IOA establishes Ad-Hoc Committee to run TTFI: Six months to save Indian table tennis from itself

On September 17, 2026, Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president P. T. Usha signed an office order constituting a three-member Ad-Hoc Committee to run the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI). The Sports Ministry had suspended TTFI's recognition on August 12, 2026, leaving Indian table tennis in a governance vacuum. The committee is chaired by Indu Puri, 73, an eight-time national champion, with sports lawyer Namrata Chatterjee as legal member and Dr. Andres Constantin, ITTF Governance Manager, as the third member. Described as a limited and time-bound interim sporting mechanism, the committee was formed in consultation with the International Table Tennis Federation. Its mandate spans administrative continuity, athlete registrations and entries, transparent team selection, review of TTFI's constitution and electoral structure, and oversight of elections to a duly elected governing body. The committee initially serves for six months; any extension requires a written IOA decision and prior written approval from ITTF. Its size may expand from three to a maximum of five members. It is barred from creating permanent posts or irreversible financial commitments. The specific reason for the suspension has not been disclosed. If elections are completed before the term ends in March 2027, TTFI may regain recognition and Indian table tennis could enter a new era of governance credibility. If not, athletes risk disruption in their international careers during a prolonged transition.