CHANDIGARH, SEPT 23 :As many as 26 teams, including 10 in the women’s section, are in the fray for the top honours in the All-India Pubic Sector TableTennis Tournament being organised by Airport Authority of India at the Sector 23 Table Tennis Hall here from September 24 to 27. Chandigarh Finance-cum-Sports Secretary Sanjay Kumar will inaugurate the tournament at 11 a.m..
Regional Executive Director and President, Sports Control Board, Northern Region, Airport Authority of India, Mr. A. Murugesan told newsmen that teams taking part in the four-day competitons are: Airport Authority of India (AAI), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), Oil & Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC), Air India, Employees Provident Fund Organization (EPFO), The New India Assurance Co. Ltd., Steel Authority of India Ltd.(SAIL), Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd.(BSNL), Food Corporation of India (FCI), Oil India Limited (OIL), Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC), Coil India Limited, Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd. (NLC), Housing & Urban Development Corporation Ltd. (HUDCO), Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited and Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC).
Mr Murugesan said that the tournament would be played according to the rules of the Table Tennis Federation of India. The team championship will be played on league-cum-knockout basis and singles and doubles matches will be conducted on knockout basis.
Some of the leading Indian players, including Olympian Neha Aggarwal of BPCL Ag will be seen in action. Second ranked Indian player Subhajit Shah of Oil India Limited is the reigning champion. Table Tennis Federation of India 14th ranked player Zubin Kumar, also of Oil India Limited was runner-up to Saha in Baroda last year.
Sixth ranked in India, Madhurika Patkar of ONGC and Pooja Saharadukhe of Air India were winner and runner-up, respectively, in the women’s singles. Vishaka and J Swarana of ONGC are among the first 16th ranked Indian players. Vishaka and J Swarana are the defending champions in the women’s doubles.
Mr Suneet Dutt, Airport Controller, Airport Authority of India, Chandigarh said that Klayer from Delhi had been appointed chief referee.
Air India will defend the men’s team championship. In the last edition, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation were runners-up. ONGC had won the women’s team championship in the last championship held in Baroda from October 10 to 14 while the Indian Oil Corporation women were runners-up.
Mr Suneet Dutt, Airport Controller, Airport Authority of India, Chandigarh, said that Klayer from Delhi had been appointed chief referee. The Chandigarh Table Tennis Association will look after the technical conduct of the tournament.
Suneet Dutt said that Ivy Hospital of Mohali would provide adequate first aid services at the TT Hall during the tournament.
Meanwhile, the AAI team will comprise Vivek Mahajan,Yogesh Nagaich,Raj Mondal,Avik Das,
Arnab Adhikari, Navaneeth Ananthachar Ramprasad, Jenil Mehul Shah, Harmeet Rajul Desai (men) and Sukanya Bose, Medha Maitra, Tanya Dutta and Kabita Das (women).
The following are the groupings: Men: Group A:Air India, AAI, SAIL, CWC.
Group B: ONGC, BSNL, HUDCO, NIAC.
Group C: OIL, LIC, BLC, EPFO.
Group D: IOCL, FC, MTNL, Coil India.
Women: Group A: Air India, BPCL, LIC, MTNL.
Group B: IOC< BSNL, Oil India, AAI and NIACL.