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The
hall mainly for table tennis was born at Agartala in the earliest of
eighth decade of the last century in the premises of a reputed and
recognized club. Before that it was played in a go-down room of
approximately 14/5-meter size. Mositured tin shed and broken wall
was the horrible ornaments of the hall. One side of the hall was
full of drain and rainwater and small fishes were available in this
one-foot depth water.
It was the only table tennis center for registered and
non-registered players of club; schools and colleges i.e. open for
all. Although there was a center in Maharani Tulshibati Higher
Secondary Girls School but no practicing arrangement was available
for all which was ultimately closed near about in the last part in
seventh decade of the last century.
It was 1976 when I started my player’s life from this go-down
only. During rainy season we were feeling tremendous heart beating
mental anxiety and tension at the time of heavy shower and storm.
Even little little drops of water in the normal rain on rainy season
and fine winter dawn were falling on the boards for which we had no
any chance to practice on a good quality board.
Some times we were praying to God for escaping us from the mouth of
the death.Which might be caused sliding of the broken wall.
Sometimes we shouted like anything.The then Chief Coach Late Dailip
Singh sir was very much alert about us and he was aware of about
everything as his gymnasium hall was neighboring to us. Several
times we appealed to him for the betterment of the hall for table
tennis and obiously for gymnastics along with the then gymnast.
Near about in 1980’s we have seen the construction of gymnasium
hall for table tennis and specially for gymnastics. Total
construction work of the gymnasium hall takes several months and the
condition of the table tennis practicing go-down room day by day
become worsed. So it was temporarily shifted to badminton hall for
few months. But due to soil floor it was too possible to play table
tennis on this floor and hall. So we had no other alternatives to
wait for the construction of gymnasium hall. Nowadays no space is
available for table tennis inside the gymnasium hall.
But that time we had seen the construction of FRIENDS UNION
clubroom. The then cultivators of Tripura sports (maximum number)
were the members of Friends Union club. The name of Dr. Rathin Datta
who was the founder President of Friends Union club and Ex-President
of Tripura Table Tennis Association for several years and Shri Kamal
Saha who is at present holding the post of the secretary of Tripura
Sports Council for last several years are remarkable. We the lovers
of table tennis found smell into the construction of Friends union
clubroom specially for table tennis practicing center.
According to some senior and retired sports organizers and physical
educationist, specially the club was constructed for table tennis
practice center and the shape of the clubroom was made for two
numbers of tables for competition purpose.
They described that an agreement was made among the erstwhile club
organizer, the then secretary (Mr. B.K.Roy) & the then President
(Mr. V. Bhowmik) of Tripura Table Tennis Association and erstwhile
Chairman (Late Samar Choudhory), Secretary (Late Manik Purakayastha)
for construction of table tennis center on the land of Friends union
club. Since the members of the club were too much interested for
table tennis, the sports council authority sanctioned special grant
for the construction of the hall.
But the doors of the clubroom or hall were closed for the players
for decades for unknown reason. At the beginning we were informed
that the hall was ready but till waiting for wooden floor. But
ultimately we had seen everything was dark. Although the hall was
opened for table tennis players on cementing floor in the ninth
decade of the last century with the help of Shri Kamal Saha
(presently secretary of Tripura Sports Council) and outstanding
coaching interest of Shri Jayanta Majumder (Physical Instructor)
inspired Shri Saha for opening the Friends Union hall for table
tennis practice on 15th august 1993. He started his
coaching life just after passing the diploma on Table Tennis from
NSNIS, Patalia at Friends Union club only.
Thus the hall for table tennis was born at Agartala non-officially
as there might be no records available of officially with the any
organization or any body. On the basis of the verbal sources and
information’s the article has been submitted before you for the
further developments with lots of hopes and thoughts. Nowadays the
coaching center is running very nicely with full satisfaction with
the help of Tripura Sports Council and Director of Sports, Govt. of
Tripura. Shri Kishore Bhattacharjee, SAI deputed coach is giving
training and producing players for our small hilly state.
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