Indian Table Tennis Team Receives Major Support for ITTF World Championships

Support for the Indian Table Tennis Team

The Sports Authority of India (SAI) has allocated over Rs 90 lakh to bolster the Indian table tennis team's performance at the centenary International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) World Team Table Tennis Championships (WTTC) in London, commencing on Tuesday. This prestigious event is set to take place from April 28 to May 10 at the OVO Arena in Wembley.

Team Composition and Group Matches

A contingent of 19 members, including 10 players, three coaches, three support staff, and three sparring partners, will represent India. Notable players such as Manika Batra, Gnanasekaran Sathiyan, Manav Thakkar, and Harmeet Desai will lead the charge in both men's and women's events. The men's team is grouped with Slovakia, Tunisia, and Guatemala, while the women's team faces Ukraine, Uganda, and Rwanda in the group stages, scheduled from April 28 to May 1.

Goals and Expectations

Both Indian teams aim to improve upon their previous performance, where they reached the knockout stages but were eliminated in the Round of 32 during the 2024 competition in Busan. Although table tennis will not be included in the Commonwealth Games 2026, the WTTC in London serves as a crucial preparation for the Asian Games 2026 in Japan and the upcoming Commonwealth Games 2030 in Bharat.

Preparatory Measures and Funding

In preparation for the 2026 WTTC, SAI organized several training camps to enhance the team's readiness. A national coaching camp took place at the Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports in Bengaluru from April 13 to 19, costing Rs 13.26 lakh, followed by an overseas training session in Sheffield from April 21 to 26, funded with Rs 20.92 lakh. This structured approach combines local training with international experience to adapt players to European conditions.

Additionally, SAI has provided approximately Rs 60.1 lakh to the Table Tennis Federation of India to cover expenses such as airfare, accommodation, daily allowances, and entry fees for athletes and officials participating in the event.

Indian Teams for ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships 2026

Men's team: Manav Thakkar, Manush Shah, G Sathiyan, Harmeet Desai, Payas Jain.

Women's team: Manika Batra, Yashaswini Ghorpade, Diya Chitale, Sutirtha Mukherjee, Syndrela Das.

Coaches: Massimo Costantini (Foreign Expert), Sourav Chakraborty, and Somnath Ghosh.