NEWS LETTER OF THE INDIAN SQUASH PROFESSIONALS Issue No.11
WEBSITE: www.ispsquash.com E-MAIL : squashindia@hotmail.com
DIRECTORS: MAHENDRA AGARWAL/ SUBHASH WALI / NARENDRA GOUR (I.R.S.) CHANDRAKANT
PAWAR.OUR HONORARY MEMBERS: NAVNEET SONI(I.R.S.) / BHARAT BHUSHAN (I.R.S.) / SAIFEE
JANI (M.D. JANI SALES LTD.) / RAJESH LIHALA( M.D. SHIVA MARKETING LTD) / RAKESH LAKHANPAL
(M.D. S.S.KNITTING IND.) MUKESH BABU(CHAIRMAN, MUKESH BABU SECURITIES LTD)HONOURED PATRONS:VIVEK NAIR(VICE CHAIRMAN & MD THE LEELA)/SAJJAN JINDAL VICE
CHAIRMAN & M.D.JINDAL GROUP OF COMPANIES)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Over 50 squash players from Mumbai had an ideal weekend. They got away from the city and played to their heart's content.They got the opportunity during the Professional Squash Association's handicap team event for the Jindal Cup at Vasind, about 75 km. away. The handicap, revised after each game on the basis of a player's performance, made for a level-playing field. The fact that it was a team event added to the fun and involvement.
Almost inevitably every match was keenly contested. Most, including a semi-final and the final, were decided on the fifth and final match. As the teams had to compete on a league-cum-knock-out format which had clearly been inspired by the recent World Cup the players hardly got a respite. When they did have a break they relaxed by jumping into the nearby pool. It was all invigorating, the squash as well as the swim. Otters Club underlined the wealth of talent in their midst as all their three teams reached the semi-finals unmindful of the handicap. Willingdon Catholic Gymkhana took the fourth spot. Eventually, Otters A took the title and the top prize of Rs. 6,000 by defeating Otters B, who received Rs. 4,000, in a rip-roaring final. Vikas Jangra of Jindal was adjudged the most promising on view and awarded a trophy. Mr. T. Kalbhor of Jindal Iron and Steel Co., who gave away the prizes, assured that the tournament would be an annual affair. Such was the fun and the hospitality that the players would look forward to it.
The Indian Squash Professionals has adopted one more player. She is Priyanka Yadav who took to the game barely one year ago but shows considerable promise because of her athletic background. Priyanka was a good tennis player before she switched to squash and started playing at the Cricket Club of India in April, 1998. She was a member of the Maharashtra tennis squad that won a silver at the National Schools Championship. Before that Priyanka was good at badminton and won a number of certificates and medals at school meets. Her interests extend to martial arts where she is the recipient of a green belt.
Thanks to her athleticism and ball sense, Priyanka has risen rapidly to be fifth in the Head Indian Squash ratings for girls under 19. The 17-year-old, who stands five feet, four inches, has just passed her higher secondary examination with flying colours. The daughter of Mr. S.P.S. Yadav, additional commissioner of police (traffic) and Dr. Usha Yadav who is posted at the G.T. Hospital, Priyanka has also set her sights on the civil services examination. Like Deepali Anvekar, the first to be adopted by the ISP, Priyanka gets free membership at The Leela and will be coached by Chandrakant Pawar who has moulded most of Mumbai's top players.