Bengal justified their top billing in the National Games' table tennis tournament, retaining the men's and women's team gold medals.

They easily beat Tamil Nadu in the finals of both categories, their men prevailing 3-2 and their women having a relatively easier time in a 3-1 victory.

The finals were a repeat of the previous edition of the Games in Punjab last year, when Bengal and Tamil Nadu had clashed for the title in both men's and women's section with same results.

The keenly-contested men's final saw Bengal open up a 1-0 lead when Sourav Chakraborty pipped Sharath Kamal 11-9, 8-11, 6-11, 11-2, 13-11. But the seasoned S Raman restored parity outplaying former national champion Arup Basak 11-8, 11-8, 12-14, 11-7.

Left-hander Raman kept his cool on crucial points to put it across Basak, who failed to netogitate his opponent's serves and fast returns.

Bengal went ahead again when Shibaji Dutta staged an excellent comeback after dropping the first two games to register a 5-11, 2-11, 12-10, 11-3, 12-10 win in the next match.

But Raman proved his worth once again, decimating Sourav Chakraborty 12-10, 11-8, 11-4 to bring the two teams level.

The decider was a clliff-hanger as well, as Basak left behind the disappointment of his earlier loss agaisnt Raman to pull off a sensational 11-7, 6-11, 11-9, 7-11, 12-10 win over Sharath Kamal.

Earlier, the Bengal women, spearheaded by the pint-sized Mouma Das, outclassed Tamil Nadu to retain the gold medal.

 It was Tamil Nadu who took the lead as defending singles champion N R Indu had little difficulty in getting better of higher ranked Anindita Chakraborty 13-11, 5-11, 11-8, 11-5 in the first match.

India No. 2 Chakraborty could scarcely do justice to her ranking except in the second game as she had no answer to the flurry of smashes executed by the Tamil Nadu player.

Bengal bounced back in the next match with top ranked Das defeating T Pradeepa in straight games 11-9, 12-10, 12-10. It was a revenge of sorts for the Bengal paddler who had gone down to the same player in the team finals last year.

Poulami Ghatak made the scoreline 2-1 as she overcame a second game reversal to put it across the experienced M S Maithili 7-11, 11-9, 11-6, 11-9.

Das then gave a fine aggressive display to clinch the issue with an authoritative 11-6, 11-5, 9-11, 11-6 win over Indu.

Losing semi-finalists Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh clinched the men's bronze while Assam and Maharashtra won the women's.

Bengal assured themselves of a third gold medal as two of the their pairs entered the final in the mixed doubles event. Shivaji Dutta and Anindita Chakraborty got past statemates Ranabir Das and Poulumi Ghatak 11-5, 11-6, 10-12, 11-14 to set up a summit clash with Sourav Chakraborty and Mouma Das, who edged out Tamil Nadu's A Sarath Kamal and T Pradeepa 5-11, 11-8, 11-8, 7-11, 14-12, 14-12.