Differences within Table Tennis Federation of India out in the open

The internal differences between the two warring factions of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) are out in the open. While the Annual General Meeting (AGM) convened by president Meghana Ahlawat on Wednesday (January 28, 2026) suspended secretary-general Kamlesh Mehta, a Special General Meeting (SGM) convened by Mehta last week had questioned the legality of the AGM in itself.

Multiple members who attended Wednesday’s (January 28, 2026) meeting confirmed that the AGM suspended Mehta, a seven-times National champion and two-times Olympian, with immediate effect and handed the charge to Yatin Tipnis, who had lost to Mehta in the election.

While issuing the AGM notice on January 6, Ahlawat, wife of former TTFI chief Dushyant Chautala, had written to the members: “Despite the circulation of the proposed agenda points a few days ago and a formal request to the secretary general to convene the Executive Committee Meeting and the Annual General Meeting on Wednesday (January 28, 2026), no response has been received from Mehta, nor has any official notice been issued for the said meetings.”

However, on January 17, an SGM called by Mehta in Mumbai and chaired by Padmaja Menon, senior vice president, had nullified by the AGM. “The House unanimously resolved that the AGM notice and agenda circulated by the President are unconstitutional and invalid. The present Special General Meeting, convened on requisition by more than one-third of members, is constitutional and legally valid,” stated the draft minutes.