Here to do what TTFI asks me to do, says Soumyadeep Roy

Emphasises the need for clear communication

When India’s star paddler Manika Batra made a reference to Soumyadeep Roy, India’s National coach, as “personal coach of Sutirtha Mukherjee” in a media interview during the Tokyo Olympics, it created ripples, forcing the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) to issue a show-cause notice to Manika. However, Roy, a former National men’s singles champion remains unperturbed. “Why she (Manika) did that is best known to her. I was given responsibility by TTFI. I have been the National coach for the last four years, travelling with the team for Commonwealth Games (CWG), World Championships in Budapest with no foreign coaches. I know my duty,” said Roy in an interaction with The Hindu on Wednesday. Roy said if there is clear communication between all the parties concerned, things can be done in an amicable manner, like how it happened in the Asian Olympic qualification tournament in Doha in March this year.