All India Services Table Tennis Tournament Set for Chandigarh Jan 12-16

The All India Services Table Tennis tournament will take place at the Table Tennis Hall in Sector-23, Chandigarh, from Jan 12 to 16. Organized by the Central Civil Services Cultural and Sports Board, the event is open to men’s and women’s teams drawn from central services and associated organisations, creating a concentrated competitive opportunity for service personnel across the country.

Trials to select Punjab’s entrants were held on Dec 31 at the Polo Ground in Patiala at 11 am. Teams from other states are expected to follow similar selection pathways through their respective offices and organisations ahead of the Chandigarh dates. The tournament is explicitly aimed at personnel from security and para-security organisations, central police organisations, state police, the Railway Protection Force, CISF, BSF, ITBP, NSG and regular employees of autonomous bodies and public sector banks, provided players secure a NoC from their employing department.

Logistics and funding are in the hands of participants. Travel, accommodation and food costs for competing players must be borne personally, so teams and individuals will need to plan budgets and bookings in advance. Departments and units that encourage participation should verify internal approval processes early so athletes can obtain the mandatory NoC without delay.

For community members and local clubs, the tournament offers practical value beyond trophies. It brings high-level match play to Chandigarh’s table tennis hall, allowing aspiring players and coaches to observe service-level styles, tactics and fitness standards. Coaches and club organizers should take note of the January schedule for opportunities to scout talent and plan post-event training sessions to build on the exposure.

The event underscores the continued role of sport within uniformed and public sector services, promoting fitness, camaraderie and inter-departmental competition. Players selected through their state trials should confirm their departmental clearance and finalize travel arrangements immediately to avoid last-minute problems. The tournament’s centralized schedule and venue mean Chandigarh will be a concentrated hub of competitive table tennis in mid-January, with teams arriving from across the services to contest national honours.