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News18
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Who Is Mudit Dani? The Table Tennis Champ Whose Wedding Ambani Family Attended
Last Updated: Several pictures and videos have surfaced online, showing members of the Ambani family attending the wedding of table tennis champion Mudit Dani. The Ambani family was recently seen taking part in wedding celebrations, with the likes of Mukesh and Nita Ambani, their sons Akash and Anant, daughters-in-law, and even their grandchildren making full participation. It was not any family gathering that brought the richest Indian man to the event, but the wedding of table tennis champion Mudit Dani. Dressed in the finest Indian outfits, the Ambanis exuded royalty in traditional splendour. Eyes have now switched to who exactly Mudit Dani is and why the Ambani family was present at his wedding. Read along to know more about the high-profile wedding and the much-talked-about groom. Who Is Mudit Dani? Despite coming from a background with roots in business and entrepreneurship, Mudit Dani chose a different path to chase his childhood dream, landing among India's top table tennis champions. Modi's tryst with the sport began at a very young age when he won his very first medal in a local ranking tournament in Mumbai. The initial success fuelled his passion to pursue the course professionally. 'That first win made me believe this sport had something for me," he said in an interview, as quoted by In the following years, Mudit became the first table tennis player from Mumbai to win a gold medal in the Cadet Boys Individual Event at an International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Junior Circuit Event held in El Salvador. Later in 2019, Mudit scripted won India's first senior ITTF medal at the US Open Championships, marking a breakout moment in his career. Based in Mumbai, Mudit Dani has established himself as a major player in Indian table tennis, bagging a position among the top six in the global senior men's singles rankings. Apart from his achievements, Mudit has also excelled academically. A student of the Dhirubhai Ambani International School, Mudit went on to pursue a science degree in India, further earning a master's in quantitative management from New York University. At that time, he efficiently balanced his advanced coursework with the tournament schedule, reflecting his perseverance and intellect at the same time. Mudit's old ties with the Dhirubhai Ambani International School and a possible business relationship between the families might have brought the Ambani family to join his wedding celebrations.
India.com
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- India.com
Who is Mudit Dani? His wedding was attended by Mukesh Ambani, Nita Ambani, Anant Ambani, Radhika Merchant, he works as..., lives in...
While the Ambani clan dazzled in traditional splendour at Mudit Dani's wedding, all eyes soon turned to the groom himself—India's fast-rising table tennis sensation, whose journey is as inspiring as it is unexpected. Who is Mudit Dani? Mudit Dani might come from a business-savvy family, but instead of handling all the balance sheets and board meetings, he chose to paddle and persevere. Steering away from the conventional route, he chased a childhood dream—one that would land him among India's top table tennis champions. Early passion, sharp focus For those of you who don't know, his love for table tennis began at just 10 years old, when he clinched his first medal at a local tournament in Mumbai. In an interview, Mudit said, 'That first win made me believe this sport had something for me.' What followed was a journey of relentless training, international exposure, and a sharp climb through global rankings. In 2019, Mudit scripted history when he won India's first senior ITTF medal at the US Open Championships—his breakout moment on the world stage. Rankings, records, recognition Now ranked among the top six globally in senior men's singles, Mudit is one of India's strongest bets in international table tennis. His discipline, agility, and consistency have made him a known name not just in Indian sporting circles but globally. What sets Mudit apart isn't just his game, but also his brain. He completed his undergraduate degree in science before heading to New York University for a Master's in Quantitative Management. Balancing studies and sport with rare finesse, Mudit Dani is redefining what it means to be a modern Indian athlete. A role model in motion In a country obsessed with cricket and film legacies, Mudit Dani's story is a breath of fresh air. He is proof that success doesn't always have to be inherited—it can be self-made, point by point, serve by serve. His wedding was attended by Ambani's The Ambani family captivated attention as they graced the wedding festivities of acclaimed table tennis player Mudit Dani. Nita and Mukesh Ambani arrived in style, accompanied by their sons Akash and Anant, their daughters-in-law, and grandchildren. Clad in opulent traditional attire and adorned with exquisite jewellery, the family embodied elegance and regal charm.
Straits Times
22-06-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Izaac Quek becomes first local-born Singapore player to join China Table Tennis Super League
Izaac Quek will follow in the footsteps of China-born Singaporeans to play in the prestigious tournament. PHOTO: ITTF SINGAPORE – Featuring China's best current players, up-and-coming starlets and retired legends, the China Table Tennis Super League (CTTSL) is widely regarded as the sport's most competitive league. And Izaac Quek is hoping his stint with Anhui Zhongcheng will help take his game to the next level after becoming the first local-born Singapore player to join the CTTSL. He will follow in the footsteps of China-born Singaporeans such as Feng Tianwei and current national men's team coach Gao Ning to play in the prestigious tournament, the standard of which is seen by some as comparable to the world championships. While his club comprise relatively unheralded players such as 34th-ranked Wen Ruibo, Ning Xiankun (133rd) and Niu Guankai (175th), Quek will get the chance to pit his skills against the world's top two players Lin Shidong and Wang Chuqin, as well as Olympic champions such as Fan Zhendong and Xu Xin, who no longer compete on the World Table Tennis circuit. The 19-year-old, who has played in leagues in India, France and Spain, told The Straits Times: 'This is the best league in the world and not everyone gets to play in it, so I want to make full use of this stint to learn as much as I can from the best players in the world. 'Wen is 18 and I kept in touch with him after previous competitions, and I'm also looking forward to test myself against Fan, whom I have not played against. I've heard there will be two team matches in a day for four days in a row, so I have to get myself physically ready for this challenge.' Quek missed the June 6-10 first stage of the competition in Hebei as he was helping Dabang Delhi to a top-four finish in India's Ultimate Table Tennis from May 29 to June 15. He will make his CTTSL debut in the July 25-28 second stage in Fujian before the Aug 29-Sept 1 third stage in Xinjiang. Anhui Zhongcheng are currently sixth out of nine teams, with the top four sides advancing to the championship play-offs. Eddy Tay, Singapore Table Tennis Association senior manager for high performance, shared that the opportunity arose from their relationship with Anhui Zhongcheng, who provided sparring partners for the STTA. He added: 'While their club president was here with the players, we talked about whether it would be possible for them to recruit Izaac. They felt that at his age, Izaac has potential and room for growth, and hope that his youth and competitiveness will help them. 'We have made a request for him to play as much as possible as we don't want to send him there just to sit on the bench. We hope he can gain as much experience as possible training with and playing against the Chinese.' Singapore's first Under-15 boys world No. 1 in 2021, Quek had enjoyed a meteoric rise over the past few years, as he claimed notable scalps such as India's Commonwealth Games champion and Sharath Kamal and Sweden's 2019 world championships silver medallist Mattias Falck en route to a career-high men's singles ranking of 55th in November 2023. He also teamed up with Koen Pang to achieve some outstanding results in the men's doubles, as they stunned China's then world No. 1 Yuan Licen and Xiang Peng to reach the last four at the WTT Finals in 2024, when they also won silver at the Asian championships. In January, they rose to fifth in the world. However, Quek's ranking has slipped to 106th in the men's singles and 12th in the men's doubles as he started a business diploma course at Ngee Ann Polytechnic after the 2024 Olympics. But both the STTA and the player are not unduly worried. 'There are mitigating factors for the dip as he is just making the transition to polytechnic and has not played in as many competitions as before,' Tay said. 'Despite recent losses, including narrow defeats at the world championships, we feel Izaac has generally done well and has improved in terms of his consistency and overall game play in both the singles and doubles.' Tay said: 'We will need to strategise in terms of his tournament plan. The players' world ranking is not of such a big concern now as it would be in 2027 before the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. So we are devoting more time to training, and the overseas stints will have great value for his development.' On his part, Quek has made adjustments to his game to take lesser risks and try to be stronger in rallies. He has also increased the duration of each of his endurance exercises from 10 to 15 minutes in his 12 training sessions across each week. He said: 'I was on a honeymoon period in 2023 when many players didn't know much about me, and things were going well for me and I had some wins in big tournaments like the Singapore Smash. 'This year, I still had some good wins against strong opponents, such as China's top-30 player Chen Yuanyu at the 2025 Asian Cup group stage, but they were not in such tournaments with a lot of ranking points. 'I feel my game is stronger now and I'm more experienced, so I'm not focusing on the ranking now. I just need to focus on my game and naturally, the ranking will come.' Before his CTTSL debut, Quek will spearhead a group of 10 Singaporeans competing at the June 26-July 2 Asian Youth Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. He said: 'My focus will firstly be on motivating the younger ones to get some wins with me in the team event first, before my singles event later. 'My game is good enough for this level and there's no player there that I think I have no chance to beat, and I think we have good players in our team too.' David Lee is senior sports correspondent at The Straits Times focusing on aquatics, badminton, basketball, cue sports, football and table tennis. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Qatar Tribune
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Qatar Tribune
QTTA chief challenges ITTF presidential election result
Tribune News Network Doha Qatar Table Tennis Association President Khalil bin Ahmed Al Mohannadi in a statement released has announced that he has taken legal steps to challenge the legitimacy of the recent fractious International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) election held last month for the presidency of the Olympic sport's international governing body. Al Mohannadi has filed an appeal before the (International Table Tennis Federation) tribunal and submitted a formal case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). He described the electoral process of the ITTF to have been rigged by 'serious violations' that undermine the principles of transparency and democracy. The ITTF failed to resolve the conflict following the controversial re-election of Sweden's Petra Sorling as its president, after she received 104 votes against her opponent Khalil Al Mohannadi's 102 which was marred by the number of online votes. Al Mohannadi expressed his deep gratitude to the national federations that supported his candidacy and expressed their clear objection to the irregularities that marred the voting process. He considered this support to represent 'a shared belief that the future of the game must be built on sound legal and institutional foundations.' International legal steps: Resorting to arbitration Al Mohannadi revealed that he had filed a formal appeal with the ITTF Arbitration Tribunal, in addition to filing a lawsuit with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). He emphasized that these steps came after submitting a formal complaint to the Nominations Committee, and within a clear legal framework stipulated by the ITTF Constitution and its electoral regulations. Alleged electoral violations The statement listed the most prominent of what it described as 'fundamental irregularities,' which includescCase:> 1. Accepting electronic votes despite the President of the General Assembly's announcement that voting would be paper-only, which it considered a 'clear violation of official directives.' 2. Registering federations on election day itself, exceeding the approved registration deadline. 3. Counting votes from federations that were not officially registered or had not been verified through the 'official roll call.' 4. Excluding the Nominations Committee, the sole body authorized to oversee the electoral process, which constitutes a violation of oversight and integrity procedures. Call to freeze electronic voting Al Mohannadi has called for a suspension of the use of electronic voting in all international federation elections, noting the need to establish technical and legal mechanisms to ensure accurate verification of each vote. He cited a similar precedent from the 2017 Dusseldorf elections, when proxy voting was annulled due to misuse, emphasizing that the current situation calls for a similar measure to preserve the legitimacy of the elections. Justice first Al Mohannadi has stressed that this is 'not just about an electoral outcome,' but rather a defence of 'the future of our sport and our international institutions.' He emphasized that the legal process will be pursued to the end to ensure justice and protect integrity of the sport. Election background The ITTF General Assembly, held on May 27, 2025, at the Sheraton Hotel in Doha, Qatar, witnessed a tense atmosphere after indications of tampering with the voting process final results raised widespread questions, particularly after irregularities were detected regarding the number of electronic votes compared to the official announcement during the attendance registration process. This was in addition to the registration of federations on election day itself, and the counting of votes not included in the roll call. These circumstances cast a shadow over the integrity of the elections and sparked widespread controversy within the game and among representatives of several national federations. Al Mohannadi's actions are expected to have significant repercussions in the global sports community, especially with the growing calls to review electoral systems of international sports bodies, enhance transparency, and combat what some consider 'political control over sports.'
The Hindu
18-06-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
WTT India formed to host more high-profile international ranking events
In a major boost to the table tennis ecosystem in India, the World Table Tennis (WTT)—the events wing of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF)—has formed WTT India with an eye on hosting more high-profile world-ranking events in the country. WTT India was formed earlier this month. The country now joins a select group of countries, including China, Singapore, Japan, Germany, and the USA, that have domestic WTT event companies. A. Sharath Kamal, the legendary paddler who retired earlier this year, has come aboard as the brand ambassador of WTT India, while Vita Dani, the co-promoter of franchise-based league Ultimate Table Tennis and an ITTF governing council member, will join as a member of the board of directors. 'You will start to see more WTT events and more international events. Eventually, in the next few years, you will start to see some of our bigger events coming here, whether that's Champions... we will explore Smash in the future as well. Although it's a different road to get that, hopefully even World Championships and big events on that scale (sic),' Steve Dainton, Group CEO of ITTF, told Sportstar. ALSO READ: UTT 6 season review: Rising talent, better games — but the same old hurdles 'Having people there that are working day to day on World Table Tennis will help us to achieve that quicker than having just us based out of Singapore trying to make it happen,' added Dainton. Sharath was excited to be a part of the project. 'This moment feels like the turning of a page. The sport has come so far in India, and now, with the WTT officially here, we have the chance to elevate it like never before,' he said. 'I am proud to represent this next phase—not just as a player, but also as someone who truly believes in the potential of Indian table tennis.' India at present, hosts two annual WTT events, a Star Contender and a Youth Contender series tournament. The number is likely to double in the next 12-month cycle with the new partnership. 'We only have to grow from here. I am hoping that we as a country are able to host 2036, and if that is the case, then this would be an ideal roadmap to lead up to the Olympics in India. I don't think we can ask for a better opportunity than this or a better partnership than this as far as table tennis is concerned,' Dani said. 'As you have seen, India has done exceedingly well in the last seven to eight years, better than ever before. For us to really ensure that we tap into the right talent, we need to get the right champions ahead. The WTT partnership will bring a lot of value to us, and I think it's important for us as a country to have a partnership like this.'
