Arunachal: 13-year-old Riying Modi honoured for triple gold at state table tennis event
Pasighat: The East Siang Table Tennis Association and the East Siang Olympic Association organised a felicitation ceremony in Pasighat on Saturday to honour Master Riying Modi, son of Toi Modi.
He won three gold medals at the recently concluded 4th Kalikho Pul State Table Tennis Championship 2025 in Tezu in Arunachal Pradesh’s Lohit district.
District Sports Officer A. Sitek, DTO (Bharat Scouts & Guides) T. Padung, retired Group Captain Mohonto Pangging Pao, Dr. Kaling Jerang, and several veteran table tennis players attended the programme.
Speakers congratulated Riying and encouraged him to aim for national and international competitions, including the Olympics, to bring glory to the state and the country.
Speaking to the media, Riying said that winning the gold medals in the under-15 and open categories was easy for him.
However, he initially lost two sets in the under-19 category.
He said he regained confidence after seeing his father cheering for him and went on to win the match 3-2 by taking the next three sets consecutively.
Riying hopes to represent Arunachal Pradesh in national table tennis tournaments and dreams of playing in the Olympics in the future.
A Class X student of Siang Model School, Pasighat, he is a 13-and-a-half-year-old energetic and determined boy from Napit village.
The Late Kalikho Pul Memorial State Level Table Tennis Championship was held in Lohit district from December 2 to 4.
The event, organised by the Lohit District Table Tennis Association in collaboration with the Sports Department and the district administration, featured competitions in Under-11, U-13, U-15, U-17, U-19, Men’s, Women’s, 40+ Singles, Doubles, and Team Events, showcasing strong performances and sportsmanship.
The championship highlights the growing interest in table tennis among both youth and veterans across Arunachal Pradesh, with participants from Lohit, East Siang, SSA Miao, Sangay Lhaden Academy, Leparada, Kurung Kumey, Anjaw, Changlang, and several other districts.