Sharath Kamal, India’s table tennis legend, is optimistic about the sport’s bright future. The retired star, who carried the Indian flag at the 2024 Paris Olympics, shared his thoughts during a chat at the PlayCom 2025 summit. He dreams of an Indian paddler grabbing an Olympic medal soon, as the game surges ahead in the country.
Kamal, with his impressive collection of medals from Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, and Asian Championships, retired earlier this year. But he’s not stepping away from sports entirely. “The younger generation is stepping up big time,” he said. “We’ve seen huge improvements, and I hope it keeps building.”
He pointed to recent wins, like the women’s doubles bronze at the Asian Games, where the team nearly upset China. At the Paris Olympics, Indian women reached the quarterfinals, and men made it to the last 16. “Indian table tennis is getting stronger every year,” Kamal added. “I’m eyeing more medals at the LA Olympics and beyond—especially that Olympic gold.”
Post-retirement life keeps Kamal busy. He’s launched a high-performance sports center in Tamil Nadu, set to open in early October with the state sports development authority. As vice chairperson of the IOA Athletes Commission, he’s pushing for an athlete forum inspired by global bodies like the IOC and OCA. The goal? Bring athletes together to voice their needs and educate them on sports issues.
Kamal encourages more athletes to dive into sports administration after hanging up their boots. “Many feel lost after playing days and jump into coaching,” he explained. “But some of us can shine in admin, policy-making, or even the business side of sports. It’s a smooth career transition that keeps us connected to Indian sports and helps the nation grow as a sporting powerhouse.”
On India’s bid to host the 2036 Olympics in Ahmedabad, Kamal is positive. “The government has the right setup in place,” he said. He stressed building clear pathways from grassroots to elite levels, so more kids play sports. “Not everyone needs to be a champion, but a bigger talent pool means more stars emerge.”
With these steps, Indian table tennis and sports overall look set for exciting times ahead.
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