Veteran TT player Arun Singh dies after reaching competition venue

Arun Singh Barhat, a bronze medal winner at the 2023 World Veterans Championships, died after reaching here for the 29th Masters' National Table Tennis Championships. The 77-year-old, survived by his daughter Aatmika, son-in-law and two granddaughters, will be cremated in his hometown Jodhpur on Tuesday.

Arun Singh reached Jalandhar on Sunday along with his Rajasthan teammates to participate in the Masters' Nationals that got underway on Monday. After checking into a city hotel in the forenoon, he rested for a while before his planned visit to the championship venue in the evening.

However, he was not responding to the knock on the door, and his friends had to ask the hotel reception to open the door. They found Arun Singh in discomfort and rushed him to a nearby hospital, where the doctors declared him 'brought' dead.

The cause of death was reportedly a severe cardiac arrest. Arun Singh was a passionate table tennis player and represented the institution in several tournaments at the national level.

Besides, he was a regular at the National Veterans Championships and won several medals. Arun Singh also won the men's doubles gold at the Srinagar Nationals last year. Condoling his unexpected demise, TTFI president Meghna Ahlawat expressed her shock and shared her grief with the family members.

"I have heard a lot about his dedication and passion for the sport from my predecessors. People in the fraternity also talked about his other abilities and skills. It will be a huge loss for the table tennis family, especially his near and dear ones," she said.