A moment to relish

 

 

A moment to relish

 

Pride of Rajasthan!

 

That was the honour bestowed on Dhanraj Choudhary, secretary general of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI). Indeed, it’s a deserving tribute to someone who works tirelessly in promoting the sport that he played once as an employee of LIC.

 

Hailing from a humble background Dhanji, as he is fondly called, is widely known as a technically sound hand in the table tennis circle. Emerging out of the shadow of Mool Chand Chouhan, also from Ajmer, Dhanji had risen to the position of Secretary General when the top administrative job was thrust upon him in 2009 when his mentor passed away.

 

 

Dhanji was not an administrator by any stretch of imagination. And like any technical hand, he was looked down upon as a second-class citizen as peers had their doubts when he took over the reins of TTFI. However, he proved his worth and capabilities when he successfully conducted the Asian Championships—the event was allotted to India when Chouhan, a top and strict sports administrator, was alive—at Lucknow. That was the turning point in his career as an administrator. The rest, as they say, is history.

 

At Lucknow, he was elected as the Asian Table Tennis Union (ATTU) treasurer, a post he has been holding since then. Four years ago, the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), recognizing his services in promoting the sport in India and as an important officer-bearer of ATTU, decorated him by offering the post of Board of Director. Ever since, he has been a part and parcel of the decision-making body and privy to several significant improvements the game has seen in recent times.

 

Despite becoming a good administrator, Dhanji hais never shunned his first love of being a technical hand. He is one of the most preferred technical directors and jury members from the continent and has been nominated so in many a championship in recent years. But ITTF gave him the best recognition when it nominated him as a jury member for the Rio Olympics in August. Soon after, he was also elected as chairman of the Rajasthan Olympic Association. Dhanji also got a pride of place when a FM station in Jaipur allotted a special slot and interviewed him on his rise from a technical hand to administrator. Not just that, it also aired his choice of songs during the interview with him!

 

 

Several awards and recognitions have come his way during his two-term period as Secretary General of TTFI. But Dhanji feels the Pride of Rajasthan, conferred on him in December at Jaipur, takes the pride of place at his Ajmer home’s drawing room.

 

“It (the award) has come at the right time, I think. In a couple of month’s time I will relinquish my post as secretary general with the TTFI after the two-term limit. No doubt, I will continue to contribute to the sport that has brought me into focus in whatever capacity I can. But I will relish the Pride of Rajasthan honour as something close to my heart,” said Dhanji with a beaming smile.

 

Indeed, he will remember the timing of the award for a long time to come as it coincides with his passing on the baton to another worthy person.