10-year-old Gurugram girl strikes gold at national table tennis tournament

Gurugram: Three years after she first picked up a table tennis bat, ten-year-old Phalgun Gupta from Gurugram has emerged a national champion, winning gold in the Under-11 category at the Second National Table Tennis Ranking Tournament in Panchkula on October 9

Gurugram: Three years after she first picked up a table tennis bat, ten-year-old Phalgun Gupta from Gurugram has emerged a national champion, winning gold in the Under-11 category at the Second National Table Tennis Ranking Tournament in Panchkula on October 9.

The young player said sge took up the sport after watching her older brother practise. She said table tennis has become a source of calm, confidence and ambition for her. (HT Photo)

The young player, who took up the sport after watching her older brother practise, said table tennis has become a source of calm, confidence and ambition for her.

Gupta emerged victorious in a field of nearly 140 participants at the tournament held from October 6 to 13, securing the top spot in the national Under-11 category. She had won silver in the same competition last year.

This year, she won the gold by in an all-Haryana girls’ final, defeating state mate Mahi Kumar 3-1.

Haryana sports minister Gaurav Gautam congratulated Gupta on her achievement, saying the state’s young women athletes were bringing honour to Haryana and the country across sports.

A resident of Sector 67A in Gurugram, Gupta was introduced to table tennis at six when she accompanied her parents to drop off her older brother at a table tennis coaching academy. Fascinated by the game, she began playing herself a year later.

“I saw my brother play table tennis, and I was drawn towards the sport, and started playing by the age of seven. Since then there is no looking back,” Gupta told HT.

“To me, table tennis brings peace. I feel very calm and confident when I have the bat in my hand. It has helped me develop my personality and given me more confidence,” she added.

For Gupta, the national title is only the beginning. She hopes to represent India at the Commonwealth Games.

The young athlete trains under coach Mrinal Mondal, a former national-level table tennis player, at MeSoTT (Mrinal’s Elite School of Table Tennis), located at Shri Chaitanya Academy in Sector 57. Mondal has been coaching her for nearly two years.

“Phalgun has brought immense pride to us. I have been training her for almost two years now, and what stands out in her is the passion and hunger to achieve. She loves the game and is extremely dedicated,” Mondal told HT.

Ahead of the tournament, Gupta trained for six hours a day — two hours in the morning and four in the evening. According to Mondal, she has also developed an unusual command of a racket fitted with combination rubbers, a technique that typically takes players years to master.

The coach said Gupta also holds the second position in Haryana’s under-13 rankings and fourth in the under-15 category, competing against players older than her.

Mondal said her success reflected the growing interest in table tennis in Haryana. “This time around Haryana secured all three top positions in the national championship. More and more people are now interested in table tennis, but there is a long way to go.”

He said greater support from the government and private companies could help improve opportunities and participation in the sport.

Even as Gupta celebrates her latest victory, she has already begun preparing for her next competition.

“For me, it’s not just about winning or losing. I want to give my best in every game I play,” she said.