In what could be considered a giant step for table tennis in India, New Delhi will host one round of the prestigious International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Pro Tour event from April 1 to 5 next year.
“The total prize money for the event will be $100,000. It will be a test run for the Commonwealth Games,” Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) secretary general Dhanraj Choudhary told DNA here on Sunday.
Choudhary, who recently took over after the demise of MC Chowhan, said the feedback from the Asian Table Tennis Union was good after India hosted the Asian Table Tennis Championship in Lucknow in November.
Encouraged by the response, there are also plans to conduct a world ranking tournament for juniors in May but Choudhary said: “It may be hosted in Bangalore but things are yet to be decided.”
With the Commonwealth Games coming up next year in New Delhi, the TTFI is doing all it can so that Indian paddlers can do well. “We have identified 19 men and 17 women and they will be in camps in Pune, Patiala and Ajmer. There will also be some training stints in Zhangjing (China), maybe three sessions,” he stated, adding that Italian Massimo Constantini is in charge of the CWG probables.
He felt Achanta Sharath Kamal would be India’s best prospect in the CWG but felt other players like Subhajit Saha, Sourav Chakraborty, Soumyadeep Roy, K Shamini and Mouma Das would also be competitive. “We are seeking Chinese coaches, one for the Centre of Excellence in Kolkata and one for the Academy,” he said.
Asked what he felt about the state of the game in India, Choudhary said: “We are improving. There is a lot of support from the government now. If it continues for two or three years, it will get even better.”
