NEWS LETTER OF THE INDIAN SQUASH PROFESSIONALS                                                           Vol 5 No.4 Issue No. 20 October 2001.

WEBSITE: www.ispsquash.com     Email : squashindia@hotmail.com & squashindia@yahoo.com 

DIRECTORS: MAHENDRA AGARWAL/ 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)
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Aamir Khan promotes squash
First Public Squash Court in Maharashtra

SRAM President Khalid Ansari honours Aamir Khan with a memento at the inauguration of the Mid Day A-H Ansari Squash Academy at Andheri complex.

  
Film star kept his cycle and cricket bat aside for a day and wielded a squash racket instead. The occasion was the inauguration of the Mid Day A-H Ansari Squash Academy at Shahu Raje Andheri Sports Complex. "It is a good beginning. It is high time that our country produces a world champion in this lovely sport," said Aamir , suitably impressed.
It was another big day for squash. The academy will give a big boost to a game popularly perceived as elitist. Courts are open to the public for a very nominal rate. The academy, the first of its kind in the state, is sponsored by Mid Day Multimedia Ltd in memory of its foU and freedom fighter, the late A-H Ansari, for the Squash Racquets Association of Maharashtra (SRAM).
A regular squash player, Khan played a round of exhibition squash with Mid Day Multimedia Managing Director Tariq Ansari, Bhushan Gagrani (Director-General, Information and Public Relations and deputy secretary to the Chief Minister) and U-11 champion Vikram Malhotra after launching the three
Aamir Khan with 
Mr. Bhushan Gagrani (IAS)
state-of-the-art courts. SRAM president and Mid Day Multimedia Ltd chairman  Khalid A-H Ansari described the occasion as "a dream come true. It has been our endeavour for years to take squash to the masses. We're confident that these public courts will produce future champions. If Pakistan can produce world champions in squash, we believe so can we." Khan also handed out trophies to some of the junior squash players for their performance in the recently concluded Fujifilm Hong Kong Junior Squash Open. Nikita Emanuel (winner in the U-11 category), Alisha Mashruwala (winner in the U-13), Naishad Lalwani (runner-up in the U-13), Supreet Singh and Anurag Gill were among the young talents honoured by SRAM. Also present at the inauguration were Mr Bhushan Gagrani (IAS),Deputy Municipal Commissioner D D Jadhav, Mr. Mahendra Agarwal (Hon. Sec, SRAM), Gautam Thakkar and Late Raju Chainani. The complex is open for SRAM member on a pay-and-play basis everyday from 10 am and 4 pm. SRAM membership is available to the general public at an annual rate of Rs 120 for players who are U-19 & Rs 240 for above 19. For the peak hour timings players may directly contact officials of Andheri Sports Complex.

Amir Khan with Chandrakant Pawar (Dir. ISP), Riaz Mohammad (Mem. ISP) and Mahendra Agarwal (Dir. ISP)
 
Indian lass is Canada No One


Ruchika Kumar

 Two Indian sisters in Oakville, Ontario, are making a name for themselves in the sport of squash and they capped off the year by not only winning the Canadian Open in December, but winning it in the next older age category. Ruchika Kumar 16, a Q.E. Park student, won the U-19 division, while Neha Kumar, 12, a Pilgrim Wood elementary school student, won the U-15 division. Both went on to earn bronze at the U.S. Junior Open, both losing in the semifinals to the eventual champion. At the Scottish Open, which wrapped up on Dec. 30, Neha won gold allowing only three points in the entire tournament (in the final game of the best of five Two Indian sisters in Oakville, Ontario, are making a name for themselves in the sport of squash and they capped off the year by not only winning the Canadian Open in December, but winning it in the next older age category. Ruchika Kumar 16, a Q.E. Park student, won the U-19 division, while Neha Kumar, 12, a Pilgrim Wood elementary school student, won the U-15 division. Both went on to earn bronze at the U.S. Junior Open, both losing in the semifinals to the eventual champion. At the Scottish Open, which wrapped up on Dec. 30, Neha won gold allowing only three points in the entire tournament (in the final game of the best of five championship match) while Ruchika settled for silver after losing the championship match. 
Their parents are from India. Father, Rahul Kumar is from Chandigarh and Mother, Sadhana Kumar is from New Delhi. Her Dad left India when he was 15 years old to study and then moved to Hong Kong. Her parents were married in Delhi and she was born in Hong Kong. She began playing squash (along 
with other sports-badminton, tennis, swimming, gymnastics etc) at the age of 6 and won her first medal at the age of 7 at the Hong Kong Jr. championships. In Canada when they moved in 1993 both her sister and Ruchika continued to play squash competitively. One tournament led to the next...She has proudly represented Canada twice at the Junior World Championships, and hopes to be one of the top Canadians in women's squash in the future. She also enjoys teaching squash to younger children and have completed her Level I coaching certificate in Canada.
 
Pay and play at Pimpri
Second Public Squash Court: Residents of the Pimpri Chinchwad area near Pune can now pay and play squash. The Squash Racquets Association of Maharashtra (SRAM), which has pledged to spread the game state-wide has succeeded in getting a Squash Court at Pimpri-Chinchwad (Pune) for use without payment by members of SRAM from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. The court has been made available with immediate effect to SRAM through the good offices of Shri. Anil Diggikar, Muncipal Commissioner of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation. Members of the Public in Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad wishing to take advantage of the scheme should contact Ms. Steffi D'Souza (10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. except Saturday and Sunday) on 9522-494 2586.
 

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