The first Maharashtra State Ranking Table Tennis Tournament gets under way at Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University’s Subhedar Hall from Friday. This is after more than 27 years that the first of the five ranking meets is going to be held in the city which will be hosted by Nagpur District Table Tennis Association (NDTTA). Earlier, NDTTA has hosted second ranking meets on a few occasions. Addressing a press conference, Maharashtra Table Tennis Association Secretary Adv Ashutosh Potnis said that the tournament will be inaugurated by former MLA Sandip Joshi at 10 am on Friday. “Director of Department of Physical Education and Sports Dr Sambhaji Bhosale, former directors Dr Sharad Suryawanshi, Dr Dhananjay Welukar, Deputy Director of Sports and Youth Services Pallavi Dhatrak will also grace the function,” said Potnis.

 

“More than 950 players from across the State will be taking part in the tournament. “The five-day tournament will be see singles events in men, women, boys and girls in Under-11, U-13, U-15, U-17 and U-19 categories,” he added. This includes 175 players, including international paddler of the city Jennifer Varghese. There will be a total of twelve events in the tournament, and matches will be played on eight tables. Attractive trophies and cash prizes will be awarded to winners and runners-up in various age groups. Jennifer Varghese, who celebrated her 18th birthday on Thursday, will be participating in women’s and Under-19 categories. City’s Ikshika Umate, Saee Gunjal (U-11), Aadi Chitnis and Jayesh Kulkarni (men) will carry the Nagpur flag in the competition apart from 170 other paddlers from the city. The matches will be broadcast live on YouTube. Mangesh Mopkar will be the chief referee and will be assisted by Prafulla Nandedkar. Rajesh Mopkar and Deepak Kanetkar were also present during the press conference.