Tragedy At Masters TT Meet: Tamil Nadu’s Louis Raj Collapses, Passes Away During Live Match

Last Updated:April 28, 2026, 09:39 IST

Tamil Nadu paddler I.M. Louis Raj died after collapsing during a match at the National Masters TT Championships in Pune, with cardiac tamponade confirmed as the cause.

A cloud hung over the 32nd National Masters Table Tennis Championships on Sunday after Tamil Nadu paddler I.M. Louis Raj died following an on-court collapse.

Raj, competing in the 65-plus category, was playing his third-round singles match against V.V. Ramana of Andhra Pradesh at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Mahalunge-Balewadi when the incident occurred.

He had taken a 2–0 lead and was ahead 5–4 in the third game when he suddenly collapsed at around 12:15 pm.

Medical personnel stationed at the venue responded immediately, administering emergency procedures including CPR and chest compressions. When he did not respond, Raj was transported to a nearby hospital, roughly two kilometres away, within minutes, where he was declared dead.

The initial cause of death was reported as cardiac arrest, with his Tamil Nadu teammates by his side. His family in Chennai was informed soon after by fellow players. A post-mortem examination later confirmed “cardiac tamponade" as the cause.

Arrangements are underway to transport his body to Chennai, accompanied by a teammate.

The incident cast a sombre mood over the tournament, a key event on the veterans’ domestic circuit. The Pune District Table Tennis Association and the Maharashtra State Table Tennis Association expressed condolences, remembering Raj as a committed sportsperson and a soft-spoken individual.

Meghana Ahlawat, president of the Table Tennis Federation of India, also conveyed her sympathies on behalf of the national body to the Veterans Committee, the Tamil Nadu Table Tennis Association, and the wider table tennis fraternity.

In its tribute, the federation described Raj as a gentle personality who enjoyed music and was known to sing at social gatherings.

(with PTI inputs)

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