The city held the main event of World Table Tennis Day at the Khagendra New Life Jorpati Training Centre, which was damaged by last year’s devastating earthquake, where around 8,000 people were killed.

ITTF President Thomas Weikert was among the guests at the event, along with United Nations secretary general on sport for development and peace Wilfried Lemke.

Melissa Tapper, who became the first Australian to qualify to compete at both the Olympic and Paralympic Games after sealing one of three qualification berths for Rio 2016 on offer at the recent ITTF Oceania Championships, was also in attendance.

It was staged alongside the launch of the “Table Tennis for NepALL” initiative, designed to increase the amount of disabled table tennis players in Nepal.

The project will run for three years and has been led by the All Nepal Table Tennis Association (ANTTA), along with the input of the ITTF and the United Nations Office on Sport for Development and Peace.

As well as the two pilot schemes in the Nepalese capital, the project will also run simultaneously in other areas of the country, including Biratnagar, Pokhara, Nepaljung and Dhangadi.

It aims to provide opportunities for people to play table tennis by improving the accessibility for those with a disability.

The scheme is also set to see the creation of a solid network between Para table tennis clubs in the nation and other organisations to develop the sport across the country.

Local coaches will be given enhanced training so they can increase the skill level of Nepalese players as ITTF and the ANTTA attempt to improve the standard of table tennis in Nepal.