"Garv Hai" Athlete Divija Paul Wins Bronze At National Ranking Table Tennis Championship

Divija Paul, the newest athlete on Adani Sportsline's “Garv Hai” roster, claimed bronze in the U13 Girls category at the National Ranking Table Tennis Championship in Panchkula, held from October 6 to 13, 2026. She is currently ranked No.1 in India in the Under 13 category. The medal comes shortly after Paul's gold in the U13 individual category at the WTT Youth Contender Puerto Princesa 2026, held at the Edward S. Hagedorn Coliseum in the Philippines. It also follows earlier U11 and U13 gold medal finishes at the WTT Youth Contender events in Vadodara in 2025 and 2026.

Panchkula holds special meaning for the young paddler. It was in Panchkula, in 2023, that she won the National Championship in the U11 category, the moment she credits for her decision to pursue the sport professionally.

Paul was born in Silchar, Assam and took up table tennis at the age of six after watching her cousin play at a local club tournament. Her father, Dibyendu Paul, works at BSNL, and her mother, Deepshikha Paul, is a school teacher at a government school. Paul is a Class VII student at KVS Silchar.

Other recent results include the champion title in the U13 category at the UTT National Ranking Table Tennis Championship in Delhi in 2025, and the U13 doubles title at the UTT National Table Tennis Championship in Gandhidham in 2025. Currently ranked No.1 in India in the Under-13 category, she aspires to be like China's Sun Yingsha, particularly because of her playing style and confidence in her strokes.

Over the next few months, Paul is set to compete at the WTT Youth Contender Championship in Chennai, followed by the UTT National Ranking Championship in Jalandhar.

As a new athlete of the ‘Garv Hai' initiative, Paul now receives support from Adani Sportsline that eases some of the biggest challenges of her early career, including access to world-class equipment, travel for national and international tournaments, and strength and conditioning. This support will also help her chase the ultimate goal of winning the Olympic gold medal for India in the future.

“Panchkula is where I won my first national title, so returning here and finishing on the podium feels really special. I wanted to go one step further, but I am proud of this bronze, and I will learn from every match I played. Support from Adani Sportsline means much more to me than I can express. Some of my biggest challenges were good quality equipment, travelling for tournaments, and getting proper strength and conditioning. My parents and coaches have done everything they can for me, and now these challenges will be eased. My focus is on Chennai and Jalandhar next,” said Divija, according to the press release.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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