The second edition of the table tennis competition at the Khelo India Para Games 2025, set to begin tomorrow at the IG Indoor Stadium, promises interesting contests.
The event offers para-athletes a valuable opportunity to reassess their form and reassert their dominance on the national stage.
Following the success of various Khelo India events among able-bodied athletes, the Union Sports Ministry extended its focus to para-athletes—especially after their impressive performances after the Tokyo Olympics and before the Paris Paralympics last year.
The para-athletes brought home 29 medals, including seven gold. This initiative provides a much-needed morale boost for India’s para-sports community.
A landmark moment came at the Tokyo Paralympics in 2020 when Bhavina Patel clinched India’s first-ever table tennis medal, putting the sport firmly on the global map. Although India narrowly missed a table tennis medal at the Paris Games, the consistent efforts of Indian para-paddlers at various international events remain commendable.
While Bhavina Patel’s absence will be felt this year, Gujarat continues to be well-represented with talents like Usha Rathod (Women’s Class 4), Shitalben Darji, Bhaarti Ben Paddhariya, Sangeeta Ben Sutaria, and Manisha Sonagara (all Class 5). These players, with their teammates from other categories, are expected to make strong bids for the podium.
However, the Gujarat contingent will face stiff competition from players representing Maharashtra, Haryana, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh—states with strong contenders eyeing top honours.
In the previous edition, the competition department had grouped the women paddlers of Classes 1 to 3 together, and combined Classes 9 and 10. This year, however, due to increased participation in Class 3—a category considered equally challenging—it has been separated to allow more focused competition. Classes 1 and 2 will remain combined due to their higher degrees of difficulty and lesser participation.
Classes 1 to 5 consist of wheelchair-bound athletes, while Classes 6 to 10 are for standing athletes. Notably, Classes 6 and 7 remain the most technically demanding. In Class 7, last year’s gold medallist Prachi Pandey (UP) will face tough competition from Gujarat’s Dhawani Shah (silver) and Sonal Dabhi (bronze). Classes 9 and 10 continue to be clubbed together.
Chandigarh’s Poonam, the defending gold medallist, will look to repeat her success, but competition from Gujarat’s Bhavika Kukadiya, and Maharashtra’s Ujwala Chavan promises an exciting showdown.
In the men’s events, J.D. Madan is the one to beat in Class 1. Challengers include Mayank Srivastava (silver), Alpesh Sutaria, and Sandeep Dangi. In Class 2, watch out for Lloyd Fernandes (Goa), Avinash Gopinathan (Tamil Nadu), and rising stars like Dave Jai Bhole and Lakkshhya Gupta, who will be looking to make their mark.
Unlike the women’s section, the men’s competition features all 10 categories, with Classes 1 to 5 for wheelchair athletes and 6 to 10 for standing participants. The stage is set for three days of thrilling para table tennis action, concluding on March 27, with plenty of talent, rivalry, and inspiring performances, said competition Manager C.L. Thade.
Thade said that veteran A.S. Kler will be the referee, and he will have the services of competent international umpires to supervise the conduct of the matches. He also said that a committee of the jury, headed by N. Ganeshan, is in place to resolve any dispute that may arise during the events.
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