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Since cricket is very much the flavour of the
month, it may not be altogether out of place to draw a parallel between
legend Sunil Manohar Gavaskar and Mahendra Agarwal, our very own squash
lover and patron.
It is said that although Gavaskar had an insatiable appetite for runs, he
did not bother overly about keeping an eye on the score-board when at the
crease. Garnering runs was his magnificent obsession.
Similarly, despite his all-consuming passion for the game - which has
found expression through a red hot zeal to set up new squash courts,
organise new and more and more tournaments - the indefatigable Mahendra
has seldom cared to keep count of his achievements. |
The Founder-Director (he is much too young and young-at-heart to be called
grand daddy) of Indian Squash Professionals (ISP), Mahendra Agarwal will
achieve the distinction of organising its Golden Jubilee tournament next
week at Mumbai's Khar Gymkhana.
Mahendra's achievement is mind-boggling, when you consider the problems
and hard work involved in weaning our sports sponsors away from their love
affair with the game of cricket.
But then, he has also taken short cuts by putting his hands in his own
(oversized) pockets to make funds available, whenever they have not been
forthcoming.
Mahendra's feat is undeniably unparalleled in the history of Indian and
-arguably - world sport. In all likelihood, it merits inclusion in the
Guinness Book of Records and, of course, it's Indian equivalent - the
Limca Book of
Records.
Apart from tournaments, Mahendra has organised free coaching camps in
various parts of the country.
International coaches such as Rehmat Khan (Pakistan and U.K.) and Abdul
Shaikh (Canada) have been called upon to hone the skills of club players
and professionals (markers) in Mumbai.
Mahendra's unstinted personal efforts to improve the lot of our markers
are well-known.
Moreover, ISP has "adopted" four players, set up its own website
www.ispsquash.com and continues to publish the country's leading squash
magazine "PROSQUASH", which is distributed free of cost to 3000
players and
read by an estimated 15,000 lovers of the game in India and abroad.
On behalf of the Squash Racquets Association of Maharashtra (SRAM) and the
burgeoning squash community of our state, I have great pleasure in wishing
ISP and Mahendra Agarwal on their Golden Jubilee tournament and conveying
to them our very best wishes for the future in their commendable
endeavours.
Sincerely,
Khalid A. H Ansari
President
Sydney, Jan. 20, '04.
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