Former International Table Tennis player Nandini Kulkarni passed away today morning in Pune. She was 70. Nandini , also a former IDBI Sr.Officer continued playing table tennis at the national and international level even after 40, when she participated in the Masters’ TT tournaments at national and international level. She along with Mangal Saraf won 2 medals in the Women’s doubles and women’s team event, which was tried for the first time in 1999 at the World Veterans TT tournament held in Manchester.
Nandini Kulkarni
Earlier, in the late 70s and early 80s Nandini played actively at the national and international level representing India. I still remember her match in the quarter finals of the Commonwealth TT Championship, held in Mumbai in 1982. Nandini gave a good fight to Carole Knight the top seeded player from England, who later won this championship.
It may be recalled that Nandini first received recognition in 1970, when as a promising junior, she won the Junior Girls’ National Championship at Calcutta. Later, with hard work and determination, she received ranking in Women’s section and also went on to represent India.
Receiving a beatiful souvenir from Nandini Kulkarni in Hyderabad 2024
I have myself noticed her determination and commitment, when in early 80s, she is used to report at the P.J.Hindu Gymkhana sharp at 4 pm for her practice sessions. Those days, she played with our RBI team players- myself, Vilas Mantri and Jagannath Mohite. Whenever we played here.
Nandini was a down to earth person and always fought against injustice. She always stood by players, who were victims of injustice. I still remember, when in 1981-82, we formed Bombay Table Tennis Players’ Association, she offered all the support and even participated in our first Prize Money tournament and also won that tournament in women’s event.
When Nandini made a comeback to Masters’ TT during the National Masters’ TT championship in 2017 at her hometown , Pune, she participated in Women’s doubles event in 60+ section, along with Mangal Saraf. She didn’t even have her own bat that time. So, she approached me, as I used the same combination of short pimpled rubbers, which she used over the years. I obliged and she went on to win a medal in that doubles event.
Last time I met her was at so called Commonwealth Masters’ Table Tennis championship in Hyderabad during the year 2024 . She had specially flown in from Pune, to present all those medal winners from India at the World Masters’ TT Championship of 2023. She presented all those medal winners with a beautiful gold plated souvenir . It was a fine gesture from one champion to other champions. This wonderful gift is prominently displayed in my collection of medals. It has a special value, as it was received from a person with a big heart.
My heartfelt condolences to her family members with a prayer to almighty to give them courage to face this grave situation.