Shillong, Oct 6: The 3rd Meghalaya Open Table Tennis Cash Prize Tournament 2024 concluded on Saturday at the historic Laban Sports Club in Shillong, showcasing two days of high-octane table tennis action on October 4 and 5.
Organised by the Laban Sports Club Table Tennis Academy, the tournament featured intense competition across various categories, with players showcasing incredible skill and determination. The event crowned several champions, including Devika Barman (U-15 Girls Singles), Abheek Kashyap (U-15 Boys Singles), Dharaana Das (U-13 Girls Singles), Devanga S Barua (U-13 Boys Singles), Adarsh Om Chettri & Abheek Kashyap (Men’s Doubles), and Anushna Das (Women’s Singles). In the Men’s Singles category, Adarsh Om Chettri took the crown with a flawless performance, while Debdoot Chaterjee emerged victorious in the Veteran Men 45+ Singles category.
Speaking to The Shillong Times, Jitendra Gareri, Head Coach of Laban Sports Club Table Tennis Academy, emphasized the dual purpose of the event.
“The purpose of this tournament is to give our homegrown table tennis players exposure as they compete against players from other states, especially from Assam, which has a strong table tennis culture.
This event also promotes sports tourism in Meghalaya, as participants from other states stay in local hotels and explore the area, providing a boost to state tourism,” Gareri said.
Gareri further highlighted the financial challenges involved in organizing such a tournament, noting that the event is primarily funded through sponsorships and support from the Laban Sports Club. He appealed to the government, particularly the tourism department, to lend their support in the future. “We request our government to come forward and support this event, as it not only focuses on sports but also helps boost state tourism,” he added.
Sammy Myrthong, President of Laban Sports Club, shared his optimism about the future of table tennis in Meghalaya.
“Table tennis is one of the fastest-growing sports, and we have some of the best training facilities at Laban Sports Club. I hope table tennis will become a prominent sport in Meghalaya. We want to encourage children to take up this sport as the next big thing after football,” Myrthong stated.
During the event, the Laban Sports Club also paid tribute to Bhuban Chandra Bania for his significant contributions to the development of table tennis in Meghalaya. Bania’s efforts have been instrumental in popularizing the sport across the state, inspiring many to consider table tennis as a professional pursuit.
