The year 2018 marked a watershed moment for Indian table tennis, as a record number of Indian players—nine in total—were ranked among the top 100 in the world as per the January 2018 ITTF rankings.
In the men’s category, six Indian paddlers made it to the elite list:
G. Sathiyan (Rank 49)
A. Sharath Kamal (51)
Soumyajit Ghosh (58)
Harmeet Desai (60)
Sanil Shetty (68)
A. Amalraj (87)
Meanwhile, Indian women also made a strong statement on the global circuit:
Manika Batra (62)
Mouma Das (74)
Madhurika Patkar (81)
This remarkable achievement not only reflected the growing dominance of Indian paddlers on the international stage, but also signaled a new era of global competitiveness and consistency for Indian table tennis.
Coaches, fans, and federation officials hailed it as the “golden chapter” in the sport’s history in the country, crediting improved infrastructure, international exposure, and strategic coaching for the rise.
