In the past three to four years, Gujarati native Harmeet Desai, 30, has advanced Indian table tennis to new heights. If you look at the winners of the majority of the table tennis competitions over the last several years, his name will appear. Harmeet has received several awards and has flapped the Indian flag at the highest levels, whether it be in the South Asian Games, Asian Games, Asian Championship, or Commonwealth Games. Scroll down to read Harmeet Desai’s Biography: Journey to Table Tennis Stardom.
Harmeet Desai’s Biography
Harmeet Desai: Early Days
On July 19, 1993, Harmeet Desai was born in Dumas, Surat, Gujarat. His father, Rajul Desai, introduced him to table tennis when he was very young. Early on, Harmeet enjoyed playing with his father.
The turning moment occurred when he began working out with famous table tennis player Peter Karlsson as part of the Olympic Solidarity Programme. He gained the motivation he needed from there to become a top table tennis player.
Under Peter Karlsson’s tutelage, direction, and coaching, Harmeet dominated junior-level competitions. When this young prodigy decided to pursue a full-time career as a Table Tennis Player, he decided to relocate to Rajasthan. He enrolled at Petroleum Table Tennis Academy, where he received instruction from Chinese table tennis coach Yin Wei.
Harmeet Desai: Kicking off a Glorious Career
Harmeet has always been a specialist at attaining the top spot in his age group. He received a Bronze medal, his first ever, at the World Junior Circuit Taiyuan Open. The U-15 Category competition took place in China.
At the Taiyuan International Junior and Cadet Open, Harmeet advanced a level by winning the silver medal in the U-18 singles division. It happened in 2009. Harmeet placed second in the Junior Singles event in the South Asian Federation Games a year later, in 2010. A few months later, in the South Asian Junior TT Championships in Dehradun, Harmeet won silver in the singles competition and gold as a team.
He won the Fajr Cup in Tehran, Iran, in 2012. Harmeet once again assisted his team in winning bronze in the Lusofonia Games in Goa in 2013 and finished third in the Singles competition.
In the men’s double at the 2015 ITTF Challenge Australian Open, he took home silver. He won the gold medal in the singles event at the Zagreb Challenge in Croatia two years later, in 2017.
A meteoric rise to become India’s sports icon
Harmeet received national recognition in 2012. The ITTF World Tour Brazil Open title was won by this Gujarati paddler. He was the only second Indian to accomplish this milestone with this victory.
At the 2013 Brazil Open Table Tennis Championship in Santos, Brazil, he took home the bronze medal. At the National Table Tennis Championship in 2019, he won the title of National Champion.
The Arjuna Award was given to Harmeet in 2019 for his outstanding efforts around the globe.
Harmeet Desai: Playing Style
One of the most aggressive players in the current crop of Indian table tennis players is Harmeet. His forehand is quite strong, and he moves with excellent speed and quality while holding a table tennis racket.
He is an expert at employing misleading shots to get crucial points. Although he plays with an aggressive style, he is a naturally calm guy, which may enable him to make bold judgments with greater precision and better execution.
Harmeet Desai: Ultimate Table Tennis League
The Goa Challengers are Harmeet Desai’s team in the Ultimate Table Tennis League. In 2023, he guided the Goa Challengers to their first UTT title.
The TTFI-organized professional table tennis league known as UTT, or Ultimate Table Tennis League, features six franchises competing against one another for the title of UTT champion.
Harmeet Desai: Major Achievements
Gold Medals
Harmeet Desai won Gold Medals in the following events
- 2019 South Asian Games, Kathmandu – Men’s Team
- 2019 South Asian Games – Kathmandu – Men’s Double
- 2019 South Asian Games – Kathmandu – Mixed Doubles
- 2018 Commonwealth Games – Gold Coast – Men’s Team
Silver Medals
Harmeet Desai won Silver Medals during the 2019 South Asian Game in Kathmandu in the men’s singles event.
Bronze Medals
Harmeet Desai won Bronze Medals in the following events:
- 2019 Commonwealth Games – Gold Coast – Men’ Double
- 2018 Asian Games Jakarta – Men’s Team
- 2021 Asian Championship – Doha – Men’s Team
- 2021 Asian Championship – Doha – Men’s Doubles
- 2023 Asian Championship – Pyeongchang – Men’s Team
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