Goemkarponn desk
PANAJI: The newly elected committee of the Goa Table Tennis Association (GTTA) embarked on a courtesy visit to the Honourable Chief Minister, Dr Pramod Sawant, extending warm felicitations and fostering interactions on the table tennis scene in the state.
Led by President Sudin Verenkar, the delegation included Secretary Christopher Menezes, Vice President Mayur Sawkar, Joint Secretary Nilesh Kirtani, and Executive members Kabir Pinto Makhija and Santosh Verlekar.
During the meeting, President Sudin Verenkar extended heartfelt congratulations to the Honourable Chief Minister for the huge success achieved in hosting the 37th National Games in Goa. The committee commended the Chief Minister’s and the Sports Minister Govind Gaude’s visionary efforts in positioning Goa as a prominent sporting destination on the National and International map.
The GTTA committee briefed the Chief Minister on the various table tennis activities in Goa, sharing insights into their ambitious future plans. Discussions centred around the potential establishment of a state-of-the-art Table Tennis Academy and a modern stadium at Campal, aimed at nurturing and promoting the talents of budding table tennis enthusiasts.
The delegation provided the Chief Minister with an overview of the exceptional achievements of its players, such as Tanisi Kirtani, Nagesh Verenkar, Shantesh Mapsekar, and Wesley Do Rosario, who had earned International and National honours, highlighting the efforts taken by parents and the Association, and the crucial role played by Corporates such as Srinivas Dempo, who has promoted Tanisi Kirtani as their goodwill ambassador. They lauded the Dempo Group’s ownership of the Goa Challengers team, which had clinched the title in the Ultimate Table Tennis league this season, giving Goa pride and prestige.
Looking ahead, the Goa Table Tennis Association is committed to promoting table tennis activities significantly by initiating camps and tournaments at Taluka levels, schools, and rural areas, besides the State level. The association will soon convene to plan its calendar for the upcoming season.
