Sharath Kamal’s dream Table Tennis High Performance Centre to be up and running by August
Former India star paddler Sharath Kamal’s dream has finally come true.
The High-Performance Centre (HPC), to be funded by the Tamil Nadu Innovations Initiatives (TANII), a wing of the State Planning Commission of the Tamil Nadu Government, will be up and running by the end of August, at the Tamil Nadu Physical Education and Sports University (TNPESU) at Melakottaiyur.
The proposal was approved by the Executive Committee of the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) here on Thursday.
Speaking to Sportstar, J. Meghanatha Reddy, Member Secretary of SDAT, said the HPC has received funding for three years from TANII, which helps stabilise the Centre. It was also decided that Sharath would be HPC’s Advisory Director.
“The funding from TANII will comprehensively cover the infrastructure, upgradation, equipment, manpower, and expert coaches for the facilities,” he said.
The 42-year-old five-time Olympian was thrilled with the development.
Sharath said his vision is to develop talents from districts of Tamil Nadu and make the HPC into a National Training Centre and tie up with World Table Tennis (WTT) to bring in coaches and players from abroad. The 10-time Senior National champion is keen to hold a WTT Youth Contender either by November this year or before November 2026.
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“It’s been a long process. It took us a while to figure out how to get the HPC into shape. I am happy it will be starting soon. I had in mind to start a National Training Centre, and in 2022-23, when Meghanatha Reddy Sir called me, the seed was planted in my mind. Slowly it took shape,” Sharath told Sportstar.
Sharath said he is planning to rope in reputed fitness trainer Ramji Srinivasan and his team of physios and strength and conditioning coaches into HPC. “Of course SDAT will have a say on it,” he said. Sharath insisted that HPC will have residential facilities for players while adding that he would finalise his team of coaches in the coming months.
