Siliguri (pop.1.9 million) is a nondescript city and commodities trading centre (tea, timber) in the Darjeeling district of North Bengal, sited on the banks of river Mahananda in the Himalayan foothills. Known as the gateway to the popular hill station of Darjeeling and the seven sister states of north-east India, it’s certainly not renowned for sports heroes.

However, two table tennis players Soumyajit Ghosh and Ankita Das from Siliguri, won their way to the London Olympics 2012, after beating their more experienced Indian team mates in the Table Tennis Asian Olympic Qualification Tournament held in Hong Kong, in April. In London, Soumyajit notched up a convincing win over higher ranked Brazilian Gustavo Tsuboi in the first round, but went down in the second. While Ankita, somewhat overawed by the occasion, lost in the first round. Despite their early exit, the duo’s wins over all domestic opposition and subsequent passage to London generated great excitement in Siliguri.

Soumyajit (19) is a first year arts student at Siliguri College, an only child of Harishankar Ghosh, a municipal corporation clerk, and his homemaker mother Mina. They are proud that he donned India colours and bested a much higher ranked player in the first round. “It was great to win the first round against a Brazilian player ranked 104 in the world but North Korea’s Kim Hyok Bong, who is ranked 77 and has beaten higher ranked opponents proved much too strong. Playing in London has given me good exposure to international table tennis standards,’’ says Soumyajit, who has been playing the game since age five and has been mentored by coaches of international repute, including, Bhawani Mukherji and Peter Karlsson.

Likewise, Ankita Das (18), a second year BA student of Siliguri College, enjoys a huge reputation in North Bengal. She won the national junior championship in 2007, a title she held for two years and is the reigning youth national women’s champion after winning the title in 2010 for the first time. But representing India in the London Olympics is the high point of her achievements. “Olympics is a big event and the pressure is tremendous. Having had the experience of playing in a truly international event, I’m sure I’ll do better if selected to represent India again,’’ she says.

Play on!

Baishali Mukherjee (Kolkata)

Also read: Sports Education Blindspot