Except for Maldives, all the other countries -- Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka, besides hosts India -- have confirmed their participation, V K Bawa, Treasurer of the Table Tennis Federation of India, said.
Maldives has pulled out from the championship due to financial constraints within the country, the official said.
The SAF championship is mandatory for each of these SAF countries to get themselves the ticket to the 17th Asian Junior TT Championship to be held in China from July 11-17, Bawa said.
According to the TTFI official, the first and the second placed player in the SAF tournament here would represent their respective countries in the Asian championship in China.
A full contingent of 14 junior top paddlers from the country are camping in the city at a national coaching camp organised by the TTFI here to get acclimatised.
Indian junior top paddlers like Abhishek Yadav, Reeth Rishya and Lalren Puia are eyeing gold at the event with coaches like Vijay Seshadri Sarthi and Sandeep Gupta training them.
Twelve international umpires will be refereeing at the event, the officials said.
