GUWAHATI, July 7: In a major boost to grassroots tennis development in India, the All Assam Tennis Association (AATA) has announced a strategic partnership with the Kia Tennis Premier League (TPL) to roll out the Race to Gold (RTG) Scholarship Programme across the state.
As part of this collaboration, the first Race to Gold (RTG) Tournament will be held at the All Assam Tennis Association (AATA) here on July 19-20, 2026.
The partnership aims to create one of the most structured grassroots tennis development initiatives in the country by organising a series of junior tournaments across Assam in the Under-10, Under-12 and Under-14 categories.
The initiative is designed to identify, reward and nurture promising young talent while providing aspiring players with a clear pathway to higher levels of competitive tennis.
Under the programme, winners of every RTG tournament will receive scholarships, prizes and recognition.
At the end of each year, the number one ranked player from Assam in every age category will be felicitated by the Kia Tennis Premier League and presented with premium tennis equipment in recognition of their outstanding performances.
With this partnership, Assam has joined an elite group of state associations—including the Delhi Lawn Tennis Association (DLTA), Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA), Telangana State Tennis Association (TSTA) and Gujarat State Tennis Association (GSTA)—that have partnered with TPL to build a stronger tennis ecosystem and accelerate junior player development across India.
The initiative reflects a shared commitment between the All Assam Tennis Association and the Kia Tennis Premier League to increase competitive opportunities, strengthen grassroots participation and ensure that talented youngsters receive the guidance, exposure and competitive structure required to excel at the national and international levels.
Speaking on the occasion, Kunal Thakkur, co-founder of the Tennis Premier League, said: “During my visit to Assam, I was impressed by the talent, dedication and passion of the young players. It was clear that Assam has the potential to produce future champions. Through the RTG Scholarship Programme in partnership with AATA, our aim is to create opportunities, nurture talent and provide a clear pathway for deserving players to reach the highest level. We believe this initiative will play a significant role in strengthening grassroots tennis in Assam”
Welcoming the partnership, AATA secretary Ankush Dutta said: “We have consistently worked towards expanding the reach of competitive tennis by conducting numerous ITF, AITA and state ranking tournaments across Assam. With TPL joining hands with us, we believe the scale, quality and impact of these tournaments will increase significantly.”
“Our objective is simple — to provide every talented child in Assam with the opportunities and support required to become a future champion. We are delighted to partner with TPL, just as several of India’s leading state associations have done, and together contribute towards the long-term growth of Indian tennis,” Dutta said.
