Monarch -Haveli Continental
Handicap Team Event (played at Otters Club, Mumbai)
15.8.96

Michael Ferreira (Former world amateur billiards champion), Faraaz Patel & Niraj Shirgaokar (Otters "B"), Mahendra Agarwal (Founder Director, ISP), Rajeev Dube & Subhash Wali (Director, ISP) at the prize distribution function held at lawns of Haveli Restaurant, Juhu, Mumbai

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All Results 

Finals:
Otters "B" beat Otters "A" 2-1
Niraj Shirgaokar beat Paul Ferreira 15-10, 11-15, 15-8, 11-15, 15-9
Cyrus Warden beat Mangesh Nadkarni 15-14, 15-14, 13-15, 14-15, 15-10
Vinay Bajaj lost to Nikhil Behl 12-15, 14-15, 15-11, 14-15

3rd & 4th Place:
Otters "C" beat Willingdon Catholic Gymkhana 2-1

Semi finals:
Otters "A" beat Willingdon Catholic Gymkhana 2-1
Nikhil Behl lost to Rohit Colaco 12-15, 16-17, 15-13, 15-12, 11-15
Paul Ferreira beat Rajesh Sonawane 17-16, 17-15, 13-15, 15-11
Mangesh Nadkarni beat Akhil Rassai 15-13, 12-15, 17-16, 15-11
Otters "B" beat Otters "C" 2-1
Cyrus Warden beat Sondip Ghosh 15-13, 12-15, 17-16, 15-13
Niraj Shirgaokar lost Cyrus Poncha 15-13, 13-15, 12-15, 11-15
Faraaz Patel beat Avinash Bhavnani 15-12, 13-15, 15-13, 12-15, 17-16

Press Articles of tournament : 

Otters ‘B’ win squash final 
(Article in Afternoon, Mumbai : 18/8/1996)

Otters ‘B’ defeated Otters Club ‘A’ by two matches to one in the final of the third Annual Handicap Team Squash Championship sponsored by Continental Contractors, Monarch and Haveli Restaurant at the glass back court of Otters Club on Wednesday. The winner’s picked up Rs.8,000 in the Rs.21,000 event in which 20 teams participated. The losers had to be content with Rs.6,000.

In the tussle for the third place (Rs.4,000), Otter’s ‘C’ beat Willingdon Catholic Gymkhana 2-1. The losers received Rs.30,000.

Michael Ferriera, the former world amateur billiards champion, was the guest of honour and released the souvenir of the Indian Squash Professionals. 

Otters ‘B’ Triumph 
(Article in The Daily, Mumbai :15/8/1996) 

OTTERS Club ‘B’ scored over Otters Club ‘A’ by two matches to one in the final of the third annual Handicap Team Squash Championship, at the glass-back court of Otters Club here last night. The winners picked up Rs.8,000 in the Rs.21,000 event in which 20 teams participated. The losers had to be content with Rs.6000. 

In the tussle for the third place (Rs.4,000) Otters ‘C’ beat Willingdon Catholic Gymkhana, 2-1, the losers receiving Rs.3,000.

Shirgaokar and Warden help Otter’s ‘B’ lift title 
(Article in The Pioneer, Mumbai : 15/8/1996) 

Otters Club ‘B’ scored over Otters Club ‘A’ by two matches to one in the final of the third annual Handicap Team Squash Championship, sponsored by Continental Contractors and Monarch and Haveli Restaurant at the glass-back court of Otters Club here last night. 

The winners picked up Rs.21,000 event in which 20 teams participated. The losers had to be content with Rs.6,000. 

In the tussle for the third place (Rs.4,000) Otters ‘C’ beat Willingdon Catholic Gymkhana 2-1, the losers receiving Rs.3,000.

Michael Ferriera, the former World billiards champion was the guest of honour.

Otters ‘B’ turn tables on ‘A’ 
(Article in Times of India, Mumbai : 15/8/1996) 

In an all Otters final, their ‘B’ team turned the tables on their ‘A’ team to claim the third Inter-club handicap squash championship, sponsored by Continental Contractors and Monarch and Haveli Restaurant at their glass-back court on Tuesday. The win was worth Rs.8,000, while the runners-up claimed Rs.4,000 in this Rs.21,000 tournament.

Otters made it a 1-2-3 as their ‘C’ team beat debutants Willingdon Catholic Gymkhana 2-1 for the third place. 

In this tournament each player enjoys a certain points handicap against a superior opponent. A point is deducted from that handicap for the next set if the favoured wins the set. Niraj Shirgaokar, who began with a three point handicap, put Otter’s ‘B’ one up, upsetting international Paul Ferriera  in five grueling sets 15-10, 11-15, 15-8, 11-15, 15-9. 

Cyrus Warden followed it up with a 15-14, 15-14, 13-15, 14-15, 15-10 win over Mangesh Nadkarni. In the inconsequent third tie, Vinay Bajaj lost to Nikhil Behl 12-15, 14-9, 4359v b15, 15-11, 14-15. Faraaz Patel, who had played a key role in Otters ’B’ team triumphs, could not play the final because of a knee problem. 

Chief guest billiards ace Michael Ferriera said sponsorship and exposure was needed to boost Indian sportspersons. He added, however, that nothing could be done if one sport continued to draw all others. 

Ferriera released on that occasion a souvenir brought out by the Indian Squash Professionals to raise funds, nearly Rs.2.5 lakhs, for the welfare of the professionals.

Mangesh Nadkarni Stars 
(Article in Times of India, Mumbai : 25/7/1996)

Mangesh Nadkarni ran himself to a standstill as he beat Sanjay Goyal in five grueling games to pave for Otters ‘C’ a 2-1 success over Juhu Centaur in the Continental. 

Contractors and Monarch handicap squash tournament. Nadkarni won 132-15, 13-15, 17-15, 15-12, 17-16. International Paul Ferriera had opened up the path for Otters ‘C’ beating Centaur’s Professional Riaz Shaikh 15-11, 15-12, 15-11. 

Others to move up in this weekend tournament which has Rs.21,000 in prize money were Willingdon Catholic Gymkhana, Otters ‘B’ and Otters ‘D’

Otters ‘B’ upset senior team for title 
(Article in Free Press Journal, Mumbai : 15/08/1996)

MUMBAI: OTTERS Club ‘B’ pulled off a major upset by defeating their senior outfit Otters Club ‘A’ by two matches to one in the final of the third annual Handicap Team Squash Championship, sponsored by Continental Contractors and Haveli Restaurant, at the glass-back court of the Otters Club here late on Tuesday night.

The winners for their effort picked up Rs.8,000/- the championship purse in the Rs.21,000/- event in which 20 teams participated. The losers had to be contend with the runners-up prize-money of Rs.6,000/-.

In the tussle for the third place Otters Club ‘C’ got the better of  Willingdon Catholic Gymkhana 2-1 and pocketed Rs.4,000/-, while the losers earned Rs.3,000/-.

Michael Ferreira, former world amateur billiards champion, was the quest of honour and he released a souvenir of the Indian Squash Professionals.

WCG UP 
(Article in Time of India, Mumbai : 23/06/1996)

WCG UP: Willingdon Catholic Gymkhana reached the third round of the Continental Contractors and Monarch handicap squash tournament but not before encountering stiff opposition from Khar Gymkhana’s women’s team.

Playing in the deciding third tie, WCG’s Rohit Colaco was taken to the decider by Sarita Jetwani before he won 12-15, 9-15, 17-15, 15-13, 15-12.