An emptiness that refuses to go

Timeflies fast. Three years have gone by. On this day, September 11, 2009, Mool Chand Chowhan left many a table tennis aficionados orphaned. The loss was colossal. Several of those who know him would agree with me. For me, personally, the loss is irreparable. I am still feeling the emptiness all the time—whether I walk into the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) office at Delhi or here at Ajmer.

As we remember him on his third death anniversary, I cannot but recollect his huge presence, literally and figuratively, the contributions he has made to help table tennis grow in the country, his determination to create an infrastructure exclusively for the players at Ajmer and his quick decision-making power. All these speak volumes of a man who solely devoted himself to the cause of table tennis.

Fondly addressed by one and all as Chowhan Sahib, he had his plusses and minutes, as we human beings all have. But thinking of the positives, he was a man of vision. I remember him telling me all the time that Indian paddlers can be potential international medal winners in the region, provided we gave them the right exposure and infrastructure with proper grooming.

In fact, it was he who sowed the first seed of having a strong supply line. His idea became a reality that we created a great supply line in the sub-junior, Cadet and Junior sections and gave them adequate exposure by sending them abroad for training-cum-competition and I can proudly say that it is paying rich dividends.

First and foremost, he was a precise planner and when it came to executing those plans he was still better. These are habits that we in the TTFI have picked up. Also, the legacy that he has left behind is helping all the junior paddlers. Again, it was his planning for the 2010 CWG that brought the table tennis fraternity big laurels both at home and abroad. The junior paddlers’ performance on the world circuit is also the effect of his ideas. Even today, his friends in the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) and officials globally not only admire him as a visionary, but also acknowledge his contributions in making Indian TT a force to reckon with.

As we offer prayers to the departed soul, I remember him as an able administration who handled matters deftly, besides carrying along fellow office-bearers in the TTFI, the Indian Olympic Association and ITTF nicely. It was this sort of ability in him that brought people closer to him at the ITTF. Incidentally, he became one of those rare administrators from India to receive theOlympic Order of Merit from the then International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Juan Samaranch. There cannot be a better tribute than the award, coming as it did from IOC. He richly deserved the honour.

Today, on his third death anniversary, I can say with authority that we in the TTFI are living his dream of turning India’s players’ world-beaters. Indeed, we do realize that the task is not all that easy as we have a long way to go in fulfilling his desire. But we are never short of putting in the required efforts.

We know the goals he had set for all of us. Wherever he is, I am sure, he will bless us and the Indian table tennis. On this day, let’s all pledge ourselves to work hard to achieve what he had aimed for in Indian table tennis.

Yours Ever loving

Dhanraj Choudhary