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Delegates from International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) and International Table Tennis Federation Foundation met Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik during the meeting Patnaik announced the setting up of Table Tennis academies in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack and table tennis training centres across the state in the upcoming indoor halls.
The delegation included Petra Sorling, President, ITTF and ITTF foundation, Leandro Olvech, Director, ITTF Foundation, Saurabh Mishra, Programme Manager, ITTF Foundation, Julia Tappendorf, Program Coordinator, ITTF Foundation. President, ITTF, Petra Sorling presented Chief Minister Patnaik the Table Tennis for Development handbook on using table tennis for social change, developed in partnership with GIZ, and Pro Sport Development India, who are running the Community Table Tennis project in Bhubaneswar, supported by the ITTF Foundation's Dream Building Fund. Welcoming the delegation, Chief Minister Patnaik praised the effort of the ITTF to promote Table Tennis in the state and country and assured them of all support. The delegation expressed their delight and keenness to be in Odisha and work closely with the Government and support the state's endeavour to grow the sport of Table Tennis. They shared that they will organise competitive events, plan the social legacy of table tennis events, and provide coach education in Table Tennis. ITTF Foundation strongly supports the Chief Minister's vision of using sport to empower and develop the youth of Odisha and to use sport as a tool to leave behind a stronger, sustainable future. The ITTF Foundation is the ITTF Group's sport for development body and is supporting a project in Bhubaneswar to use table tennis for gender empowerment and equality. Chief Minister informed the delegation of the state government's decision to set up Table Tennis academies in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. Also, Table Tennis training centres will be set up across all the indoor halls in the state. He sought their help in coaching training programs and hosting international TT events in Odisha. The delegation expressed gratitude to the Chief Minister for his focus on sports and for his plan towards TT development. They appreciated the Commonwealth TT championship organised in 2019 in Cuttack and assured support to bring more such events to Odisha. (ANI)
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