BHUBANESWAR: IN a bid to boost table tennis sports and fitness in the city, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday inaugurated the Odisha Table Tennis Academy here. He also declared open the 29th State Table Tennis Championship 2023.
The Odisha Table Tennis Academy features a spacious table tennis arena with 16 tables, a well-equipped gymnasium, a weightlifting room, and a chess area. Additionally, there are dedicated spaces for yoga and zumba enthusiasts. It will provide a platform to produce a new generation of paddlers from the state.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said, “With the inauguration of the Odisha Table Tennis Academy we are taking another significant step towards promoting sports excellence in Table Tennis. This academy will not only nurture budding talents but also serve as a hub for recreation and competitive spirit.”
Naveen also announced that 33 table tennis centres are being established across indoor halls in the state. The centres will be operational by December 2023 and will have three TT tables each. Cuttack TT Academy will also be operational shortly with 16 tables.
The chief minister commended Odisha State Table Tennis Association for taking significant strides in promoting table tennis in the state and offered all necessary support to produce elite players from the state who can represent India.
The TTFI secretary general Kamlesh Mehta and vice president PK Chaudhary praised the chief minister for his vision for sports and the support towards hosting Commonwealth TT Championship and the National TT Championships in 2019. Chairman 5T and Nabin Odisha VK Pandian, Sports and Youth Services Minister Tusharkanti Behera and others were present.