"Ultimate Table Tennis has brought new sporting culture to India," says Union Minister Kiren Rijiju
Jul 16, 2023
Pune (Maharashtra) [India], July 16 : Praising Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT), Union Minister Kiren Rijiju stated that the league has brought a new sporting culture to India.
According to a press release, the franchise-based league, promoted by Niraj Bajaj and Vita Dani under the auspices of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI), has been a game-changer for Indian table tennis since its inception in 2017.
Kiren Rijiju visited the Ultimate Table Tennis Season 4, as he witnessed exciting table tennis action at the Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, Mahalunge-Balewadi in Pune. Goa Challengers defeated Dabang Delhi TTC 10-5 to open their campaign on an impressive note.
"The Ultimate Table Tennis has brought a new sporting culture to India. It's not only for table tennis but a general interest for everyone and also showed the way that such sporting events can be organised in a very professional manner. UTT has been one of the leading tournaments in India which has been arranged and organised in a very professional way," commented the Union Minister of Earth Sciences.
He further added, "The entire presentation is beautiful and you need some platforms for younger payers to play. So, Ultimate Table Tennis has done a wonderful thing to galvanise table tennis in India and also inspired other sports. I have personally seen the growth of the league in the past few years, so, I am excited to be here in Pune to witness the table tennis action here with the wonderful participation from the franchises and the audience."
UTT promoter Vita Dani, TTFI Secretary General Kamlesh Mehta, and ITTF President Petra Sorling were also present.
The ongoing season has been witnessing the participation of top Indian paddlers including Achanta Sharath Kamal, Manika Batra, and Sathiyan Gnanasekaran among others along with international stars such as Quadri Aruna, Lily Zhang, and Omar Assar.
The six franchises fighting for the coveted title are U Mumba TT, Chennai Lions, Bengaluru Smashers, Dabang Delhi TTC, Puneri Paltan Table Tennis and Goa Challengers.
