Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], October 14 : The International Schools Sports Organisation (ISSO) successfully conducted its National Table Tennis and Under-19 Boys Cricket Championships at Adani International School, Ahmedabad, bringing together young sporting talent from across India.
With over 400 table tennis players and 15 cricket teams participating, the championships witnessed spirited competition, outstanding performances and enthusiastic participation from schools across the country, as per an ISSO press release. 
The championships opened on an energetic and inspiring note with the gracious presence of Bhavinaben Patel, India's Paralympic silver medalist in table tennis. Popularly known as Bhavina Ben, she created history by winning a silver medal at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, becoming India's first Paralympic medalist in table tennis. Her remarkable journey of determination, resilience and sporting excellence served as a powerful inspiration for the young athletes.
The National Table Tennis Championship, held from October 8 to 11, featured boys' and girls' competitions across the Under-14, Under-17 and Under-19 age categories, including individual and team events.
In the boys' team events, CHIREC International School, Hyderabad, claimed the Under-14 title, Dhirubhai Ambani International School, Mumbai, emerged victorious in Under-17, while DPS International School, Gurugram, secured the Under-19 championship.
Among the girls, Inventure Academy, Bengaluru, won the Under-14 team championship, Heritage Xperiential Learning School, Gurugram, secured the Under-17 title, and Pathways School, Noida, emerged as the Under-19 champion.
The individual competitions also witnessed outstanding performances from young paddlers.
In the U14 Boys category, Ishaan Goyal of Jayshree Periwal Global School won the gold medal, while Aarna Sahney, also from Jayshree Periwal Global School, emerged as the U14 Girls champion. In the U17 Boys category, Aman George Thomas of Vidyashilp Academy claimed the gold medal, while Ishana Babu of Rose Manor International won the U17 Girls title. In the U19 Boys category, Nimay Gogia of DPS International, Gurugram, secured the gold medal, while Mahi Kejriwal of Bombay International School emerged as the U19 Girls champion.|
ISSO Under-19 Boys Cricket Championship
The Under-19 Boys Cricket Championship featured 15 school teams competing for national honours. Inventure Academy, Bengaluru, emerged as the champions, followed by Indus International School, Hyderabad, as runners-up, while Saint MSG Glorious International School secured third place.
The championships concluded with the gracious presence of Shri Kunal, Joint Secretary (Sports Development), Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, who honoured the national merit holders with their medals and awards. On the occassion he stated, "The athletes competing at these championships today could well be India's Olympians in 2036. Keep the momentum high, continue playing sports and remain committed to your journey. Winning and losing are part of the game, but discipline, consistency and perseverance will take you forward. The champions of tomorrow are among us today."
Gaurav Dixit, Founding Director, ISSO, added, "Over the past 11 years, ISSO has worked towards building a structured school sports ecosystem that provides quality competitions and meaningful pathways for young athletes. The growing participation reflects the confidence of schools in our vision. We appreciate Adani International School's commitment to supporting national-level sporting opportunities and believe that strong school sports are the foundation of India's future sporting success.
Aakanksha Thapak, Director, ISSO echoed the sentiment and said, "It is encouraging to witness the competitive spirit and enthusiasm of young athletes from across India. We are grateful to Bhavina Ben and Shri Kunal for inspiring our participants and to Adani International School for providing excellent facilities and support. Our commitment remains to create opportunities for every young athlete to compete, learn and progress."
ISSO extended its appreciation to Adani International School, Ahmedabad, for hosting both championships and providing the sporting infrastructure and organisational support required for their successful conduct.
The championships reflected the growing enthusiasm for school sports and the importance of collaboration between educational institutions, sporting organisations and national sporting leadership in nurturing young talent.