Team Goemkarponn
Panaji: Some of the most celebrated names in Indian table tennis are set to converge in Goa for She Paddle 2025, India’s first-ever International Masters Women’s Prize Money Table Tennis Tournament. The event, scheduled from September 5 to 7 at the scenic Aralia Beach Resort in Morjim, will feature a star-studded line-up, including World Champion Mantu Murmur (60+), Commonwealth Medalist Rita Jain, and National Champion Mangal Saraf, among others.
In a first for India, the tournament is dedicated exclusively to Masters women athletes and will feature between 50 to 100 participants from across the country and abroad, including international representation from Bucharest, Romania. With a prize purse of ₹1.25 lakh and attractive trophies, the competition will cover Veterans 40+, 50+, and 60+ categories in both singles and doubles, along with a prestigious Team Championship.
The initiative, organisers said, is envisioned as an annual flagship event, celebrating the strength, resilience, and enduring passion of women athletes who continue to inspire through their journeys in Masters sport. In a significant announcement, organisers also revealed that the 2026 edition will be hosted in Bucharest, Romania, highlighting the global aspirations of the tournament.
Adding to the grandeur, the closing day on September 7 will also see the historic launch of “Smash Her Story”, a book that chronicles the journeys of 32 Indian National Women Champions from 1947 to 2024. Authored by Shamik Chakrabarty and Dileep Premachandran under the guidance of sports historian Boria Majumder, the book has been endorsed by Petra Sörling, President of ITTF and IOC Member, and celebrates resilience, trailblazing achievements, and the creation of role models for future generations.
At the official press conference, the vision behind She Paddle was outlined by Moonmoon Mukherjee (Former International TT Player, President of CARE Foundation, Founder of P3 Sports Management and Creator of Smash Her Story), Deepa Jain (Veteran National Champion, Jewellery Designer and Co-Founder of Champion Charms), Shilpa Joshi Takalkar (Former International TT Player, Shri Shiv Chhatrapati Awardee and Co-Producer of Smash Her Story), and Deepak Gopani (Founder Secretary of Goa Veterans TT Association and State Veteran Champion).
The tournament will also be graced by several distinguished guests including Kamlesh Mehta, eight-time National Champion, Arjuna Awardee and Secretary General of TTFI; Pooja Bedi, actor and wellness coach; Dr. Geeta Nagvenkar, Executive Director of SAI; and Niraj Bajaj, Chairman of the Bajaj Group, the event’s main sponsor. Senior officials of the Goa Table Tennis Association including Sudin Verenkar (President) and Mayur Sawkar (Vice President), along with dignitaries from the Government of Goa, are also expected to attend.
Calling She Paddle “not just a tournament, but a movement,” Mukherjee emphasised that the event represents a fusion of sport, culture, and empowerment, while positioning Goa as a global hub for Masters sports.
With world-class competition, inspiring stories, and a vision for legacy-building, She Paddle 2025 promises to be a historic celebration of women who have redefined the spirit of the game.
