Bhubaneswar: The much-awaited 28th IITF-ATTU Asian Table Tennis Team Championships got off to an impressive start at the Athletics Centre of Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Saturday.
Odisha’s Sports Minister Suryabanshi Suraj inaugurated the event, celebrating the state’s growing role in global sports.
The prestigious event, being staged in India after a gap of 16 years, is also the biggest international table tennis meet held in Odisha.
Jointly organised by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), Asian Table Tennis Union (ATTU), Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI), Odisha Table Tennis Association and the Odisha government’s Sports & Youth Services Department, the five-day tournament will see 500 players and support staff do their best to bring glory to their respective countries.
Hosts India apart, 21 other countries — China, Japan, Republic of Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Singapore, Macau, Bangladesh, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, Oman, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Uzbekistan — will be vying for the coveted trophies in men’s and women’s categories.
The opening ceremony was attended by distinguished guests, including Sheikha Hayat Al Khalifa, Acting Regional Vice-President of ATTU and President of the Commonwealth Table Tennis Federation; Dushyant Chautala, President of the Table Tennis Federation of India; Meghna Ahlawat; and Sachin Ramchandra Jadhav, Commissioner-cum-Secretary of Odisha’s Sports Department.
India’s table tennis icon and Padma Shri awardee A Sharath Kamal, serving as the event’s Brand Ambassador, added prestige to the occasion.
Minister Suraj expressed pride in Odisha’s ability to host such a prestigious event, reinforcing its position on the international sports map. The state extended a heartfelt welcome to all participants and wished every team success in the championship.
The Asian Table Tennis Championships promise high-energy competition and mark another milestone in Odisha’s journey as a global sports destination.
The top teams from the Asian Team championship will qualify for the ITTF World Table Tennis Team Championships to be held in London next year.
The Indian women’s team comprises Sreeja Akula, Manika Batra, Diya Chitale, Yashaswini Ghorpade and Swastika Ghosh. The men’s team members are Ankur Bhattacharya, Payas Jain, Manush Shah, Snehit Suravajjula and Manav Thakkar.
Tickets for the championship are available on BookMyShow, enabling fans and spectators to book their seats online for the international sporting event.
The championship trophy was unveiled on October 6, followed by a trophy tour across prominent locations, colleges and shopping malls of Bhubaneswar.
