Sharath Kamal to retire after WTT Star Contender Chennai 2025

Legendary Indian male table tennis player Achnata Sharath Kamal has announced his retirement from professional table tennis after the 2025 WTT Star Contender Chennai tournament. Chennai will host a WTT Star Contender event for the first time from 25 to 30 March 2025. He will finish his illustrious career in the city where he was born.

Sharath Kamal was born on 12th July 1982 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. He started his professional table tennis career when he was in class X.

Sharath Kamal Career Achievements 

10-time National Champion 

• Sharath Kamal won his first National title in 2003. He has won the National title 10 times in his career.
• He broke Kamlesh Mehta’s record of eight National titles.

First International Title 

• Sharath Kamal won his first international title at the 2004 Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
• He is the first Indian table tennis player to win a gold medal in the singles event of the Commonwealth Games. He won the gold at the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games.
• He is the first Indian player to win an ITTF Pro Tour title.He won the singles title of the 2010  Egypt Open by defeating Hong Kong China’s Li Ching in the final.
• He won his second ITTF Pro Tour Title at the 2020 Oman Open. He defeated Marcos Freitas of Portugal in the final.

Other Achievements 

• 42-year-old Sharath Kamal has won seven gold medals and three silver medals at the Commonwealth Games in different categories. 
• He won gold in the singles title in the 2006 Melbourne and 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games.
• At the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games, he won two bronze medals in the men’s team and mixed doubles events.
• At the Asian Table Tennis Championship, he won four bronze medals.

Olympics Record

• Sharath Kamal has represented in five Olympics but has not won a medal. No Indian table tennis player has won a medal in the Olympics. 
• Sharat Kamal, along with female badminton player PV Sindhu, was the flag bearer of the Indian contingent at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Honours and Awards 

• Padma Shri: Sharath Kamal was honoured with India’s fourth highest civilian award, Padma Shri, in 2019
• Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award: India’s highest sports award, which was given to Shartath Kamal in  2022.
• Arjuna Award: Sharath Kamal was conferred the 2004 Arjuna Award.

Also Read: Winners of 2024 National Sports Award