It was the happiest day in the lives of all the TT veterans from Mumbai, who recently won medals at the National Veterans Table tennis Championship held in Jaipur . On Friday evening Yogesh Desai the triple crown winner at this Championship and his wife Dr.Bindu Desai hosted a party in honour of all the medal winners from Mumbai. And, to felicitate these medal winners, they invited TT legends Farrokh Khodaiji and his wife Kaity Khodaiji as chief guests.
medal winners with Chief guests Farrokh & Kaity Khodaiji and other invitees
Both former National champions were more than happy to share the dais with all the medal winners from Mumbai and expressed their happiness for the passion with which all the players continued their form in this game of table tennis, to put up a grand show for team Maharashtra and also in individual events in different age groups.
Farrokh & Kaity Khodaiji with host Dr. Bindu Yogesh Desai
Almost all the veteran TT players from Mumbai, who regularly play at the state and national events were present at Trophy restaurant of PJ Hindu Gymkhana. It was a fine gesture from Yogesh Desai who as an individual came forward to honour all his colleagues. And, this was appreciated by one and all present on this occasion. The special invitees were Leroy D’sa former international badminton player, Nandini Kulkarni former International TT player, Mr. R.K. Bowrie Sr. Sports Journalist and Mr. Amit Modi Jt. Hon.TT Secretary MSDTTA, Mumbai.
The function began by welcoming the chief guest couple and thereafter it was time for entertainment followed by felicitation function. Singing talents from among these veteran TT players like Uddhav Kulkarni, Ravi Chopra, Nainesh Desai, Nitish Kumar Atmaram Gangarde and Yogesh Desai himself entertained the audience rendering some old melody filled songs. Akshay Gangarde captured the musical programme in his camera to air it on youtube.com.
Host Yogesh Desai the triple crown winner with anchor Ulhas Shirke
The medal winners who were present and felicitated on this occasion were, Yogesh Desai, Mangal Saraf, Kiran Salian, Navin Salian, Jitu Mawani, Suhas Dandekar, Purshottam Marked, Gurucharan Singh Gill, Pinakin Sampat, Sunanda Rao, Manisha Bodas, Rajeshwari Mehtre, Aatmaram Gangarde, Suhas Kulkarni, Deepak Dudhane, Ulhas Shirke, Jayant Kulkarni, Neeta Kulkarni, Ulhas Kelshikar, Samir Bhate & Abahy Mehta.
Yogesh Desai who was overwhelmed with the response received from the invitees, at a short notice, thanked them all for attending this function and wished them a grand success in the current TT season. He recalled his good old days of table tennis, when as a Junior he made his debut at the Madras Nationals, way back in 60s, where the chief guest and Arjuna Award winner Farokh Khodaiji had won the Men’s Singles national crown. “It is our privilege to have him amongst us to share this happy occasion,” he said. Yogesh Desai’s wife Dr. Bindu Desai presented a poem written by her in praise of all the medal winners, who had given their best performance at the Jaipur nationals, bringing so many medals for Maharashtra.
The show was anchored by Ulhas Shirke. At the end of the function, when it was time to thank and say good bye, almost all the medal winners surrounded the host Yogesh Desai and called him the new Messiah of table tennis, who really cared all his colleagues for their achievements. It was for the first time that a player himself had come forward to arrange felicitation of his other colleagues from Mumbai, who had won medals at the Jaipur Nationals. The real happiness is in sharing and this is what the generous host proved.
Videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuouWroydsQ&index=2&list=PLTap_nbuPGNuC-fkCEsixWP30jgHT7gaW