Manjit Singh Dua
The player who had dominated the Indian table tennis for the longest
ever period is Manjit Singh Dua, the stylish left-handed from New Delhi
were he was born and raised. There has hardly been any player in the
annals of Indian table
tennis who has enjoyed such a long innings.
Embarking on the international scene, Manjit Dua has left a long trail
of personal glory with achievements galore in his career. He carved out
many notable victories with his close-to-the table fast attacking game.
His variety of 'serves' backed by nimble footwork, accurate and sharp
anticipation upset the apple cart of many a heavyweight in the game.
Early in his life Manjit might have derived some inspiration from his
elder brother Rajinder Singh Dua who played the game. But it soon became
obvious that young Dua was destined to scale greater heights. Forgetting
other frivolities which occupy sometimes a growing mind, Manjit put his
heart and soul in the game and concentrated on it in the right earnest.
Slowly Dua built up his game on a sound footing. Now he started
executing good strokes. He developed accuracy on both backhand and
forehand. His drives were powerful and his blocks perfect, leaving the
ball dead on the table in some obscure corner.
Dua soon caught the public eye. In 1967 he was selected in the Delhi
table tennis team. This was the first recognition of his talent. From
then on Dua went on from strength to strength, bringing in more depth to
his strokes, polish and power. The result was that now Dua was that now
Dua was considered a star on the national table tennis circuit.
He got the real break in 1973 when he was chosen to lead Delhi for the
first time. The honour perhaps inspired the young star so much that he
steered himself to success after success. He first captured the North
Zone table tennis title at Jalandhar with sparks of brilliance. But more
was yet to follow that year. Following up his North Zone success, he
caused a flutter when he overpowered Mir Kasim Ali, the reigning
champion, to crown himself as the new table tennis champion. Dua was the
first Sikh player to have achieved that honor.
It would be safe enough to say that from that year onwards, Dua went on
to win name and fame in the field of table tennis both at home and
abroad.
Next year although Dua failed to retain the national title, he on
account of his good performance throughout the year was ranked number
one in the country. Dua failed still next year despite speculation in
table tennis circle that he would emerge champion. And he became the
champion in 1976.
Dua kept leading Delhi in all the major tournaments .In 1974 and 80
under his captaincy, Delhi won the team title in the National Table
Tennis Championships.
In 1979 Manjit once again wrested the national table tennis title for
the third time. All through the years, he had been defeated only in the
semis or final. Never throughout his life defeated only in the semis or
final. Never throughout his life has he been upset in the earlier
rounds. For instance, in 1981 when the country once again expected him
to win the title for the fourth time, he succumbed to Kamlesh Mehta in
the semis that later easily lost to V. Chandershekhar in the final.
Since 1973 when Dua became the national champion for the first time, he
has been representing India in all the major table tennis tournaments
all over the globe. In the Commonwealth T.T. Championship at Bombay
(India) in February, 1982, Dua won a bronze medal in the men's singles
event. He has taken part in all Waterloos for his country, in the Asian,
the Commonwealth and the world Table Tennis Championships. People have
often wondered at his peak form, psychological built-up with extreme
physical fitness which he has maintained for an incredibly long time.
Declared as the best sportsman of Delhi 1974 besides ranked number one
in the country, Dua was also awarded the Arjuna Award the same year.
Manjit Dua's performance at a glance:
1. National champion in 1973, 76 & 79.
Ranked Number one in 1974 in the country.
2. Had been representing Delhi since 1967.
Captained Delhi in the National T.T. Championships in 1974 & 80 which
won the team title.
3. Had won all major tournaments of the country.
4. Captaining Delhi in all the major championships since 1973.
5. Represented India in the Asian T.T. Championships at china, DPR
Korea, Malaysia, Japan, Calcutta and Indonesia and the Commonwealth T.T.
Championship at Cardiff (Wales), Melbourne (Australia), Edinburg
(Scotland) and Bombay (India) and the World Championships at Calcutta
(India) and the world Championships at Calcutta (India). Brimingham
(U.K.), Jarajevo (Yugoslavia), Pyongyong (DPR Korea), and Novisad
(Yugoslavia).
6. Played in international tournaments in the USA, Canada, Germany,
Iran, Swedan, Nepal, Japan and South Korea.
7. Best Sportsman of Delhi in 1974.
8. Winner of Arjuna Award in 1974.
9. Bronze medal winner in the men's singles in the commonwealth T.T.
Championship at Bombay in 1982.