India needs people like Rahul Dravid and Pullela Gopichand, who have done an excellent job in producing young talent in their respective disciplines, for tennis to develop in the country, says eight-time Grand Slam doubles champion Leander Paes.
Earlier in the day, the Indian women's table tennis team of Diya Parag Chitale, Ayhika Mukherjee and Sutirtha Mukherjee scripted a facile 3-0 victory over Nepal.
While Indian table tennis took giant strides in the year, a star too was born with Manika Batra pocketing as many as four medals including two historic gold medals at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
India's table tennis star Manika Batra produced a dominant performance to defeat America's Lily Zhang 3-0 to advance into the women's singles pre-quarterfinals of the WTT Champions in Montpellier, France on Wednesday.
The Indian women's team finished sixth in the Asian Table Tennis Championships after being blanked 0-3 by Thailand in Pyeongchang on Tuesday.
Manika Batra could not be more thrilled about bossing the World No. 2 from China earlier this week but to beat the top-10 players more often, the Indian table tennis trailblazer knows she needs to do more on the tactical and fitness front.
'I would like to thank the Government, the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) and most importantly, my family, who has been there for me and motivated me along this journey'
Manika Batra is the first Indian woman paddler to break into the top-25 in table tennis world rankings.
India's leading table tennis player Harmeet Desai feels he has been "unfairly" left out of the singles competition for the upcoming Asian Games in Hangzhou.
Star paddler Manika Batra played a crucial part as PBG Bengaluru Smashers defeated Jaipur Patriots 11-4 to take a significant step towards playoff qualification in the IndianOil Ultimate Table Tennis tournament on Thursday.
The big names who will be bidding for a podium finish before bidding farewell...
Manav Thakkar pulled off a memorable 3-1 win over world No 33 Kao Cheng-Jui to enter the men's singles pre-quarter-finals of the Asian Table Tennis Championships.
The Indian men's table tennis team assured itself of its third consecutive bronze medal at Asian Championships.
Tennis ace Rohan Bopanna, hockey great P R Sreejesh and table tennis legend Sharath Kamal, are gearing up for one last hurrah at the Asian Games, starting in Hangzhou, from September 23.
40-year-old Sharath showed that age was just a number.
India's Sathiyan Gnanasekaran pulled off an upset by beating World No. 6 and reigning European champion Jorgic Darko 3-1 to enter the men's singles round of 16 in the WTT Contender table tennis tournament in Zagreb, Croatia.
The sports ministry cleared the final contingent that also features 140 support staff and officials, of which 72 "have been approved at cost to the Government" to meet the "requirements" of the travelling sportspersons.
India had exceeded expectations at 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia by winning three gold, a couple of silver and three bronze medals.
'...it is a good thing for youngsters in both countries who are pursuing our sport to follow us and follow their sports icons and bring laurels to their countries.'
Commonwealth Games gold medallist Manika Batra progressed to the women's singles quarter-finals but veterans Sharath Kamal and Gnanasekaran Sathiyan crashed out.
IOA also announced that Sindhu, India's only woman athlete to win back-to-back Olympic medals, will be the flag bearer of the Indian contingent during the opening ceremony on July 26, alongside ace table tennis player Achanta Sharath Kamal.
The Indian Olympic Association's Executive Council agreed to set up a panel to tackle doping after India's poor record was flagged by the IOC during a national delegation's visit to push for the 2036 Olympic bid.
For the first time in Olympic history, the Opening Ceremony is being held on the banks of the river Seine. More than 6,500 athletes in around 90 boats will sail past the iconic monuments of Paris.
'We have done everything in our power to help him take his game to the next level and become a star player.'
The Indian Olympic Association's athletes commission chairperson and boxing legend M C Mary Kom on Tuesday denied reports that she has resigned from her position.
Indian paddler Mudit Dani has entered the history books by becoming the first Indian to win the (NCTTA) Male Athlete of the Year award.
Indian women's team eased past Uzbekistan while the men endured successive defeats with the loss to South Korea in the World Table Tennis Team Championships in Busan on Monday.
'India is now adopting and recognising para sports and our performances.'
The Mission Olympic Cell is also considering higher incentives for retired Olympians and world-class players who want to take up coaching, in an effort to retain top talent within India.
India wrapped up their campaign at the Asian Table Tennis Championships with three medals, including a historic bronze in the women's doubles, after Ayhika Mukherjee and Sutirtha Mukherjee's dream run ended in the semifinals in Astana, Kazakhstan on Sunday.
India can be among top five nations in table tennis, feels G Sathiyan
Gopichand, who is often credited with creating a pipeline of top badminton players by identifying them at a young age, described the move by the games' organisers' as appalling.
India's final tally in Hangzhou stood at 28 gold, 38 silver and 41 bronze, a quantum leap from the 70 medals the contingent bagged at Jakarta in 2018.
Sathiyan, who has qualified for the Tokyo Olympics, had donated Rs 1.25 lakh to the Centre and Tamil Nadu government in 2020 for their fight against the coronavirus.
Having won a Commonwealth Games gold four years ago, he became the flag-bearer of Indian table tennis. Now, with two straight title triumphs -- at the US Open and Egypt Open -- in as many weeks, Achanta Sharath Kamal has announced he is in good shape and ready to defend his crown at October's Commonwealth Games in the country.
Sathiyan is part of the Indian table tennis squad for the upcoming Commonwealth Games which is scheduled to be held in Birmingham from July 28 to August 8.
The designated women's coach of the Indian team, Anindita Chakraborty, was conspicuous by her absence in the knockout fixture. Instead, men's coach S Raman sat on the courtside as India women's were shocked by Malaysia in the quarter-finals.
The Indian contingent, comprising 17 players and officials, is scheduled to participate at the ITTF World Tour Australian Open starting in Melbourne on Monday.
Manika Batra has lost her baggage containing sports equipment, while returning home from a tournament in Peru
Bhavina Patel wins gold in women's singles classes 3-5 category
