16 Aug 2023

The Indian Council Cultural Relations (ICCR) 2023 scholarship has fulfilled two Batswana Table Tennis players dream, Tshephang Motlhamme and Tshenolo Mooketsi to play and study in India.

The two recipients will study at Gujarat Technological University in India where Mooketsi will be furthering his education by pursuing Masters’ Degree in Electrical Engineering while Motlhamme will be studying a Degree in Business Administration.

Botswana Table Tennis Association (BTTA) public relations officer Tshegofatso Malepa has revealed that Mooketsi and Motlhamme would be joining 10 other Batswana table tennis players currently studying and playing table tennis in India.

She said nine out of the 10 were recipients of the ICCR scholarship, while one was self-sponsored. 

The association’s spokesperson revealed that upon completion of his studies, Mooketsi had been assured full time employment opportunity by KGK Diamonds as an Electrical Engineer, a company that has employed a pool of other Batswana table tennis players.

Mooketsi, who left for India on Tuesday, is part of the four national team players currently on camp scheduled to represent the country at the ITTF continental qualifiers in Tunisia at a later date.

Motlhamme is expected to leave early September.

In an interview, Mooketsi expressed his delight for the opportunity accorded, not to further his studies only, but most importantly afforded a platform to play table tennis on a reputable and professional stage.

He described the opportunity as a dream come true, adding that his target was to improve on among others his speed of play and ultimately make a mark by winning regional competitions.

The player promised to strike a balance between his studies and playing table tennis.

The sensational Mooketsi was equally impressed as he was one of the few that will bear testimony that sport is a platform to empower youth.

A family representative, Mokoke Mooketsi, who is Mooketsi’s grandfather, was equally delighted by the opportunity.

Mooketsi added that through sport his grandson had been to places that he had never imagined to visit and still destined to travel the world.

Therefore, the senior Mooketsi said sport had proved that it had the potential to uplift one’s livelihood and urged his grandson to focus on both his studies and playing the sport.

BTTA president Kudzanani Motswagole pronounced his elation towards the relationship between BTTA and the India High Commission.

Motswagole said the partnership had not only borne fruits towards the development of table tennis but improved livelihoods of individual players.

He urged Mooketsi not to comprise either of the two, and advised him to divide his time accordingly, to ensure that he excelled in both. Ends