International Coaching, Athlete Development and Inclusive Sports Excellence (2014–2026)*
by Asim Sheraz
Mian Absar Ali is a Pakistani table tennis coach, athlete developer and sports leader who has made significant contributions to international coaching, para-sports and inclusive sports development.
His international journey began in 2014 when he was selected as the sole participant from a group of 14 international players for a training and exchange programme at Shanghai University of Sport in China. In 2015, he further enhanced his coaching experience through training and exchange activities at Triangle Table Tennis Club in Morrisville, North Carolina, USA.
From 2016 to 2018, he continued developing his coaching expertise and gained experience as a technical official and assistant coach at South Asian Cadet and Junior Table Tennis Championships in Pakistan. In 2018, he competed in the Oman Optical Fiber Table Tennis International Championship, reaching the top 64, and completed the ITTF Level 1 Coaching Course under Vajira Wickramasinghe. He also received recognition as an outstanding player and emerging coach.
At just 21, in 2018, he founded *Absar Welfare Foundation (AWF)* to empower women, girls and persons with disabilities through sports and promote equal opportunities and social inclusion.
In 2019, he was selected as a national team coach in connection with the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic movement. He also participated in specialised training at China's National Table Tennis Training Base in Zhengding alongside player Zainab Barkat. In 2020, he attended a high-performance coaching camp in Sri Lanka and became the founding president of the Pakistan Tagball Federation.
In 2023, Mian Absar Ali entered the Pakistan Book of Records after performing 165 forehand drives in one minute. He also earned the *ITTF Level 2 Star Coaching Certification* under international expert and course conductor Ramzi B. H. Mabrouk. The same year, he served as coach of Pakistan's national contingent at the World Tagball Championship.
In 2024, he received an award for coaching excellence and was selected for the *Global Sports Mentoring Program (GSMP)*, supported by the US Department of State. According to his profile, he has contributed to the development of more than 20 international-level and 40 national-level athletes.
In 2025, he served as a coach for Pakistan's team at the Asian Youth Games in Bahrain. He also became the first Pakistani selected as a World Table Tennis Day promoter, highlighting his efforts to popularise table tennis and encourage wider participation.
As of 2026, he continues to serve as a national para-table tennis coach, focusing on technical development, performance analysis, competition preparation and international standards.
His coaching approach combines modern techniques, scientific training methods and individual athlete development, with particular emphasis on footwork, service and receive, shot selection, tactical preparation and technical improvement. Beyond performance, he promotes confidence, life skills, inclusion and equal opportunities through sport.
Mian Absar Ali's journey from Peshawar to the international sporting arena reflects his commitment to coaching excellence, athlete development and social impact. His long-term vision is to strengthen Pakistan's coaching standards, prepare young athletes for international competition and expand sporting opportunities for women, girls and persons with disabilities
