Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The Panjim Table Tennis Club honoured emerging coach Rutuj Sonawane with its Young Sports Achievers Award, recognising his achievements and contribution to the growth of table tennis in Goa. The award celebrates Goan talents who have excelled in sports while playing a role in developing and promoting their discipline.
A former state level player, Rutuj held the No.1 ranking in Goa from 2018 to 2020. After his competitive career, he successfully transitioned into coaching and has built an impressive profile through both domestic and international exposure. He has served as a state team coach for Goa at the National Championship and also worked as a coach at St. Britto’s High School in Mapusa.
Rutuj further strengthened his experience through an international coaching stint at the Dudley and Sandwell Table Tennis Club in the United Kingdom between 2022 and 2023. He currently serves as a coach at Somaiya Vidyavihar University in Mumbai, where he continues to train and mentor young athletes.
He also completed his NIS Diploma at the Sports Authority of India’s National Centre of Excellence in Kolkata. During his time there, he trained under internationally recognised coaches and worked with leading players including Sandika Bhattacharjee, Vartica Bharat, Parth Prabhakar, Shankadeep Das and Goa’s Shantesh Mapsekar, a former India No.2 ranked cadet player.
Speaking on the occasion, Rutuj said his focus is on helping young players grow through structured coaching methods and modern training techniques.
Vice President of the Goa Table Tennis Association Mayur Sawkar highlighted the importance of building opportunities within the state so that capable coaches can grow professionally without having to move elsewhere. Ajit Ghantkar praised Rutuj’s discipline and commitment, noting that such values naturally influence the players he trains. Sandeep Heble also pointed out that coaching is increasingly emerging as a strong career path in sports.
During the event, the Panjim TT Club also unveiled its table tennis development calendar for 2026. The programme includes summer coaching camps in April and May, quarterly talent search tournaments, a league team championship and grassroots training initiatives in schools across Tiswadi. Interested participants can contact club secretary and coach Selvyn Godinho for further details.
