Legendary table tennis coach Bharati Ghosh passes away at 83

Siliguri: Bharati Ghosh, a table tennis coach and icon in the world of sports, passed away on Monday morning at a nursing home at the age of 83. Known for her unparalleled contributions to table tennis, she had been suffering from age-related ailments in recent months. In a remarkable career spanning over five decades, Bharati Ghosh transformed the table tennis landscape, not only in Siliguri but across the state of Bengal.

Her journey into the sport began in her early years when she, with the help of a friend of her brother, was admitted to the famous Sehgal Institute in Siliguri. Initially starting as a player, she quickly mastered the game through self-training, watching senior players and joining coaching camps. Her passion for the game led her to train countless children in table tennis across Siliguri, Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri, often providing free training to talented players who couldn’t afford to pay for lessons. Even disabled players received training under her guidance. She never married, choosing instead to devote her life to table tennis and the children she trained. At the age of 30, she secured a job with the railways but continued her coaching career alongside her work. After retiring, she devoted all her time to coaching, shaping the careers of at least 3,000 table tennis players over the years.

She was honoured with the Banga Ratna award in 2019 by the state government and the ‘Sports Guru’ award by the Sports department in 2021. Many prominent personalities in the sports world mourned her passing. Arjuna Awardee Mantu Ghosh, a former student, expressed her grief, saying: “Her death is an irreparable loss to the world of sports. Many star table tennis players have emerged under her training.” Recalling a visit to her home during a North Bengal tour last year, Sports minister Aroop Biswas expressed his deep sorrow, stating that despite not holding an official coaching degree, Bharati Ghosh was one of the finest table tennis coaches in India.

“Her demise is an irreparable loss not only to table tennis but also to the sports fraternity of Bengal,” stated Biswas extending his condolences. Mayor Gautam Deb, who had made efforts to ensure her treatment, also expressed his condolences, saying: “I feel very bad. We tried to heal her, but she had many problems due to old age. It is a big loss for us.”