Sargun Saroj/Chandigarh
The 55th All India Inter-Institutional Table Tennis Tournament 2024, marking the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) 90 years of service to the nation, kicked off with a grand opening ceremony on Saturday at Lake Club, Chandigarh.
Organized in collaboration with the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI), the event saw the unveiling of the tournament trophy and medals by Shri Aviral Jain, Executive Director of RBI Chandigarh, and Ganeshan Neelakanta Iyer from the All India Table Tennis Federation (AITTF), along with other dignitaries.
The opening ceremony featured speeches from key RBI and TTFI representatives, introductions of participating teams, and a cultural showcase etc.
Tournament Details:
● Dates: November 24–29, 2024
● Venue: Gymnasium Hall, Panjab University, Chandigarh
● Events: Singles, Doubles, and Team Matches
● Participating Teams: 13 teams, including Canara Bank, Indian Audit & Accounts Department, Department of Atomic Energy, BSNL, Airports Authority of India, Railways, Defence Accounts, Air Force, ESIC, FCI, Petroleum Board, LIC, and RBI.
DAY 1 HIGHLIGHTS:
The RBI women’s team started strong, securing a spot in the quarterfinals with a perfect record in Group B. They defeated Canara Bank and the Indian Audit and Accounts Department (IA&AD) with 3-0 wins. Top players Ayhika Mukherjee, Sreeja Akula, and Diya Chitale led the team to victory.
In Group A, the Railways Sports Promotion Board (RSPB) also reached the quarterfinals, defeating Food Corporation of India (3-1) and Central Revenue (3-0).
In Group C, the Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB) women’s team dominated with a 3-0 win over Airports Authority of India (AAI).
On the men’s side, RBI secured their place in the quarterfinals with 3-0 victories over Air Force SCB and Central Revenue in Group C. Meanwhile, the PSPB men’s team won both their Group A matches against ESIC and Canara Bank.
TEAM RESULTS (ROUNDS 1 AND 2):
Men’s Team Matches:
● Group A: PSPB beat ESIC (3-0), PSPB beat Canara Bank (3-0)
● Group B: RSPB beat Defence Accounts (3-0), RSPB beat FCI (3-0)
● Group C: RBI beat Air Force SCB (3-0), RBI beat Central Revenue (3-0)
● Group D: AAI beat BSNL (3-0), IA&AD beat DAE (3-0), BSNL beat DAE (3-0)
WOMEN’S TEAM MATCHES:
● Group A: RSPB beat FCI (3-1), RSPB beat CRSB (3-0)
● Group B: RBI beat Canara Bank (3-0), RBI beat IA&AD (3-0), Canara Bank beat DAE (3-0), IA&AD beat DAE (3-0)
● Group C: PSPB beat ESIC (3-0), PSPB beat AAI (3-0), AAI beat BSNL (3-0), ESIC beat BSNL (3-0)
The tournament continues with exciting matches ahead, as teams vie for the championship title.