Category Archives: Sports

‘Happy to move on from Davis Cup,’ says Rohan Bopanna

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Records, All, Sports,

City’s tennis ace Rohan Bopanna and his wife Supriya Annaiah talk about his successful stint at Wimbledon ’23, maintaining a high level in sport and his final appearance at the Davis Cup.

Bengaluru : 

While it is undoubtedly true that Indian tennis ace Rohan Bopanna is in the twilight years of his sporting career, a quick look at his recent achievements denotes he is still far from being finished. The 43-year-old, in the recently-concluded Wimbledon, reached as far as the semi-finals in the doubles category with his partner Australia’s Matthew Ebden.

Getting to the final four of a major at his age is pretty unprecedented. But the laurels don’t end there. Bopanna also rose to no 7 in the ATP rankings for doubles, the first time he reached the number since 2013. Bopanna says the experience at Wimbledon was ‘fantastic’.

“Especially since last year, I did miss Wimbledon. They did not have any ranking points last year, so I decided to skip the event. It’s one of the events which I think every tennis player wants to play. It’s a mecca of our sport. And Matt (Ebden) and I had a pretty successful season so far. We had some tough matches in the beginning, and I think fighting through that was a tremendous achievement for us,” shares the Bengalurean.

Regarding making it into the top 10 rankings, Bopanna elaborates, “It’s really good to be back in the top 10. Especially with the way I’ve been playing. I think the Grand Slams make that difference. You can achieve big points in major events like Grand Slams and Masters. This year, that’s what we have done. And I think it has really shown the difference,” he says.

The pressure of maintaining a high level in sport gets harder as you age, and support from loved ones is crucial. Supriya Annaiah, Bopanna’s wife and a practising psychologist, explains, “I don’t work with him as a psychologist. Ethically, I can’t and personally don’t cross that boundary. Each athlete’s needs and requirements from their spouse varies.

So when I started travelling with him on the tennis tour 12 years ago, it meant understanding his world from scratch, but it was also very freeing – to be able to customise our partnership to pay attention to his needs and performance, while I get to honour my needs and individuality too.” She adds, “Tennis is a sport that demands a lot out of an athlete on and off the court to be at a particular level – I’ve witnessed Rohan go through the grind of it.

So when I cheer for him on and off the court, it is equally (sometimes more) for the man he is behind what he does professionally.” Annaiah believes that the need for an athlete to maintain their mental health is pertinent now, but there isn’t much awareness around it in India when it comes to sport psychology. “There are courses that are being offered, and professionals are being churned out in India.

However, in sport, there isn’t enough awareness and practice in a place where physical health is given attention at par with mental health despite knowing that both go hand in hand. Athletes need to know that they don’t need to reach a tipping point to seek help,” says Annaiah. This year, unfortunately, is the final time Bopanna will play in the Davis Cup in September, a tournament he has been playing since 2002.

“One of the main reasons I decided to stop playing Davis Cup is because I know, this is one place where if I stop, another Indian will be able to take my place. It’s been a long career representing India in the Davis Cup, over 20 years. So, I’m very happy to move on and am very happy that I can bow out of the cup in India,” concludes Bopanna, adding that the one thing that helped him was to have short-term goals.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by Tunir Biswas / Express News Service / July 29th, 2023

A champion mindset can be developed over time: Rohan Bopanna

Sports

Grand Slam-winner Bopanna talks about dealing with setbacks, finding positives in tough times and believing in oneself despite the odds

ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDS – FEBRUARY 13: Rohan Bopanna during the match between ABN AMRO Open 2023 v Day 1 at the Ahoy on February 13, 2023 in Rotterdam Netherlands (Photo by Pim Waslander/Soccrates/Getty Images)

He might have Grand Slams in his bag, but for tennis player Rohan Bopanna, representing India on the global stage for the last 20 years has been his biggest achievement. Over these two decades, he has won 24 ATP doubles titles and is currently ranked No. 8 in the world. At 43, an age considered over the hill for an athlete, especially in a sport as physical as tennis, Bopanna recently reached the semifinal of Wimbledon along with partner Matthew Ebden. He speaks to Forbes India on his longevity, what it takes to build a champion mindset and the importance of investing in yourself. Edited excerpts: 

‘Find new ways to adapt’

My biggest learning has been to find new ways to adapt no matter where you are in your career. This includes both my tennis and fitness. For instance, around mid-2019, I started having extreme pain in my knees. So, during the pandemic, I took up yoga. Initially, I found it to be slow, but over time, there was a tremendous change in my strength. I think my perseverance to improve myself constantly has helped me stay relevant for the last 20 years. 

‘Invest in yourself’ 

I started coaching at an academy in Pune, where I stayed in a hostel which was about 15 km away. Every day, I would wake up at 5 am and cycle to the academy. If you didn’t make it for the fitness drill, you wouldn’t be allowed to play tennis—that was the rule. It was then that I learnt the importance of discipline. I only focused on becoming a tennis player without worrying about the results. Even now, as I’m getting older, my body takes longer to recover, so I’m adapting. Lately, I have started focusing on my mobility and recovery. Investing in yourself is a key part of being an athlete. 

‘Put in the hard work and have self-belief’ 

Coming from a small village in Coorg, playing these Grand Slams seems unreal to me. I had no gym, so my dad brought this wood log, gave me a hammer, and asked me to keep hitting it every day to build strength. Those early days taught me a lot. I never take anything for granted. I believe if you put in the work and have self-belief, it will eventually show. A champion mindset can be developed over time. All the challenges that an athlete goes through are part of the learning experience. My mom taught me: No matter how hard everything was on the road, just try to find those small things that made you happy. 

‘Communication helps you and your team grow’ 

Whether playing a sport or in a corporate setting, the more you communicate and understand the people you work with, the better the chances of success. This helps you and the team grow and improve. My wife, who is a psychologist, helped me communicate better. Apart from spending time on the court, we players also spend a lot of time off the court, so the key is not to always talk about tennis. It is also to create a bond and understanding. Self-analysis also helps. Sometimes, when you’re playing doubles, it’s easy to blame your partner. But I started watching myself play to analyse where I could improve and began making the change. 

‘Don’t give up’ 

Injuries are always the toughest part of any sport. In 2006, I had a surgery on my shoulder and was out for six months. I’ve also had some bad knee issues. In those times, you aren’t sure when you will start again. It’s never easy because I can’t wake up one morning and say, ‘If I can’t play tennis, let me play some other sport now or take up another job’. This is the only job I have been doing. Your mind is constantly pushing out lots of negativity. There was a phase in 2021; I was hardly winning any matches and kept doubting myself. But tennis has taught me to find solutions and a way to get better. Two weeks later, I ended up winning my first match in five months, and it felt like winning the biggest thing in the world. After that, everything changed; I started playing better. There will always be setbacks, but you have to find a way to push through and find the positives and not give up no matter what. 

source: http://www.forbesindia.com / Forbes India / Home> Special Report> From the Field / by Naini Thaker and Kathakali Chanda / July 28th, 2023

’90s throwback: Coorg boy, Amazon exec, IPL rookie flex Karnataka pace muscle

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Records, All, Sports

Of the three, Kaverappa and Koushik are not widely known. Vyshak, who plays for Royal Challengers Bangalore, is a more familiar name. The head-turner was Kaverappa, who snared eight wickets in the game and was adjudged man of the series for 15 wickets in two games.

idwath Kaverappa, Vasuki Koushik, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Duleep Trophy, sport news, cricket feature, Indian Express, India news, current affairs
From left) Vidwath Kaverappa, Vijayakumar Vyshak and V Koushik at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

There was a ’90s vibe about South Zone’s 75-run victory over West Zone in Sunday’s Duleep Trophy final  in Bengaluru. The bowling backbone, as it was for the country for most of the 1990s and early 2000s, largely comprised those from Karnataka.

Like Javagal Srinath and Venkatesh Prasad, Anil Kumble and Sunil Joshi, the pace trio of Vidwath Kaverappa, Vasuki Koushik and Vijaykumar Vyshak scythed through a star-studded batting line-up of Cheteshwar Pujara, Prithvi Shaw, Suryakumar Yadav, Sarfaraz Khan and Priyank Panchal. They picked up 16 of the 20 South Zone scalps, a performance that held the promise of another wave of bowlers from the Southern powerhouse.

Between them, the three bowlers have featured in only 33 first-class games. Pujara alone has 103 Tests to his name. Shaw and Yadav, too, are Test cricketers while Panchal and Khan, both domestic stalwarts, have been knocking on the doors for a long time. But the gulf in experience hardly mattered.

Of the three, Kaverappa and Koushik are not widely known. Vyshak, who plays for Royal Challengers Bangalore , is a more familiar name. The head-turner was Kaverappa, who snared eight wickets in the game and was adjudged man of the series for 15 wickets in two games. Like most youngsters from Madikeri in Coorg, one of India’s hockey hubs, he used to play hockey until he fell in love with fast bowling. A product of Karnataka State Cricket Association’s talent hunt programme, the 24-year-old can move the ball both ways, thanks to his wrists. In just eight Ranji games, he grabbed 30 wickets. Hailing from a humble background, he attended the trials in Mangalore when he was 16 and impressed coaches and selectors right away. Noted coach Samuel Jayaraj, the man credited with mentoring K L Rahul, asked him to stay back. Kaverappa had second thoughts but Jayaraj eventually convinced him.

Possessing a smooth action and accuracy, he was more than a handful in the first innings, where he nabbed seven wickets including those of Pujara, Yadav and Khan. He swings the new ball and gets reverse swing when the ball gets old and ragged. “He is a natural athlete, and if he could add a few yards of pace, with the seam movement he has, he can go a long way,” Srinath Aravind, who worked with the trio as bowling coach of Karnataka last season, told The Indian Express.

His partner-in-crime is Vyshak, a selfless workhorse who ties up one end so others can reap the rewards of his labour. He conceded just 72 runs in 32 overs for three wickets in the game, suffocating the batters into mistakes and using the old ball to good effect with his leg-stump line.

Not that he is any less skilful. Vyshak could be as good as Kaverappa with his movement, but he has the heart and muscle to bowl long spells even if the pitch provides little assistance.

In his teens, he wanted to be a wicketkeeper but could not because he was overweight. He was a batsman in age-group cricket before becoming a spinner and then eventually a fast bowler. Pursuing his father’s dream to play cricket, Vyshak led Karnataka’s wicket charts in Ranji with 31 scalps in 8 matches last season, the state unearthing a mainstay after the  heyday of Aravind, R Vinay Kumar and Abhimanyu Mithun. He was lethal with short balls too, twice on Day Four, he struck Khan, one on his helmet and the other on his left shoulder.

Koushik’s journey to the state has been different too. A mechanical engineer who worked with Amazon as a content executive, he took the sport seriously only when he was 17.

At 30, he found the break he had long yearned for. “I lost my prime years between 22-26, because there was no place (with Vinay, Mithun & Aravind around). Even though I did well in club cricket, I could not even get a chance in Thimmaiah Cup squads from where Karnataka players are picked. But last season, I finally got an opening and from there on, it has been an enjoyable ride,” said Koushik, who possesses immaculate control with the old ball. He pocketed four wickets in the second innings, including those of Pujara and Yadav in the same over.

It’s the perfect combination, said Aravind. “All three are gifted in their own way and that is what makes them a perfect combination. When we gave them the opportunity last season, they showed hunger and that drive.”

Captain Hamuna Vihari, too, praised them effusively. “Quality bowlers will make the captain’s job really easy and these three did that for me,” he said.  Like in the ’90s, Karnataka’s bowling is rocking again.

source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home> News> Sports> Cricket / by Venkata Krishna , Bengaluru / July 17th, 2023

State-Level Inter-Collegiate Sports Week Concludes At MICA

Education, Records, All, Sports, , ,

MICA College, Mysuru, had organised a State- level Inter-Collegiate Hockey, Cricket, Basketball and Football  tournaments in their campus from June 16 to 27.

 Sporting teams from Kodagu, Mandya, Bengaluru, Mangaluru and Mysuru fought for the coveted MI trophies and cash prizes.

In the Hockey MI3s tournament, 29 teams participated and Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa (FMKMC) College, Madikeri, defeated St. Joseph’s College of Commerce, Bengaluru to win the trophy and a cash prize of Rs. 15,000. Runners-up were awarded a trophy and cash prize of Rs. 7,000. 

In MI Crick, 32 teams participated.  In the finals, SBRR Mahajana PG Centre defeated MIT Tandavapura and won a cash prize of Rs. 10,000 with a trophy.  Runners-up were awarded cash prize of Rs. 5,000 and a trophy. 

A total of 14 teams participated in the MI3s Basketball tournament.  In Boys category SJCE, Mysuru defeated MICA Mysuru and won Rs. 10,000 cash prize and a trophy. Runners-up were awarded cash prize of Rs. 5000 and a trophy.  In Girls category, NIE Mysuru defeated Sapient College, Mysuru in the finals. 

In the flood light MI7s Football tournament, 32 teams participated. Sacred Heart Mangalore defeated FMKMC College, Madikeri to clinch the trophy and a cash prize of Rs. 20,000.  Runners-up were awarded cash prize of Rs. 10,000 and a trophy, according to a  press release from MICA Principal.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Sports / July 10th, 2023

From Coorg to cricket stardom: Meet Vidwath, the next bowling sensation!

Amazing Feats, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Records, All, Sports, , , , , , ,

From land of hockey to cricket stardom, Vidwath Kaverappa takes seven-star route

IMAGE: Vidwath Kaverappa bagged seven wickets. Photograph: BCCI Domestic/Twitter

Vidwath Kaverappa entered the Karnataka pace bowling landscape in a rather tough period after the departure of stalwarts such as R Vinay Kumar, Abhimanyu Mithun and S Arvind.

It might have been tough for a 24-year-old to learn the tricks of the trade almost on his own.

But now, Vidwath has established himself as his the state team’s spearhead and a potential candidate to fill an India spot. In the previous Ranji Trophy season (2022-23) Vidwath bagged 30 wickets, and he has already picked up 14 wickets from three innings in the on-going Duleep Trophy.

The numbers give the picture of a young man who is a quick learner and a keen observer. Vidwath emphasised those aspects as his strong points.

The Karnataka right-arm pacer said he has been absorbing lessons from watching the footage of South African legend Dale Steyn and veteran India bowler Mohammed Shami.

“Since I don’t have the express pace, like Prasidh (Krishna) or Vysakh (Vijayakumar), I need to seek other ways to get purchase from the wicket. So, that’s something I’ve watched great bowlers like Dale Steyn or Mohammed Shami do,” he said.

Vidwath said he has been trying to copy the seam position of those two fine bowlers.

“I have seen a lot of moments of their bowling. So, I can see how good the seam presentation is and what the ball does, even in white ball. So, why not do it in the red ball with a prominent seam, and I know I’ll get a lot more help with it,” he said.

Vidwath has shown that trait all along, even from his junior days for Lions Institutions in Gonikoppal, Coorg, and Presidency College in Bengaluru.

Samuel Jayaraj, a KSCA coach who imparted him the first lessons, remembered watching him in Coorg eight years ago during a talent hunt drive by the state association.

Back then he was pleasantly surprised to see the spirited reaction from youngsters to the camp as Coorg is the stronghold of hockey.

“Vidwath had come as an attentive kid. He never gets tired of bowling at nets and wanted to learn as much as he could. He is a natural bowler and athlete.

“Coming from Coorg, he had that natural aptitude for sports. We just have to give him direction once I saw him during that trial. We were convinced that Vidwath would be an asset to the Karnataka team, and if everything goes well, then even at a higher level,” said Jayaraj.

It was not an empty praise as evidenced by future turn of events. In 2022, Vidwath finished as the second highest wicket-taker in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, taking 18 wickets from 8 matches at an impressive economy of 6.36.

The recognition of that effort came when Punjab Kings picked him up for the IPL 2023 from the mini-auction for his base price of Rs 20 lakh.

Though he did not play a game in this edition, Kings bowling coach Charl Langeveldt is convinced of his ward’s potential


“The team combination is such that it is tough for every player to get a chance to be in the 11. In a tournament like IPL, matches come very fast and you really don’t have time to tinker with 11.

“But this kid is talented and bowls at nets with a wonderful seam (position). He, I am sure, will feature in Punjab’s scheme prominently very soon,” Langeveldt told PTI.

Vidwath knew the importance of waiting for his turn patiently after taking those bold initial steps.

“I feel like I’m learning from every game and that is important at this age for me. I knew even if I didn’t get a chance into the big team this transitional period, my time will come.”

“I’ve watched football a lot, so I know how in a great team new players come when old players leave, you need to be patient with them. So, I had to take my time and perform to the best of my abilities,” said Vidwath.

Vidwath indeed did that. He wrecked a power-packed West Zone batting unit with a seven-wicket haul. His victim list included players like Cheteshwar Pujara, Suryakumar Yadav and Prithvi Shaw.

However, Vidwath, typical of him, did not try to wrap the performance in a magic cloak.

“I’ve always been the kind of guy who likes responsibilities, who likes to take up the heavy load and make the big moments for the team,” he said.

Perhaps, he knows bigger moments are on his way. 

source: http://www.rediff.com / rediff.com / Home> Cricket / by PTI / July 14th, 2023

Sprinting to Success: Prolific Badminton duo Ashwini and Tanisha reach new heights in BWF Rankings

Amazing Feats, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Records, All, Sports, Women/Girls (wef. Sept 03rd, 2022), World Opinion, , , , ,
Badminton - Commonwealth Games Day 10
Badminton – Commonwealth Games Day 10

Indian Badminton Doubles Players, Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto have achieved their career-best rankings in BWF Rankings. In the recent update by the BWF, the duo successfully climbed up one place to reach 60th rank. This is the highest they have achieved in their entire career.

The pair recently won the Nantes International Challenge title by defeating the prolific duo of Hung En-Tzu and Lin Yu-Pei of Chinese Taipei. The event took place at the Salle Metropolitana de la Trocardaiare, Paris. Ashwini is a Commonwealth gold medallist and a world-class player with many titles under her belt.

Meanwhile, Tanisha has astoundingly proven herself. She paved her way through the domestic circuit and has shown his talent alongside experienced players. Both of them have performed exceptionally well in the recent past and are willing to stick with the winning ways.

Ashwini attained the highest-ever ranking of 10 in women’s double alongside Jwala Gutta in 2015. While Tanisha had the highest rank of 115 with Shruti Mishra. This duo has come a long way to achieve this feat in the BWF Rankings update. They display the depth in the Indian Badminton pool and the nurturing of this depth.

Other Indian Players to Gain in Recent BWF Rankings

Apart from these two, Simran Singhi and Ritika Thaker moved up to 64th rank. Swetaparna Panda and Rutaparna Panda advanced to 66, while the Palak-Unnati pair moved to the 90th position. All of these Ranks were achieved in the Women’s Doubles category.

In the Men’s Single category, Kiran George moved up three places to achieve the 53rd position. While in the Men’s Doubles category, P.S.Ravikrishna and S.Sankar climbed up four places to grab the 70th ranking. The pair of Achutaditya-Venkata Harsha also made meager progress by moving to 80th place in the rankings.

These are some major updates from the BWF Rankings update in July 2023 and the players would be motivated to further progress in the same manner.

source: http://www.sportskeeda.com / SportsKeeda / Home> Badminton / by SportzConnect / edited by Yash Singh / July 05th, 2023

Rohan Bopanna and Ankita Raina to lead tennis Squad for Asian Games

Amazing Feats, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Leaders, Records, All, Sports, World Opinion, , , , , ,
no photo

(Tata Open)

The All India Tennis Association (AITA) on Tuesday unveiled a 12-member squad for the continental quadrennial games. Doubles specialist Rohan Bopanna will once again represent India in the tennis competition at the Asian Games. On September 23, the Asian Games will get underway in Hangzhou.

The potential singles players for the team are Sasikumar Mukund and Sumit Nagal, who both competed in doubles at the 2018 Asian Games alongside Ramkumar Ramanathan. Bopanna, 43, and Ramkumar are most likely to team up. The other two members of the group, Yuki Bhambri and Saketh Myneni , are already paired on the ATP Tour.

Ankita Raina, who won bronze in singles at the 2018 Asian Games, will serve as the team’s captain. Karman Kaur Thandi, Rututaj Bhosle, Sahaja Yamlapalli, Vaidehi Chaudhari, and Prarthane Thombare are the other active members.

The nucleus of the Indian delegation in both the men’s and women’s divisions is essentially unchanged, with Ramanathan, Nagal, and Bopanna also being part of the Jakarta Games team. Ankita, Karman, Ruturaj, and Prarthana are among the four female players that participated in the Jakarta tournament five years ago. Sahaja and Vaidehi are the two new players.

source: http://www.sportscafe.in / Sports Cafe / Home> Tennis> National> News / by Sports Cafe Desk / June 21st, 2023

Asian Games the end goal for Joshna

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Leaders, Records, All, Sports, Women/Girls (wef. Sept 03rd, 2022),

After beating Asia No. 1 Satomi Watanabe in the recent World Cup in Chennai, India’s top squash player is feeling like herself again.

Joshna Chinappa in action.(PTI)

Competing in the relaunched Squash World Cup amid thousands of onlookers at the Express Avenue mall in her home city of Chennai, Joshna Chinappa was reminded of “what we train and live for”. In beating world No. 18 Satomi Watanabe of Japan, 12 years younger and 54 spots higher than Chinappa, after a year wrecked by health issues, the 36-year-old was also reminded of the level she was still capable of summoning.

source: http://www.hindustantimes.com / Hindustan Times / Home> Sports> Others / by Ruthik Mehta, Mumbai / June 23rd, 2023

Kodagu Athlete Breaks National Record; Qualifies For Asiad

Amazing Feats, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Records, All, Sports, Women/Girls (wef. Sept 03rd, 2022), , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Theetharamada Sinchal Kaveramma shattered the national record in the 400-metre hurdle and met the qualifying mark for the Asiad (Asian Games), during the 62nd Inter-State Athletics Championships in Odisha.

Notably, she broke the national record, crossing the finish line in a thrilling photo-finish with a time of 56.76 seconds, surpassing the previous record of 57.02 seconds. This remarkable achievement also stands as Sinchal’s personal best time. She clinched the silver medal in the 400-metre hurdles event and a bronze medal in mixed relay.

The recently concluded National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships, held at the Kalinga Stadium at Bhubaneswar, Odisha, served as a selection trial for both the delayed Asian Games in Hangzhou, scheduled for September, and the upcoming World Championships in Hungary.

Numerous top-tier athletes travelled to Bhubaneswar with the aim of securing their spots in the Asian Games later this year. Sinchal is among the 65 athletes representing 27 disciplines who persevered through scorching heatwaves to meet the Asiad qualification standard.

Sinchal receives training from Bollanda Vikram Aiyappa and Pramila Aiyappa in Bengaluru. Speaking to Star of Mysore, she attributed her record-breaking performance to her coaches and family, expressing her full dedication to them.

Sinchal has already commenced her preparations for the main Asian Games, scheduled to take place from Sept. 15 in Bangkok.

Sinchal is the daughter of Theetharamada M. Ravi and Rashmi (Kuppanda), residents of Nalloor village near Ponnampet. Her grandparents are Theetharamada Mudappa and Chondamma of Nalloor, as well as Kuppanda C. Thimmaiah and Muthakki of Nalvathoklu.

Sinchal completed her primary education at Lions Primary School in Gonikoppa and attended high school at Alvas English Medium High School in Moodbidri. She pursued her pre-university course at Alvas PU College and is currently in her final year of B.Com studies at Bishop Cotton Women’s Christian College in Bengaluru.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Sports /June 21st, 202

Making A Quiet Buzz

Amazing Feats, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Records, All, Sports, Women/Girls (wef. Sept 03rd, 2022), World Opinion, , , ,

Indian squash players performed creditably in international, and home events.

There can be little doubt that in the last quarter of a century Indian sport has made a mark on the international stage. In various disciplines Indian sportsmen and women have won medals at World and Olympic meets and particularly in disciplines like weightlifting, boxing, wrestling, shooting, athletics and badminton Indians have earned a lot of respect worldwide.

But if there is one sport in which Indians have been making a comparatively quiet buzz it is squash. Not only have they performed creditably in international events but the country has also staged several international meets.

The most recent one was the just concluded Squash World Cup in Chennai, where eight countries participated. It was for the second time the city was hosting the event, the previous one being in 2011. Favourites Egypt won the event defeating Malaysia in the final. India made it to the semifinals before going down to Malaysia.

Zena Wooldridge, the president of the World Squash Federation (WSF) spoke highly of both the excellent infrastructure in the country and the potential of Indian squash to rise even higher. “India is such a massive attraction to any country and as such the Indian market is something that is irresistible in more ways than one’’ said Wooldridge who was in Chennai for the mega event.

Squash has come close to being an Olympic sport more than once before narrowly missing out to other disciplines but Wooldridge has not lost hope. She is confident of it being included in the 2028 Olympics, “Squash has not done anything wrong to not get the go ahead. I think we had some of the best bids and presentations.’’

In fact in keeping with the times the sport has made an important change in the points system and this was seen for the first time during the Chennai event. It featured a novel seven point best of five games format instead of the traditional eleven points posing a unique challenge for the players. In other words this abbreviated version was termed as the sport’s T-20 format but the players had no problem in adapting to it.

Think of Indian squash and the names that spring to mind immediately are Joshna Chinappa and Dipika Pallikal. The two young women along with the leading men’s player Saurav Goshal have done the most to put Indian squash on the international map. All of them have been ranked at various times in the top ten in the WSF rankings on the way, notching up victories over the leading players in the game.

All three, as well as several upcoming players, readily acknowledge that their game improved by leaps and bounds because of the Indian Squash Academy (ISA) a world class facility in Chennai that is the brainchild of N. Ramachandran former president of the Indian Olympic Association and former president of the WSF. There was a time when Mumbai was the hub of Indian squash but things changed when the ISA was set up at the turn of the new millennium.

The Squash Rackets Federation of India (SRFI) secretary-general Cyrus Poncha is firmly of the view that Chennai is now the place for squash players, “It goes without saying that Chennai is the squash hub in India and the reason for that is the presence of the ISA in the city. The training and the tournaments we conduct and the coaches we have at the ISA ensures high standard performances by our players.’’

Ghoshal for one has trained both in England and India. “When I am in India it is in Chennai that I undergo training. The facilities at the ISA are on par with any other academy abroad,’’ he says.

A factor in the growing popularity of squash according to Poncha is that it is an indoor and all weather sport. “We have been seeing a steady growth in the number of players taking to the sport. We have a programme wherein we go to schools and bring interested students to the squash academy. We take in kids as young as ten years and train them,’’ he says.

A far-sighted approach in making the sport popular has also helped. Initially matches in the Asian and World championships were held at the ISA. But the authorities realised that for squash to become popular it had to be taken to the masses.

In keeping with this for the last few years national and international events have been held at the Express Avenue Mall in the heart of the city. The huge crowd present during the recent Squash World Cup was testimony to the sport’s growing popularity.

Even those who had come in for shopping or window-shopping had a glance at what was going on at the court in the main foyer. But there were hundreds who had come specifically to watch the proceedings. From the various floors the spectators enjoyed the fare even as they clapped and cheered for the Indian players while holding aloft the national flag.

There is little doubt that Joshna and Dipika by their exploits on the squash court have inspired a younger generation to take to the sport. Joshna was part of the Indian team that took part in the world meet while Dipika who is married to Indian cricketer Dinesh Karthik has twins to care off and plays the game only sporadically. Incidentally Goshal is Dipika’s brother-in-law having married her sister.

Considering squash’s status at one stage, it has been a great journey for both Joshna, now 36 and Dipika, five years younger. The ISA took stock of their talent and moulded them. They were school children when squash crept into their activity zone.

The visionary zeal of N. Ramachandran, an industrialist and an ardent squash lover ensured the establishment of the ISA that virtually shaped the careers of several young talents. It was during his tenure as the Secretary General of the SRFI that the ISA became a reality. Today it is an institution that has helped script several wonderful moments for Indian squash.

source: http://www.thecitizen.in / The Citizen / Home> Sport / by Partab Ramchand / June 21st, 2023