Odisha Gears Up to Host 28th Asian Table Tennis Team Championships

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Sports Minister Suryabanshi Suraj on Friday expressed pride and optimism ahead of the 28th ITTF-ATTU Asian Table Tennis Team Championships 2025, set to begin on Saturday at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar.

“We are simultaneously organising both a national and an international event. The 40th Junior Nationals is already underway and will conclude on October 14. At the same time, for the first time, Odisha is hosting the prestigious Asian Table Tennis Team Championships,” the minister said.

Odisha is also hosting the 40th National Junior Athletics Championships at the same venue, jointly supported by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI), Odisha Athletics Association, and the Sports and Youth Services Department. Around 2,000 athletes from across the country are participating in the national athletics meet.

Minister Suraj said hosting two major tournaments simultaneously highlights Odisha’s growing capacity in sports management. “It’s a matter of pride that we can conduct two big events at once. This will enhance our experience in managing multiple tournaments efficiently and strengthen our team’s capacity — physically, mentally, and administratively,” he said.

The Asian Table Tennis Team Championships, scheduled from October 11 to 15, will also act as a qualifier for the 2026 ITTF World Team Championships, with the top 13 teams from each category earning qualification.

This marks Odisha’s first Asian-level table tennis event, though the state earlier hosted the 2019 Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships.

With Bhubaneswar already recognized as India’s sports capital, the state government hopes that this dual hosting milestone will further cement Odisha’s position as a leading destination for national and international sporting events.