Guwahati, Aug. 18: The Sijars Table Tennis Club will organise its flagship event, the Keshab Chandra Das table tennis championship, at Bhogeswari Phukanani Indoor Stadium here from August 23 to 25.

Marking its silver jubilee year, the club has introduced cash prizes and a champion of champions award.

Nearly 250 paddlers from seven states of the region will participate in the tournament, the organising club’s adviser Kalyan Gogoi said. “Sikkim will not participate as a mark of respect to one of its most popular coaches Thupden Kachopa Bhutia who died in a recent road accident. The state will be represented by an official.”

Only veterans will represent Manipur as its state associations have resolved to abstain from participating in any event outside the state till weightlifter L. Monika Devi is “compensated” for the goof-up in the pre-Olympics dope test, organising club official Soneswar Deka said. Arunachal Pradesh is also going to be represented in the tournament, Gogoi said.

The club will also felicitate seven coaches, 11 academies and clubs, as well as five outstanding organisers for their contribution and eight state champions of the year 2007.

A number of sports journalists will also be feted during the closing ceremony on August 25. Promising Jorhat paddler Radheshyam Sahu has been selected for a yearlong sponsorship.

The silver medallist under-14 team of the National School Games, held in Mizoram last year and under-14 singles gold medallist Mahasweta Batsallya will also be honoured.

Deka said last year’s National Games medallists Anal Kashyap and Sanjukta Gogoi would be felicitated in the next edition of the tournament, as the two were not present in the state because of various engagements.

Asked about the club’s view on the ongoing deadlock in the Assam Table Tennis Association, Gogoi said: “We will appeal to all involved with the table tennis fraternity in the state to work for an early solution.”