Gangtok: XIIth Sikkim State Open Table Tennis Championship was held from September 21 to 24 at the Indoor Gymnasium Hall in Paljor stadium. The four day event was organized by Sikkim Table Tennis Association in order to promote Table Tennis in the state and to provide platform for the players to participate at national level. The credit of seeing young talents coming out of Sikkim in sports like Table Tennis goes to Sikkim Table Tennis Association (S.T.T.A). It may be mentioned here that Sikkim stands third among the North Eastern State in Table Tennis.Former Chief Minister and current Political Advisor to the Government of Sikkim, Mr. S.M Limboo who was chief guest on the opening day formally declared the championship open. More than five hundred participants from all over the state participated in the championship. Matches in all disciplines from men’s and women’s singles and doubles, under (17), under (14), cadet under (12) boys and girls to Nursery under (10) boys and girls was held. Kritika Rai last year’s nursery champion from Daffodils Home conducted the oath taking ceremony for the players.An exhibition match between the chief guest, Mr. S.M Limboo and Joint Director Sports and Youth Affairs, Mr. R.K Rai was also played just before the tournament.Mr. C.K Basnett, President, Sikkim Table Tennis Association welcomed the guests and the participants with his welcome address and appraised the gathering about the essence of holding such tournaments. On the concluding day, Norden Bhutia won the men’s singles crown by defeating Amit Pradhan of Central School in closely contested final match. Zarina Rana of West Point School won the women singles title by beating her doubles partner Tashi Doma. Zarina who was also judged the most value able player of the tournament, was also selected to represent Sikkim in the India Cup tournament which will be held in Shillong next month. Other player to be selected for the tournament was Amit Pradhan of Central School.Kritika Rai of Daffodils Home won the Nursery Girls Singles for the second year running by defeating Chumpila Bhutia. She along with Kamal Subba, who defeated Ajay for Nursery Boys Singles title was also adjudged the most promising and upcoming player of the tournament, respectively.Lok Sabha, M.P Mr. Nakul Das Rai who was chief guest on the concluding day gave away the prizes and the trophies to the winners.Earlier, President of S.T.T.A. Mr. C.K Basnett read out the tournament report and hoped that the platform provide by the association will see more talented players coming up front.In the Sub Junior Girls (Singles)- Tashi Doma Bhutia (P.N.G) defeated Avantika Sharma of Tashi Namgyal Academy, in Junior Girls (Singles) - Zarina Rana defeated Tashi Doma, in Women’s (Doubles) - Zarina Rana & Tashi Doma defeated Kalzang Doma & Anita Rai, in Employee’s Women (Singles) - Kesang Bhutia of Human Recourse Development Department defeated Pema Yalmu of the same department, in Junior Boys (Singles) - Silvanas Sherpa over came Amit Rai, in Sub Junior Boys (Singles) - Kanchan Rai defeated Thomas Rai, in Cadets Boys (Singles) - Churchill Mangar defeated Singhey Wangchuk, in Employees Men (Singles) - Karma Bhutia of Social Welfare defeated Phurba Rai of S.N.T., in Veteran Men (Singles) - Karma Bhutia defeated David Lepcha, in Veteran Men (Doubles) - Kuber Bhandari & Gyatso Bhutia defeated David Lepcha & Milan Kumar Sharma and in Men’s (Doubles) - Amit Pradhan & Silvana Sherpa defeated Sonam Wangchuk & Norbu Sherpa.
