Shimla, April 8
The South Asian Table Tennis Youth Championship 2026 began in Shimla on Wednesday, with Himachal Pradesh hosting the international event for the first time. The four-day championship, being held at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex, was inaugurated by Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.
Young players from five South Asian nations — India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Maldives — are taking part in the tournament. Chief Minister Sukhu said it was a matter of pride for Himachal Pradesh to host a championship of this scale for the first time. He said the players selected from this tournament would go on to represent their countries at the Asian level.
Adish Rana, Joint Secretary of the Table Tennis Federation of India, said the tournament will run from April 8 to April 11 and will feature team events, singles, and doubles matches. A total of 144 medals and 80 trophies will be at stake during the competition. Rana said this is the first international table tennis event to be held in Himachal Pradesh and that it would help give the state global recognition.
He, however, pointed out that a lack of sports infrastructure remains a challenge in the state, though he added that Himachal’s players are physically very capable. The championship is also a qualifying event, with the top two teams earning a place in the Asian competition to be held in Muscat in June.
