Khar Gymkhana has been supporting various sports activities round the year. This year, they have come forward to fully support and sponsor Veterans’ T T tourney, in a big way . The 5th State Ranking Veterans T T Tournament , will be played at their premises from 8th to 10th January 2016.
Yogesh Desai, who is three times National Veteran T T champion, has taken the initiative to help conduct this Ranking Table tennis Tournament , as an Organizing Secretary, along with Rohitesh Haldar, T T Secretary, Khar Gymkhana. Both of them, have worked very hard, for the past few months, to provide the best playing facilities to the players participating in this event. This tournament, will be held under the auspices of Maharashtra State Veterans’ TT Association and MSDTTA and has already received great response from the veteran players from all over Maharashtra.
According to Organising secretary Yogesh Desai, the matches will be conducted in the large international standard a/c T T Hall of Khar Gymkhana, with wooden flooring. This will enable the players, to play with good playing conditions, while preparing for the Veterans’ nationals at Chandigarh , which is just a month’s time away. The tournament will be inaugurated at 4:30 pm on Friday 8th January 2016 with team championship initial rounds to commence from 5 pm onwards.
Unlike all previous Veteran State Ranking Championships tournaments held for two days, for the first time, this Khar Gymkhan sponsored tournament will be conducted for 3 days and will include 8 categories of Men & Women Singles events, Open Men’s and Women’s Doubles in addition to the usual Team Championship event.
Al though, this is the last State Veterans Tournament of the TT yearly calendar, organizers have received tremendous response and support from veteran players representing different parts of Maharashtra. They have received a record number of more than 245 entries in Singles, 65 entries in Doubles and 60 entries in the open Team Championship events.
For the first time, in all the events, winners and Runners up will be awarded with wonderful take home Trophies, cups and cash prizes. Khar Gymkhana will also play perfect host, by providing free lunch, snacks and high teas, to all the participants on all the three days.
Almost all the top ranked well known veteran players, including Upendra Muley, Sunil Babras, Manish Rawat, Debdoot Chaterjee, Dr.Toshniwal, K K Rai, P.G.Kelkar, Yogesh Desai, Suhasini Bakre, Mangal Saraf, Trupti Machwe, Pinakin Sampat and Preeti Pardeshi will be fighting for the top honours.
To appreciate the efforts of the players, Khar Gymkhana have also decided to felicitate National Veteran T T Champions from Maharashtra, who still continue to compete at state and national level tournaments. Special care and attention will be paid, to the scheduling of the tournament , so as to provide better comforts and adequate rest , to all the veteran players, especially, in between thge matches to be played by them .
A Team of 21 Referees and Table Umpires, will help conduct the matches in a timely manner, on 9 T T Tables under supervision of Mr. D. Salaskar, the Chief Referee and his associate Dominik Savio.