TTFI to provide more international exposure to Indian padllers

New Delhi, May 3: In a bid to improve the profile of Indian table tennis in the world arena, the National Federation has decided to provide more international exposure to the country's leading paddlers by sending them abroad for training as well as to participate in more top level tournaments.

''We are now dedicated to provide more exposure to our players.

We have decided from now onwards the players will be out in the circuit for 300 days in a year either for training abroad or participating in the international events,'' Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) secretary M C Chowhan told UNI here today.

He also said that keeping in my mind the World Championships in Zagreb (Croatia), the TTFI has decided to send four top men paddlers -- Soumyadeep Roy, Subhadeep Saha, Prateek Mehta and Anirban Nandy -- to Germany for training from where they will directly go to Zagreb, while the women paddlers will train in Patiala.

''We are sending four of our top men players to Germany tomorrow for training under the guidance of Arjuna Awardee Manjit Dua. From Germany they will directly go to Zagreb, while the women team will join them on May 19.''
Mr Chowhan also expressed his satisfaction over the performance of Indian paddlers in the recent past and seemed optimistic of clinching some medals in the forthcoming World Championship as well as the 17th Commonwealth Table Tennis Championship in Jaipur from May 30 to June 5. ''I am satisfied with Indian team's performance, especially I am happy for Sharath Kamal. Though his ranking has slipped down 13 places in the last two months but he has the potential to climb up the ladder.

''Now my eyes are all set for the World Championship and Commonwealth tournament and I hope we will win some medals in both the tournaments.'' The TTFI secretary further informed that 17 countries have already confirmed their participation in the Commonwealth event, which will be counted in the ITTF Rankings.

Apart from hosting the Commonwealth Championship for the third time -- the first being in Hyderabad (1994) and then in Delhi (2001), India from now onwards will also see world's top paddlers fighting it out for rankings every year at an ITTF Pro Tour Tournament.

The only obstacle which the TTFI faces now is the non-appoinment of a foreign coach following Swedish Benone Chriatian Gregore departure after the Doha Asian Games.

But the Federation is all set to fill that vacancy during the forthcoming World Championship as some of the world's best coaches will assemble there to choose from.

''We will decide about a foreign coach in Zagreb as some of the world's best coaches will be present there and that will give us a lot of options,'' Mr Chowhan said, adding, ''we have received two applications for the post -- one from a Chinese and the other from a Belarusian -- but we have asked the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) to help us in suggesting a name.''
UNI