 per cent will do. Any message for the youngergeneration? ``If you want to do well, focus on the game. Get your prioritiesright and stay dedicated and determined. Most important, be true toyourself.'' And don't forget that for every good thing, sacrifices have tobe made, she adds as an after-thought. Well, Madhumita's definitely made hersacrifices: no socialising, no going out, and postponing having a baby tillten years after her marriage.

That doesn't mean, however, that she minds all those sacrifices. In fact,she stresses: ``No regrets, absolutely.'' And you can make out thatMadhumita is being true to herself. Her favourite words would be `Never saydie'. That perhaps is the reason why she's hinting at a coaching careerpost-retirement.