Olympian Manika Batra has pulled out of the 86th Senior National and Inter-State Table Tennis Championships which will commence at the Pandit Dindayal Upadhyay Indoor Stadium in Surat on Sunday (January 19). However, despite her withdrawal, the event has a star-studded lineup and promises high-octane matches in Gujarat for a week.

Also read: Exclusive interview with GSTTA Working President Kushal

Over 800 players including veteran Olympian Sharath Kamal, from 35 men and 34 women teams are set to play in the top-most table tennis championships in India. The men’s and women’s singles champions will wear the national champion crowns and also take home a prize of Rs 3.2 lakh each – the largest purse in the competition’s history, and 180 ranking points.

Biggest prize money

The event is being hosted for the first time by the Gujarat State Table Tennis Association (GSTTA). The championships have total prize money of Rs 20 lakh, the biggest purse in the history of the tournament.

All eyes will be on India’s No. 3, defending champion and the local lad Harmeet Desai (representing PSPB) as he starts favourite in the men’s singles event. Several state teams, including Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, West Bengal, Delhi, and Haryana, have put together promising squads and will be eager to prove their mettle.

For hosts Gujarat, the seasoned Chitrax Bhatt will lead the men’s team alongside Jaynil Mehta and Janmejay Patel in their quest for a podium finish. The women’s team, led by seasoned paddler Krittwika Sinha Roy along with Frenaz Chipia and Filzahfatema Kadri, will aim to upset a few top teams in their pursuit of a medal.

Harmeet’s city mate Manav Thakkar, representing PSPB, (India No. 5) and Vadodara’s Manush Shah, representing Reserve Bank of India (India No. 3) will also look to garner accolades as they play in front of the Gujarati crowd.

India No. 1 Gnanasekaran Sathiyan and No. 2 Ankur Bhattacharjee will be the top contenders to upset the Gujarat boys’ applecart.

Events in seven categories

The championships will be conducted in seven categories – men and women team championships, men and women singles, men and women doubles and mixed doubles.

In the team event, Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB) will be the side to beat in both men’s and women’s categories.

‘Matter of great pride’

“It’s a matter of great pride that in the 86 years of this tournament’s history, Gujarat gets the hosting rights. I have played four big tourneys at the Indoor Stadium and have had great results. I hope my good run continues,” Harmeet, the 31-year-old Paris Olympian said.

“I have seen Gujarat paddlers progress well since 2008 and I hope more players reach at the top level,” he added.

Kushal Sangtani, GSTTA’s Working President and Organising Secretary of the championships, said that all preparations are in place for India’s biggest TT event.

“This is the first time that GSTTA will organise the senior national championship. With the best infrastructure and facilities, the tournament will be a huge success,” he said.

GSTTA president Pramod Chaudhary said at a press conference on Saturday (January 18) that the championships will be inaugurated at 4 pm on Sunday.

The championships will see action unfolding on 16 TT tables. A mix of 15 ‘Blue Badge’ umpires and 45 national and international umpires will oversee the matches.