TABLE TENNIS | Bhavina has planned an extensive overseas schedule

Bhavina Patel, a para table tennis icon, rarely offers praise without reason. When she did so at the third National-ranking para table tennis tournament at IIT Madras on Saturday, it displayed a clear shift in how para sport is being valued in India.

According to the Tokyo Paralympics silver medallist what the tournament organisers — Rotary Chennai Patna in collaboration with IIT Madras under the aegis of the Tamil Nadu Table Tennis Association — have done for the sport will go a long way in helping sportspersons.

“There are several good initiatives announced here,” Bhavina said on the sidelines of the event. “Winners in the wheelchair category will receive wheelchairs along with medals, and there are attractive cash prizes for winners across all classes, among several other incentives. This kind of support is really encouraging. IIT Madras and Rotary deserve full credit.”

At 39, Bhavina — a former World No. 1 and currently ranked 3 in Class 4 — is competing in Chennai for the first time. The event also marks her return to competitive action this season after recovering from a meniscus tear in her left knee, sustained ahead of the Asian Championships in October last year.

Following surgery, she skipped the first two domestic tournaments to ensure full recovery.

Asked about beginning a new season, Bhavina responded in her trademark understated manner. “I just play,” she said.

Bhavina has planned an extensive overseas schedule this year. “In India, we don’t get to face many players with different styles,” she said. “That’s why I plan to play around 12 international tournaments, competing in singles and mixed doubles with Jashvant Choudhary. International exposure brings variation, which is crucial at the top level.”

The year 2026 will be pivotal, featuring the Asian Para Games in Aichi–Nagoya, Japan (October 18–24), followed by the World Championships in Pattaya, Thailand (November 23–29). “Both tournaments are extremely important,” Bhavina said. “We are ready for that challenge.”

She traced her rise to World No.1 last year in combined Classes 1–5 to the motivation drawn from her quarterfinal loss at the 2024 Paris Paralympics. The following season proved her resolve, as she won 13 international medals.

Looking ahead, Bhavina called for a professional league for para athletes on the lines of the Ultimate Table Tennis League, describing such a platform as a potential game-changer for Paralympians.