New Delhi: Having missed the inaugural 11Even Sports Inter-School Table Tennis Championships last year, the Delhi State Table Tennis Association (DSTTA) is all set to roll with its first school championships at the Thyagraj Stadium this time, from Monday.
The three championships, to be held between August 29 and 31 is a a unique grassroots level programme with 36 major table tennis playing Delhi schools competing in all four categories—Junior Boys, Junior Girls, Senior Boys and Senior Girls—vying with one another to be the champion team in each section. Despite it being the first year for Delhi, the entries have touched the mark of 70 in all categories.
The event, held under the auspices of the Table Tennis Federation of India, will not only kick off at the national capital on August 29 but also all over the country as 27 states have given their consent to organize it on the same day. The idea of choosing August 29 as the date to start the championships is because the day is remembered as the birthday of hockey wizard and sporting icon Dhyan Chand and celebrated as the National Sports Day all over the country.
The national federation and sponsors of the championships, 11Even Sprots, have jointly chosen this day to begin the event in all states to create a buzz in the country, particularly among the youngsters, urging them to take to this Olympic sport.
In this endeavour, the DSTTA feels that it is important to create an atmosphere of sports culture, particularly at a time when two of our medallists—P.V. Sindhu and Shakshi Malik—have done the country proud with their sterling performances against all odds.
DSTTA, which is the body that is promoting the sport in Delhi, is immensely happy to organize the championships in the second year. “We hope this will continue in the years to come and Delhi will return to its old glorious days in the sport,” said DSTTA General Secretary Manjit Dua who, in his hay days, was one of the best to have played the game at the highest level.
He said Delhi has had a very strong tradition in table tennis and through this school programme DSTTA will make an attempt to strengthen the hands further.
Talking on the school championships, Dua said that each of the state champion team will get a chance to participate in the National School Championships in December. “Since this is a team event, I am confident that best four Delhi school teams will qualify and make their presence felt at the national championships. I am also sure that one of the four teams, if not all of them, can go on to win national titles,” he added.
11Even Sports, the sponsors of the championships both at state and national levels, will give medals and merit certificates while it is the responsibility of the Delhi State to provide participation certificates.
In addition, 11Even Sports will also take care of each of the state champion team’s board and lodging wherever it is held, apart from meeting local transport. However, the champion teams will have to travel back and forth to the venue of the national championships at their own cost.
