Ludhiana’s Rakh Bagh facility: A game changer for table tennis training

The Municipal Corporation of Ludhiana has recently inaugurated a state-of-the-art Table Tennis facility at the Rakh Bagh Sports Complex.

This world-class facility, constructed at a cost of Rs 1.61 crore and funded by Ludhiana Smart City Limited (LSCL), spans across two floors. The ground floor houses seven tables, while the first floor features twelve. Fully air-conditioned, the facility offers players a comfortable environment to train and compete. Additionally, the visitor's gallery, which can accommodate 150 spectators, provides a great vantage point for those attending matches.

The facility is expected to play a pivotal role in promoting table tennis in the region, offering budding players a chance to train in an advanced setting. The academy, now housed at this facility, has been grooming players for over 15 years. Previously based at Guru Nanak Stadium, the academy struggled with limited resources, offering only five tables for practice. However, the new complex provides 19 tables, ensuring that players can get ample time for training and skill development.

Vikas Paswan, a young coach at the academy, has been training players for around two years and oversees a diverse group, ranging from seven-year-old children to 76-year-old Harvinder Singh Chatwal. Presently, the academy has around 40 players, with most of them serious about the sport while others participate for fitness or personal interest. Coach Paswan proudly shared some notable achievements, including nine-year-old Rudra, who recently secured first place in the Under-19 category and second place in both the Under-11 and Under-13 categories at the district-level championship. Other players like Rudra and Sachin also made it to the pre-quarter and quarter-final stages, respectively.

Coach Paswan himself is no stranger to success, having earned second and third positions in the State School Games held in Patiala in 2018 and 2019. In 2020, he teamed up with Pranav Chopra from Jalandhar to win the open doubles tournament in Chandigarh, where players from across North India competed.

Among the academy's promising players is Gargi, a teenage girl who started her training only eight months ago. Despite her recent entry into the sport, she is determined to excel. "I want to be a good player and will bring laurels to our city and country one day," she said, highlighting her ambition to balance both academics and sports.

This initiative is part of a broader effort to enhance sports infrastructure in Ludhiana. The newly constructed academy is not just a facility but a hub for nurturing talent, aiming to inspire more youth to take up table tennis and contribute to the sport’s growth in the city and beyond.

wuw