Indu Puri to Lead TTFI Ad-Hoc Committee Amid Governance Reset
Indu Puri Named Chairperson of TTFI Ad-Hoc Committee
The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has constituted a three-member ad-hoc committee to administer the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI), with former national champion Indu Puri appointed as its chairperson.
The move comes after the Sports Ministry suspended TTFI’s recognition as the National Sports Federation in August, citing governance-related deficiencies. The IOA’s latest decision is intended to provide an interim administrative structure while the federation works towards restoring a duly elected governing body.
Puri, 73, is an eight-time national champion and one of India’s prominent former table tennis players. Her appointment places a former athlete at the centre of the temporary administrative arrangement during a significant period for Indian table tennis.
The committee was formally constituted through an IOA office order issued by president P. T. Usha on September 17. The IOA has said the mechanism was established in consultation with the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF).
TTFI Ad-Hoc Committee Includes Legal and ITTF Representatives
Puri will work alongside Namrata Chatterjee, who has been appointed as the legal member, and Dr. Andres Constantin, an ITTF Governance Manager.
The three-member structure combines sporting experience, legal expertise and international federation oversight. According to the committee’s mandate, its immediate responsibility is to ensure that table tennis administration continues without disruption.
This includes handling athlete registrations, team selections and entries for competitions. The committee will also be responsible for maintaining the functioning of the sport while the longer-term governance structure is addressed.
The IOA has also assigned the committee the task of reviewing the TTFI Constitution and governance framework. This review will consider compliance with the National Sports Governance Act, 2025, as well as the applicable ITTF framework.
Governance Review and Election Process Ahead
A major part of the committee’s responsibility will be to examine the federation’s affiliation and electoral structure and facilitate a process leading towards elections for a duly elected governing body.
The committee has been described as a caretaker and transitional mechanism, rather than a permanent replacement for TTFI’s elected administration. It therefore cannot create permanent posts, take on certain long-term contractual liabilities or make irreversible financial and administrative commitments.
The arrangement has initially been approved for six months. Any extension would require a written IOA decision after consultation with, and prior written approval from, the ITTF. The IOA can also increase the committee’s strength from three to a maximum of five members if circumstances require it.
Why the TTFI Was Suspended
The interim arrangement follows the Sports Ministry’s August decision to suspend recognition of the TTFI.
The ministry cited concerns including governance, transparency, accountability and democratic functioning. It also pointed to the federation’s failure to conduct elections within the required timeframe and an unsatisfactory response to a show-cause notice.
The ministry subsequently asked the IOA to establish an interim mechanism in consultation with the ITTF until an appropriate governance structure could be restored.
The latest committee formation therefore represents the next stage in that process, with its responsibilities extending beyond routine administration to governance review and preparation for future elections.
A Transitional Phase for Indian Table Tennis
For Indian table tennis, the immediate focus will be maintaining continuity for athletes and international participation while the administrative questions are addressed.
The IOA’s announcement page lists the “Constitution of an Ad-hoc Committee for the sport of Table Tennis in India” among its official notifications.
With Puri bringing experience from the playing side, Chatterjee providing legal expertise and Constantin representing the ITTF’s governance perspective, the committee now has a defined six-month window to manage the transition.
The eventual objective is not to replace TTFI permanently but to create the conditions for a functioning, compliant and elected governing structure to take charge of Indian table tennis.
