Indore to Host 87th Senior National Table Tennis Championships as TTFI Ends Weeks of Uncertainty

After weeks of administrative uncertainty, Indian table tennis finally has clarity on its most important domestic event of the year.

The 87th Senior National Table Tennis Championships will be held in Indore from March 14 to 21, the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) confirmed on Monday, restoring stability to a calendar that had remained in limbo amid internal disputes within the federation.

The announcement, issued through the official tournament prospectus signed by Yatin Tipnis, Senior Joint Secretary of TTFI on behalf of the Executive Committee, confirms that the championships will follow the traditional format that has been the backbone of Indian table tennis for decades. As per the schedule, team events will be played during the first four days, after which the focus will shift to the individual competitions, which will decide the men’s and women’s singles, doubles and mixed doubles champions.

The last date for submitting entries has been set for February 26, giving states and institutions just over three weeks to finalise their squads.

The confirmation brings an end to widespread uncertainty that had surrounded the staging of the Nationals, caused by an ongoing governance crisis within the TTFI. For much of January, there had been no formal communication on when or where the championships would take place, prompting concerns from players, coaches and state associations who rely on the Nationals as a key benchmark for selection, ranking and funding.

According to sources within the federation, TTFI is also expected to release the formal notification for the age-group National Championships later this week, a move that would help put the domestic season back on track across junior and youth categories as well.

Indore’s growing role in Indian table tennis

Indore’s selection as the host city continues its emergence as an important centre for elite sport in India. Over the past decade, the city has invested heavily in sporting infrastructure and hosted multiple national-level events across disciplines. For table tennis players, the Indore Nationals will serve as a crucial competitive platform ahead of a packed international season, including World Table Tennis (WTT) events and continental championships.

The Senior Nationals traditionally play a pivotal role in shaping India’s table tennis hierarchy. They determine not only national champions but also selection pathways for international assignments, government support schemes, and professional league opportunities. For young players trying to break through and for established stars looking to reaffirm their dominance, the Indore championships will carry enormous weight.

However, the confirmation of the tournament has not come without controversy. The prospectus lists Kamlesh Mehta, one of the most influential figures in Indian table tennis history, as “Secretary-General (under suspension)” a designation that highlights the deepening rift within the federation.

Mehta, an eight-time National Champion during his playing career and later a long-serving administrator, was suspended following the TTFI’s Annual General Meeting on January 28. The decision has sparked sharp debate across the table tennis community, given Mehta’s stature and long association with the sport.

In a detailed public statement, Mehta confirmed that he intends to challenge the suspension legally. He also expressed deep disappointment at the way events had unfolded. The legal challenge, if pursued, could add another layer of complexity to an already turbulent administrative landscape, even as the competitive calendar moves forward.

For India’s players, however, the most important development is that the Nationals are happening. After weeks of uncertainty that made planning, training cycles and travel arrangements difficult, the March 14–21 window gives athletes and coaches a firm target. The Senior Nationals remain the most prestigious domestic event in Indian table tennis, and in a season where India’s young stars are pushing for greater international recognition, the Indore edition could prove particularly significant.

While off-court battles continue within the federation, on-court competition will once again take centre stage where, for eight days in March, India’s best paddlers will fight not just for medals, but for their place in the national pecking order.