The highly anticipated UTTNational Ranking Championships in 2024, the season’s first, will begin today atthe Rainbow Khelo India Residential Academy in Kangra, a city renowned for itsnatural beauty and historical significance. Known for its serene andadventurous allure, Kangra will now host its first-ever National Ranking tabletennis event, organised by the Himachal Pradesh Table Tennis Association.
The tournament has drawnan impressive 2,300 entries across 12 categories, including boys, girls, seniormen, and women, from 44 entities representing 32 states and 12 institutions.The event is not just about the immediate competition but also carries a deepersignificance, as it serves as a platform for young and senior players alike toshowcase their talent and prepare for future national and internationaltournaments. Therefore, the event promises to be a stimulating showdown, withparticipants eager to make a mark in the domestic circuit.
The championships willcommence with the Youth Under-11 and Under-13 events for boys and girls. Theseyoung players will look to establish themselves and prove their skills in ahighly competitive atmosphere, setting the stage for the future of Indian tabletennis.
On the other end of thespectrum, experienced players will seize this opportunity to reaffirm theirpositions in the domestic circuit and gear up for upcoming internationalcompetitions. Notably, Sharath Kamal, Manika Batra, Sreeja Akula, and ArchanaKamath, who recently retired from the pro circuit, with Ayhika Mukherjee(standby player at the Olympics), have skipped the tournament.
However, top paddlers likeG. Sathiyan (a standby in Paris), Harmeet Desai, and Manav Thakkar, who werepart of the Paris Olympics squad, will compete. Their presence willsignificantly lend prestige and excitement to the event. Incidentally, thistournament is a key preparatory event ahead of the China Smash later this monthand the Asian Championships in Astana next month, providing players a perfect opportunityto fine-tune their skill sets.
Stag Global has providedall tournament equipment, including flooring, tables, and balls. The tournamentwill be overseen by referee A.S. Kler, with deputies K.R. Manjunatha and P.B. Baskar, supported by 45 Blue Badge,international, and national umpires. The eight-day event promises to be athrilling start to the table tennis season.
Former sports minister andformer president of HPTTA, Anurag Singh Thakur, will formally inaugurate thetournament at 10 a.m., though matches begin at 8.30 a.m.
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