The Thunderblades Story: How a former player tries to revive Kolkat’s table tennis scene
The sound of two loud Dhols echoed through the eco arena in Ahmedabad every time Calcata Thunderblades earned a point on the final table tennis league (UTT). Rajat Kumar and Ketan Jain, the duo of the franchise owner, led the celebrations with reverberation to health from the stalls. A small indoor stadium with a capacity of 800 people responded with the same energy, pounding, singing, gathering for newcomers.
You would never have been arguing that it was a debut season of franchise.
Ankur Bhattaccharjee, a local boy, a young team feeling, played in singing and played an exceptional first season. Thunderblades, while they ended up just outside the TOP 4, took a lot of positives from their first run. The team through the Ultimate Tennis competition at least gave Kalkata back, the city that Sport loved to 2000 and 2010.
But this story is not about Anker. It is someone who could be an ankur if life gripped differently.
Rajat Kumar, owner of Kolkata Thunderblades, was a former board player at national level. Rajat, who now owns his own company, MVIKAS Group, told India today in an exclusive interview about how he loved this sport, was forced to leave it and then returned after 15 years.
“Since 1995 I have played table tennis together with Ketan. We both represented Delhi at national level,” Rajat told India today. “We always had this connection with sport. That motivated us to get back, first as sponsors for Mumba and now as team owners.”
Their entry was part of the chance, partial fate. When he got out of UTT, Rajat and Ketan got into the occasion. They bought a new franchise. And Thunderblades was born.
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At a time when Rajat was playing table tennis, there was no way to keep a living man through sport, of course, to detain elite players. So as soon as the road was over, Rajat got to the academic side and finished the title ca.
“There were not many opportunities at that time. You could open an academy, you could trade equipment, but nothing more than that. Today you have foreign and national leagues. Both my parents were from government service, so just playing TT was not possible for me,” said Rajat.
As soon as Rajat’s practice flourished, he got into other things. He called back to his brother, who worked on Steel Authority of India Limited (Sail) and founded his own company, acted in industrial products and government projects.
But despite the success that his career CA and business brought, table tennis remained on the back of his mind.
As soon as the opportunity arrived, Rajat joined Ketan and bought a new franchise in UTT. It didn’t make sense from a business point of view. According to his own confession, he will not earn any money from this team in the next 10 years.
“Me and Ketane, we balance each other. I bring peace, bring Dhols. I sit and bite my nails, scream loudly. This aspect also worked in building this team,” Rajat said.
But there is no illusion. Rajat knows that it is not a business to make money, at least not yet.
“I don’t think I’ll see a return for 7-10 years,” he said honestly. “But if we get the Olympic medal? This will change everything. See what is happening in India when you win the medal. The government will wake up, sponsors will come, everyone wants to be connected.”
He is careful about the growing core of India: Diya Chitale, Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah, who are ready to support the already established stars, manic Batra and Sathiyan gnanasecaran.
If this group culminates at the right time, Rajat believes that he can move India to the Olympic stage.
“And if that happens,” he said, “it’s good to go.”
Yet he is aware of the risk.
“Yes, we’re losing money,” he admitted. “But we will accept this loss if it means that sport is growing. It’s worth it.”
Unique model UTT
Rajat reveals that he was also attracted to UTT because of the unique model that follows. UTT, which is a franchise tournament, such as IPL, does not follow the IPL model. Although there are teams, auctions and city brands, the model is centralized. Players are infected with the league and not individual franchises. The auctions are more symbolic, are done with tokens, not with money to maintain excitement while the league processes logistics and salaries.
“The best part?” Said rajat. “We don’t have to worry about the operating page. This allows us to focus on building team culture, brands and fans.”
According to Rajat, this model is maintained alive in six seasons, when the leagues in badminton, tennis and even Kabaddim have cooled or disappeared.
Return back to Kolkata
For Rajat, the ownership of the table tennis team was never just about matches.
It must have been about returning. Especially for the city of Calcuta.
Kolkata was a table tennis fortress in 2000. Sport prospered in schools, clubs and para-atletic meetings. But it slowly disappeared from visibility.
That’s what Thunderblades is trying to change.
Rajat and his team want to start field programs. They want to organize small tournaments around the West Bengal. The aim is to identify talent, help them get into UTT and finally support their journey to a professional circuit.
“If we can sponsor several children at the age of 13 or 14, give them what we didn’t have, that’s victory,” Rajat said.
Face
Ankur Bhattaccharjee is so far their bearer of the flag.
Ankur is expected by the end of the year from the TOP 100 in the world. He plays with Flair, supported by a city desperate for sports identity outside football and cricket.
“This year we have ankur in our team. He is only 19 years old and the third best player in India,” Rajat said. “In 4-5 years you will hear his name everywhere.”
Building
Team owners also want to improve the watching experience for fans in any tournaments they organize. They arranged food packages and juices for all fans who came to watch Kolkata matches. It is an initiative they have taken from their own pockets and plan to do it to attract crowds to the stadiums.
“If fans come to support your team, you will take care of them. Give them memory,” Rajat said. “You watch these games at dinner, people come from far. You want them to feel as if they were part of something.”
He knows it’s rare. Even in cricket and football, fans are often ignored.
“I think we will also connect with local academies. But this kind of reach must be done centrally. One owner cannot do everything.”
For UTT
Thunderblades do not want to disappear as soon as the UTT season ends.
Rajat says that the aim is to build a year -round presence, connect with state associations, sponsorship tournaments, a partner with local coaches. Most importantly, identify children who cannot afford to play but have talent.
“The children we find can communicate with our team, sit with them, learn from them. This kind of exposure changes your thinking,” Rajat said. “I want Kolkata to grow. I want TT to be great in this city.”
And if one of these children become another ankur Bhattaccharjee?
Then maybe just, a long bet is worth it.
– ends
Published:
Debodinna Chakracorty
Published on:
June 30, 2025
