Sathiyan happy to play the big brother’s role in Indian table tennis

The air of optimism in Sathiyan Gnanasekaran, the mascot of men’s table tennis in India after the exit of Sharath Kamal, about country’s prospects in the sport can be infectious. While he leads his franchise Dabang Delhi TTC’s campaign with gusto at the home stretch of Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) in Ahmedabad, the erstwhile world No.24 is buoyant about India’s chances in the Asian Games next year as well as Los Angeles 2028.

‘’We don’t go just to participate in the multi-discipline events anymore,’’ remarked Sathiyan. ‘’There is a sense of self belief among both men and women’s teams as you can make out from the last Asian Games and the manner in which we qualified for the Paris Olympics. I am hugely optimistic of a few major breakthroughs in the next few years,’’ said the multiple medallist in Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.

Speaking to National Herald in an exclusive chat over phone, Sathi, as he is nicknamed among teammates and fans said: ‘’The next pit stop for us is the Asian Games, where the girls proved last time that the Chinese were beatable on their way to securing a bronze. The big goal of course is Los Angeles 2028 where the format has been changed to the mixed team event and I think I have enough fire left in me to give it a go.’’

Now 32, Sathiyan – born in a middle class household in Chennai which was deep into academics – took up the game more as a hobby till he was spotted by former Indian paddler Subramanian Raman. The later coaxed him to take up the sport seriously at his Raman TT High Performance Centre and like several of his ilk from southern India, he managed to balance both sport and academics and become an engineer in Information Technology from St Joseph College of Engineering, Chennai.

The tall and lean frame of Sathiyan can often make him pass off as an IT geek but once on the board, he is a transformed man with his reach and an aggressive approach. ‘’The turning point in my career came in 2018 Commonwealth Games where I picked up three medals – a gold in men’s team, silver in men’s doubles and a bronze in mixed doubles.

‘’I followed it up with a bronze in the men’s team event in Asiad. This helped me to break into the top 50 in the world and then top 25 and a big recognition came with the Arjuna award.  It’s been a great journey for close to a decade now,’’ he said.

There has been of course a change of role for Sathiyan ever since Kamal – a five-time Olympian - called time at 42 years on a competitive career spanning over two decades. ‘’Yes, Sharath anna was like an elder brother and now the mantle has passed on to me. I have been leading my franchise at the UTT for quite a few years and always ready with advice or share my experience with younger members of the national team,’’ Saithyan said.

The UTT, a eight-team city-based franchise league now in it’s sixth edition, seems to have been a gamechanger for the sport in India. ‘’The league has played a major role in taking the sport to different corners of the country and it’s no longer perceived as a recreational sport only. It’s been particularly beneficial for the younger players as you can’t buy this kind of experience,’’ Sathiyan remarked.

How far is table tennis from becoming a profession in India? ‘’There is still some way to go but it’s fair to say that an ecosystem has developed around the sport with an insane number of youngsters now playing it, private sponsorships and the SAI (Sports Authority of India) playing a proactive role. If I could turn my passion into profession, why can’t others?’’ he said.

Now in the home stretch of his career, did Sathiyan ever fancy plans of relocating abroad like a Sharath Kamal to hone his game? ‘’No, I have been more of a home-bred player though I have played in overseas leagues all over -in Japan as well as Europe. I have done short camps abroad but have been the quintessential Chennai boy,’’ said the elder statesman of the men’s game in India.