The father would take her to and from the Singapore Sports School and spend time with her watching sports games.  ,
” He’d get her chicken corn that she likes, have long talks with her, and see game together. It was a really close relationship”, recalled Uma.
In 2016, Eric died in a work injury. He was 51.
” I was in a big issue because it’s not quick running along singlehandedly ( as a family ) especially for athletics”, said Uma.  ,
Uma told her daughters that they were n’t required to compete because Eric’s death occurred just weeks before the Asian Junior and Cadet Fencing Championships in Bahrain.
” The women were devastated. And I went up to them and I said: ‘ You do n’t have to do it. You can take a tear and recover,'” she said.
But Amita and Aarya, aged 15 and 17 therefore, said they would push on.
” They said the best way to glory papa was to attend. It’s not about winning, we want to go there, and we want to do it in his glory. Because that’s what he would have wanted us to do”, Uma said.
As destiny had it, Aarya- who , retired from decking in 2017 and is now a prosecutor - , and Amita faced off after in the contest.
Aarya lost 15-14, and she went up to Amita to say:” You better make this victory worth it”, their mother recalled.
Amita then won specific gold. The daughters also won the women’s student group name with Tatiana and Maxine Wong when they collaborated.