Maharashtra Masters Table Tennis Tournament Honors Late Shri Vilas Mantri & Jagannath Mohite, Showcases Comebacks and New Champions
The Late Shri Vilas Mantri & Jagannath Mohite Memorial Masters Table Tennis Tournament took place on 8th and 9th July 2023 at Prabodhankar Thackeray Krida Sankul in PTKS, Vile Parle (E). The tournament, organized by the newly formed Maharashtra Masters Table Tennis Committee, witnessed an impressive turnout of veteran players who competed in various age groups. This ranking tournament served as a platform for former players to make their comebacks and pay tribute to the TT legends.
In the team event, ‘Like Minded’ successfully halted MCF Club Borivali’s winning streak in the 59+ category, displaying a balanced performance led by Purshottam Markad, Nitish Kumar D, and Prashant Machve. The tournament received overwhelming participation from renowned medal winners of Maharashtra, who excelled at the World Veterans’ TT Championship in Oman and the National Masters’ TT Championship in Jalandhar. Notable players like Yogesh Desai, Ulhas Shirke, Suhasini Bakre, Anil Rasam, Rajesh Mudam, and many others showcased their skills.
The individual championships witnessed some intense battles, with Vishal Yadav and Sarosh Shroff emerging as the new champions in the Men’s 39+ and Men’s 59+ categories, respectively. Other winners included Navin Salian, Prakash Kelkar, Yogesh Desai, A.M. Warunkar, Suhasini Bakre, Sadiya Vanjara, Shravani Dhapre, and more in their respective age groups. Sheela Naidu, sister of Late Vilas Mantri, made a remarkable comeback after 40 years.
The tournament also featured team events, where PTKS-A and ‘Like Minded’ emerged victorious in the 39+ and 59+ categories, respectively. The event received tremendous support and was highly regarded for its organization and success.
Day 1: Grand Inauguration Sets the Stage for Intense Battles at Maharashtra Masters Table Tennis Tournament
The Late Shri Vilas Mantri & Jagannath Mohite Memorial Masters Table Tennis Tournament commenced with a spectacular inauguration ceremony at Prabodhankar Thackeray Krida Sankul in PTKS, Vile Parle (E). The family members of Late Vilas Mantri and Jagannath Mohite lit the traditional lamp, paying homage to the TT legends. Former International Badminton player Leroy D’sa and his wife Maria D’sa also graced the occasion with a courtesy visit.
On the opening day, the tournament witnessed several captivating matches. MCF Club Borivali, led by Praful Wagh, displayed their skills in the 59+ team event. They began their campaign with a convincing 3-0 victory over Kalidas Mulund ‘C’. In a thrilling encounter, they caused an upset by defeating Jagan’s Warriors, a team formed as a tribute to Late Jagannath Mohite, with a score of 3-1. Sanjay Jain emerged as the hero of the match, securing victories against Ashok Sawant and the current World Veterans’ Champion Yogesh Desai. Sanjay, along with Prafull Wagh, also won a crucial doubles match against Yogesh Desai and Ulhas Shirke.
However, MCF Club’s winning streak came to an end as they faced tough competition from the well-balanced ‘Like Minded’ team. In a gripping encounter, ‘Like Minded’ emerged victorious with a score of 3-2. Purshottam Markad played a stellar role, winning both his singles matches and partnering with Prashant Machve to clinch the crucial doubles. Prafull and Sanjay from MCF Club managed to secure one win each against Nitish Kumar.
Day 2: New Champions Emerge, Veterans Shine at Maharashtra Masters Table Tennis Tournament
The second day of the Maharashtra Masters Table Tennis Tournament showcased thrilling matches and remarkable performances from the participants. The tournament, organized by the newly formed Maharashtra Masters Table Tennis Committee, witnessed an overwhelming response from veteran players.
In the individual championships, Vishal Yadav demonstrated his dominance in the Men’s 39+ singles. As the 8th seed, Vishal showcased his consistent forehand topspin attacks and strong backhand returns. He advanced to the quarter-finals by defeating Suhas Rane, a member of the Mumbai Super League winning team. In the semis, Vishal overcame a tough challenge from Sharad Sanglekar, who had earlier defeated the new entrant Ketan Palwankar. However, Vishal’s biggest test came in the finals against Kedar Kasbekar, a renowned coach and newcomer in the 39+ group. In an exhilarating five-set thriller, Vishal emerged victorious, winning the deciding set over extra points.
Sarosh Shroff proved to be unstoppable in the Men’s 59+ singles. As the sixth seed, Sarosh showcased exceptional skills and halted the winning run of Atul Deshmukh in the finals. In the semi-finals, Sarosh overcame the challenge of the second seed, Rajesh Mudam, who conceded the match after losing the first two games. Atul Deshmukh’s journey to the finals included a hard-fought victory over top-seeded Anil Rasam in a five-game battle.
The battle between brothers Navin and Kiran Salian unfolded in the Men’s 49+ singles, with Navin emerging as the champion with a commanding 3-0 victory. Kiran had earlier eliminated the top-seeded Samir Bhate with a 3-1 win, while Navin secured a victory over Chaitanya Deshpande.
Prakash Kelkar, an evergreen player, displayed his supremacy in the Men’s 65+ singles. The current National Champion faced little resistance on his path to the title, dropping just one game in the semi-finals against his National Championship doubles partner A.S. Avdhani. Ashok Sawant from MCF Club showcased his skills with a thrilling five-set victory over Arun Dhotre before reaching the finals. However, Ashok fell short against the consistent play of Prakash Kelkar.
Yogesh Desai, the World Veterans Champion, triumphed in the Men’s 69+ singles, defeating Ulhas Shirke in a hard-fought 3-1 final. The group league matches witnessed excellent performances from many former players, including Mahesh Navani, Aslam Redkar, Milind Moghe, Jagdish Anaready, and Ulhas Kelshikar, who made comebacks this year.
A.M. Warunkar, known as the Bhishma Pitamah of Veteran TT players, emerged victorious in the Men’s 74+ singles, defeating seasoned player Satish Shirsat with a dominant 3-0 scoreline. D.N. Shirodkar, who made a comeback after almost 40 years, and G.A. Dhamankar, who played at the age of 84, also showcased their skills in this category.
The Maharashtra Masters Table Tennis Committee received accolades for their exceptional teamwork, ensuring the tournament’s success. Former International TT player Mr. S. Ramaswamy praised the committee’s efforts, while V.K. Bhagnani, an Ex-RBI GM and International TT Umpire, shared inspiring stories about Vilas Mantri and Jagannath Mohite.
The tournament concluded with Dilip Sampat Lifetime Achievement Awards presented posthumously to Late Vilas Mantri and Jagannath Mohite, accepted by Ms. Sudha Mantri and Mahendra Mohite, respectively. Kedar Kasbekar showcased a heartwarming gesture by donating his cash prize as Gurudakshina to Mahendra Mohite, expressing gratitude for the coaching he received from the Mohite brothers during his junior days.
The Maharashtra Masters Table Tennis Committee also felicitated medal winners of the World Veterans TT Championship and veterans like A.M. Warunkar and Gafoor Shah for their contributions to the game.
Mr. Samir Bhate, Hon. Secretary of MMTTC, announced the dates for the next Masters Ranking tournament, scheduled for 19th and 20th August 2023. The venue will be declared soon, promising another exciting event for table tennis enthusiasts.
The Maharashtra Masters Table Tennis Tournament provided a fitting tribute to the late Vilas Mantri and Jagannath Mohite while showcasing extraordinary comebacks, new champions, and exceptional performances by veteran players.
Results of all finals :
Women’s Singles : 39+ Sadiya Vanjara beat Swati Thube 3-1
49+ : Shravani Dhapre beat Bibiana Lopez 3-1
59+ : Madhavi Sawant beat Swati Agharkar 3-2
64+ Suhasini Bakre beat Sunanda Rao 3-0
69+: Preeti Pardesi beat Sheela Panvalkar 3-0Men’s Singles : 39+ Vishal Yadav beat Kedar kasbekar 3-1
49+ : Navin Salian beat Kiran Salian 3-0
59+ Sarosh Shroff beat Atul Deshmukh 3-0
64+ : P.G.Kelkar beat Ashok Sawant 3-0
69+ : Yogesh Desai beat Ulhas Shirke
74+ : A. Warunkar beat Satish Shirsat 3-0Results :
Men’s Team Championship 39 &49+ : ( Finals)
PTKS ‘A’ beat Siddhanchal A
LAC Academy & Team NASA ( Semi finalists) Men’s team Championship 59+ : ( Finals)
‘Like Minded’ beat Team Sarosh
Kalidas ‘A’ & KRC( Kaka) ( Semi Finalists)