SQUASH MAGAZINE "PROSQUASH"

Launching of Golden Jubilee “Prosquash” Magazine

A Golden Jubilee of unforgettable squash 
(Article in Afternoon 29/04/2009)
On 21^st April 2009 at BMC Headquarters, Mumbai

The 50th edition of the PROSQUASH, the News Magazine of Indian Squash Professionals was released at BMC Headquarters by Mr. Anil Diggikar (Additional Commissioner of BMC, Projects) along with Noreena (VP, ISP), Mahesh Mangaonkar (British Junior Champion), Anjali Managaonkar (Mahesh Mangaonkar's mother) & Mahendra Agarwal (Founder Director, ISP)

PROSQUASH, the Indian Squash Professionals and its founder president Mahendra Agarwal has completed its Golden Jubilee. 50 issues of the newsletter have reached out to more the 3000 squash fraternity all over the country and abroad at no cost. 

Having started PROSQUASH, his expensive hobby, under the guidance of the late Raju Chainani, Agarwal has taken the game to never dreamt of heights nation wide through his unique publication. Chainani was bringing out  of his newsletter SIMPLY SQUASH but he was more international and didn’t devote much time to the grassroots game. He advised Mahendra Agrawal to come up with newsletter, which had more of Indian squash news. PROSQUASH decided to highlight the activities and as the activities grew the news increased from four to the present 12 pages.

Although Mumbai-based, the coverage of PROSQUASH is nationwide; its reach and influence among players, coaches and administrators, as also in the corridors of power in New Delhi, considerable. 

The world of squash was a small compact one. There were the south Mumbai clubs like CCI, Bombay Gymkhana and Willingdon Sports Club and at the other Club. The activity was limited to a few tournaments. 

It took the vision of Mahendra Agarwal to go beyond that, provide opportunities for the professionals by first organizing tournaments exclusively for them then he started handicap and doubles events. 

PROSQUASH began featuring other development activities like coaching camps. 

In time PROSQUASH began featuring performing youngsters and these clippings come handy for the players when seeking admission into foreign universities and applying for squash scholarships. There are a number of youngsters who have thus benefited. 

All in all PROSQUASH has played its role in taking the sport of squash to another level. The more the merrier saying applies to sport. There is the national federation, there is looming presence of Indian Squash Professionals using its ingenuity to create events that capture the imgination of people beyond the squash courts. 

PROSQUASH has reflected this ingenuity and its special. Let’s hope PROSQUASH marches on to the other succeeding jubilees in a manner that will capture the imagination of grateful squash fraternity.

Click here for Press cuttings in Afternoon  // Free Press Journal (29/04/2009)

Prosquash completes 50 years 
(Article in Indian Express 3/05/2009)

 Prosquash, the news magazine of the Indian Squash Professionals completed its Golden Jubilee. The brainchild of Mahendra Agarwal, the founder member of ISP, the magazine has grown from the initial issue of four page avatar. The magazine has provided a platform for squash players at all levels to gain exposure, glean information and voice their grievances, with pride of place being awarded to the professionals (called markers) the backbone of any sport in the country.

Click here for Press cuttings

PROSQUASH turns fifty 
(Article in Mid-Day 04/05/2009)

PROSQUASH, the news magazine of the Indian Squash Professionals, distributed free of cost to sporting clubs and institutions all over the country and to more than 3000 individuals, has completed its golden jubilee. The brainchild  of Mahendra Agarwal, the founder member of ISP, the magazine has grown from the initial issue of four pages to its current 16 page avatar. 

The magazine has provided a platform for squash players at all levels to gain exposure, glean information and voice their grievances, with pride of place being awarded to the professionals (called markers) the backbone of any sport in the country. 

The magazine has focused on the grass root level, awarded scholarships to deserving kids, helped talented players gain sponsorships and has also benefited a lot of youngsters seeking admissions abroad in reputed universities.

The 50^th issue of PROSQUASH was released recently by ISP Executive Director Anil Diggikar (Additional Municipal Commissioner of BMC, projects) along with ISP founder director Mahendra Agarwal in the presence of talented youngster Mahesh Mangaonkar, the junior British Open champion and Noreena, VP, ISP.

Click here for Press cuttings in Mid-day

• Article in Lokmat (2/05/2009)
• Article in Nav Shakti (29/04/2009)
• Article in DNA (After hrs) - (10/05/2009)
• Article in Hindustan Times Cafe (9/05/2009)
• Article in Navakal (1/05/2009)
• Article in Vartahar (30/04/2009)
• Article in Navbharat Times (29/04/2009)
• Article in Janmabhoomi (08/5/2009)

Launching of 25th issue of "Prosquash" Magazine

Prosquash: 25 and still going strong

Mid-Day – 16 / 01 / 2003

Manish Chotrani (National Champion) unveiling 25th issue of 
Prosquash Magazine along with Rakesh Lakhanpal (Executive Committe Member, ISP) 
and Mahendra Agarwal (Founder Director)

IT’S been a squashing decade, so to say, for the Indian Squash Professionals, a non-profit organization founded in 1993 to promote the game in the country. Exactly a decade back in January’93 the ISP conducted the first ever squash tournament since independence only for Professionals as well as a doubles tournament.

Since then, ISP has organised 43 tournaments, 10 free coaching camps all over the country and adopted three players – Arif Paul, Deepali Anvekar and Priyanka Yadav.

Also marking a silver jubilee of sorts was the ISP’s squash magazine ‘Prosquash’, the 25^th issue of which was unveiled by the recentiy crowned national champion Manish Chaotrani at a function last evening.

The magazine is distributed to 3,000 squash players free of cost throughout the country.

PROSQUASH’ TURNS 25

The Free Press Journal – 18 / 01 / 2003

THE Indian Squash Professionals, a non-profit making organization, set up in 1993 by Mahendra Agarwal to forward the cause of the professionals, reached a milestone when they released the 25^th edition of their monthly news magazine ‘Prosquash’.

The honour of releasing the 25^th edition of ‘Prosquash’ was given to recently crowned men’s national champion, Manish Chotrani at a function held at the Press Club on Tuesday.

‘Prosquash’ is being distributed to 3000 squash players free of cost and is read by more than 15,000 squash lovers throughout the country. Charting the achievements of ISP, Mahendra Agarwal said that the ISP had conducted 43 tournaments till date, organised 100 free coaching camps all over India, including Rajkot and Mussorie and adopted three players (Arif Paul, Deepali Anvekar and Priyanka Yadav).

The ISP also has its own website, www.ispsquash.com, the only active squash website in the country, which receives, at an average, 1,50,000 hits per month. According to Agarwal, the ISP was instrumental in introducing Rehmat Khan, the coach of the legendary Jehangir Khan, to Indian squash. He conducted two camps for ISP and went on to work for SRAM. The ISP was also instrumental in getting the government of Maharashtra’s recognition for squash in May 2000, in association with SRAM.

PROSQUASH LAUNCHED (11-12-1996)

Boost for squash pros

Pioneer : 12/12/1996 RAHMAT KHAN, the erstwhile coach of squash legend Jahangir Khan, has offered his services to the Indian Squash Professionals, an organization formed for the betterment of the professionals or markers as they are called. At a function to release their newsletter, Pro Squash, detailing the activities of professionals and Indian squash in general, Rehmat, a first cousin of Jahangir, said he was coming back to the game after a seven year gap and would be happy to be instrumental in helping the young squash talent in the country.

Releasing the news-letter, Mr Phiroze Pandole, the grand old man of squash, said it was laudable that someone had come forward to help the professionals.

He recalled the days when Pakistani professionals worked at Mumbai’s clubs and raised the standards of Indian squash.

Subhash Wali, one of the directors of ISP, said the organization wanted to bring all the squash professionals in the country under their umbrella so that they could improve themselves and in turn help the youngsters at the clubs where they worked.

Vaman Apte, newly elected president of the Squash Rackets Federation of India promised full support to the ISP.

The ISP has on its rolls nearly 50 professionals working at the city’s clubs and five star hotels.