Chennai, Aug 22 (IANS): Tamil Nadu Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development, Thiru Udhayanidhi Stalin, inaugurated the Ultimate Table Tennis 2024 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium on Thursday.

The Sports Minister also unveiled the winners’ trophy live in the presence of UTT promoters, Vita Dani and Niraj Bajaj and star Indian paddlers including Manika Batra, Sharath Kamal and Sathiyan Gnanasekaran ahead of the opening tie of the season.

UTT 2024, which began on Thursday, will run for the following 17 days, culminating in the final scheduled for September 7.

Udhayanidhi also officially inaugurated the newly renovated football pitch at the JLNS B Ground. This enhancement of the sports facility is a collaborative effort between the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) and Chennaiyin FC.

During the inauguration ceremony, Vita Dani, co-owner of Chennaiyin FC, presented the minister with a special memento - Chennaiyin FC’s first home jersey for the 2024-25 season. Following the official proceedings, the Sports Minister met with Chennaiyin FC's head coach, Owen Coyle, and interacted with the players. He also explored the revamped pitch and officially inaugurated the pitch by scoring a penalty shot at goal.

Chennaiyin FC is currently gearing up for the upcoming Indian Super League 2024-25 season which starts on September 13.