Shillong, Sep 12: The 4th Meghalaya Open Table Tennis Cash Prize Tournament 2025 witnessed a day of thrilling encounters and spirited performances on Friday, as young paddlers from across the North East and beyond lit up the Seiñraij Indoor Hall with their skills and determination.
With over 120 participants representing states such as Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Bengal and even Delhi, the tournament once again highlighted the growing popularity of table tennis in the region.
The under-13 category produced some of the most gripping contests of the day. In the girls’ singles semifinals, Assam’s Aakanshya Rai Baruah edged out Meghalaya’s rising star Shriya Thapa 3-2 in a pulsating encounter that could have gone either way. The youngster from Shillong, who has been a consistent performer for the Laban Sports Club Table Tennis Academy, played exceptionally well and drew loud cheers from the home crowd. In the other semifinal, Assam’s Idhika Borkataki defeated her state-mate Flavia Gogoi 3-1 to set up an all-Assam final.
In the under-13 boys’ singles, it was Assam’s day again as Eshaan Choudhury brushed aside Chirag Baishya 3-0, while Prekhyaneev Gogoi registered a comfortable 3-0 win over Meghalaya’s Niyon Kashyap Das in the semifinals. Yet, despite the loss, it was Niyon who emerged as one of the standout performers of the day. Representing Laban Sports Club Table Tennis Academy, the young paddler stunned the crowd by defeating Assam’s top-seeded Ayush Hazarika—ranked among the top 10 in India—in the quarterfinals. Trailing 0-2 at one stage, Niyon staged a remarkable comeback to seal a 3-2 victory, earning him the admiration of both fans and fellow players.
The under-15 girls’ singles category saw a dominant display from Assam’s players, with all four quarterfinal matches going their way. Tarasvee Dutta beat Meghalaya’s Shriya Thapa 3-0, while Harshita Das outlasted Nainika Dutta 3-2 in a close affair. Rasmi Chelleng got the better of Flavia Gogoi 3-1, and Anshita Roy downed Meghalaya’s Saachi Mizar in straight sets.
In the under-15 boys’ singles pre-quarterfinals, Assam continued to dominate, but not without resistance from Meghalaya’s paddlers. Eshaan Choudhury overcame Niyon Kashyap Das 3-0, while Abhigyan and Abhishek Saikia won their respective matches. Debobrata Paul of Meghalaya impressed with a commanding 3-0 victory over compatriot Ethan Marbaniang, and another all-Meghalaya clash saw Dhruv Dey outclass Wangden Lama by the same margin. The tie of the round, however, was between Assam’s Chirag Baishya and Meghalaya’s Shivash Pariyar, where Baishya scraped through 3-2 after a nail-biting contest.In the women’s singles, the quarterfinal line-up is now complete. Assam’s Gargi Saikia will face Tarasvee Dutta, while Akshita Roy takes on Devika Barman. Another all-Assam battle will feature Anushna Das against Meghalaya’s promising Shreya Thapa, who delighted the home fans earlier by knocking out top-seeded Bhavya Bharadwaj of Assam 3-1 in the under-13 girls’ quarterfinals. In the last tie, Assam’s Rasmi Chelleng will lock horns with Meghalaya’s Anwesha Choudhury.
