Death of TN paddler saddens table tennis association

Shillong, April 17: The Meghalaya Table Tennis Association (MTTA) has expressed grief over the death of a Tamil Nadu paddler in a road accident on Sunday.

The player and three others were on their way to Shillong from Guwahati airport to take part in the 83rd Senior National Table Tennis Championship starting from Monday.

According to a statement issued by Meghalaya Table Tennis Association, the paddler, Deenadayalan Vishwa died after a 12 wheeled truck crossed the divider from the opposite direction at Shangbangla, Ri Bhoi around 1.50 pm and hit the taxi in which Vishwa and three other Tamilnadu players were travelling.

While Vishwa died on the way to Nongpoh Civil Hospital,  three others were rushed to NEIGRIHMS.  Their condition is table.

Vishwa’s  mortal remains will be handed over to his father and other family members in Nongpoh.

The association said two members of the MTTA are stationed at Nongpoh to ensure the completion of all formalities. The district administration of Ri Bhoi is also facilitating the process of transporting the body to Chennai.

The association’s vice president Bruce P Marak and general secretary Chiranjib Choudhury conveyed condolences and termed Vishwa as an extremely gifted and promising table tennis player. “The teenager had won several junior, sub-junior and cadet titles in the country and abroad over a short but wonderful career and his demise is a huge blow to the sport in India”, the association said