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Press Articles of Raju Chainani (1996) |
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The Times of India 22/5/1996 BOMBAY, May 22. THREE weeks have passed since X Satinder
Pal Bajwa has been in town. His presence at the CCI courts with 19 juniors
has certainly opened a lot of eyes, the approach has been thoroughly
professional and has been appreciated by many. One question remains.
Should the, Squash Rackets Federation of India have not used his expertise
to: help the Indian juniors who are currently preparing for the World
Championships in July? Across the maidan, at the
Bombay Gymkhana courts, the SRFI is holding a camp for the under-19 and under-16 boys. Ananth Nayak is
in charge of the younger lot and they practice in the afternoons. They
also go twice a week to Bajwa. The under-19 probables play in the mornings
and are under Yogendra Singh's care. So far, none of them has even had a
cup of tea with Bajwa. One has to ask if this is in the best interests of Indian
squash. The SRFI may have had its judgment clouded by certain vested interests who did
their best to scuttle Bajwa's camp and even questioned his credentials.
Had anyone bothered to come down to the CCI courts, be it an SRFI official
or the perpetually absent SRAM, they would have seen for themselves. But,
as one diehard suggested, "The happy hour doesn't start till six V
clock. How can you expect anybody during the day?" It is a sad state of affairs. Here we have the coach of the
world number one at our doorstep. He's made it quite clear that he wants
to help Indian squash. Arjan
Singh has flown down specially to work with him. He feels it's worth it
but our champion officials have their own ideas. Who has, suffered in the
bargain? Bajwa did make it clear that he did not at any stage want
to tread on anybody's toes. Anyone who had a false sense of security
should have taken heed from that. The SRFI has used a gentle approach,
shaking hands with the NRISA en route. At least this was a step in the right direction. But, when
at the SRAM, things have remained on hold. It is this sort of attitude that has crippled the progress
of the game. Think about if with regards to Bajwa, Here is somebody who
coaches the world champion and has done so for the last three yearn. Here
is somebody who is our own flesh and blood and who has established a
name for himself worldwide. Is it that he's good enough to. coach
Jansher but not our top, juniors? There's still time for the SRFI to act and help the
juniors get the best. The soap opera doesn't quite end here. The SRFI have
asked Ananth Nayak to be the manager of the junior team for the world
championships.
With Yogendra Singh going as coach, the days of the water-bottle carrier
seem to be over. But, Ananth and Yogendra seem to be communicating in the
language and this birdie number issue needs to be resolved before the trip
to Kiwiland. |
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Squash heroes to grace Brabourne |
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The Times of India 28-11-1996 MUMBAI: Every sport has its legends. Sir Don Bradman, Pele, Jack Nicklaus, Rod Laver and Carl Lewis immediately come to mind. Squash is no different except that most of its famous names have originated from a little village called Nawakilla on the North West Frontier. This is the kingdom of the Khans, the place where Hashim, Azam, Roshan, Moibullah, Jahangir and jansher have their roots. In less than a week's time, the hallowed turf of the Brabourne Stadium is the stage for the Mahindra International. The news of Jansher confirm ing his entry has been well received in the metropolis. Four decades ago, Hashim played at the CCI courts. Five years ago, Jahangir came down and now, it's Jansher Khan's turn. There was no Thunder dome when Hashim and Jahangir were in Mumbai. Come December, we should have the open air setting and a world class field that has made the Mahindra International one of the most sought after events on the PSA circuit. Joining Jansher are two of his colleagues, Zubair Jahan Khan and his elder brother Zarak. They come from Quetta but there's plenty of squash blood in them. Their eldest brother Hidayat (known to the fraternity as Hiddy) was arguably the hardest hitter the game has seen and rose to be world number two during an era dominated by Geoff Hunt and Jonah Barrington. Zarak won the 1994 Asian senior championships at Kuala Lumpur. Of late, It's been younger brother Zubair who has overtaken him in the world rankings. Zubair has climbed to 16, two spots ahead of Zarak. Whilst the Jahan Khan brothers would be at best regarded as dangerous floaters in the main draw, all eyes will be on Jansher, the mean ma chine from Peshawar. As he tiptoes his way to retrieve a ball or stretches to play a wall hugger or moves his opponent around with casual ease, the class of the man becomes very evident. Jansher Khan, the legend, is a few days away from making his debut In Mumbai, the home of Indian squish. It is fitting that he is to play at the CCI where many a great player has graced the courts. When you stop to ponder about the world's top 22 players led by the mercurial Khan coming to the metropolis, there is a tingle of anticipation and excitement. Is the Brabourne Stadium going to see a Khan-sonic display? |
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Southern comfort or sunlight stops play |
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The Sun 29-9-1996 The choice of Madras as the venue for the 1997 Asian junior championships has come about because of financial considerations. India had bid for the event and Bombay was to play host. That did not happen as the cost of accommodation was too high. The Squash Rackets Federation of India (SRFI) thought of Calcutta and Delhi as alternatives. But it was Madras that came up with the sponsors and got the nod. At this point in time, there are just three courts in Madras which could be used for the event. Two of them are closed courts and there is a glass-back. The glass-back has an open-air setting. As such, it would be difficult to play during the day due to the sun. At Madras there could be a situation where "Sunlight stops Play!" The pressure on the two closed courts would be increased as a result. None of the courts is air-conditioned. This would make it tough on the visiting teams and provide a major advantage for . the hosts. The Malaysian juniors played in Bombay in April in non-air-conditioned courts and they were struggling on the third day. Fans and air coolers would help but in reality they do not provide the comfort of the air-conditioned courts. With the paucity of playing facilities in Madras, the event cannot be completed in eight or nine days. Extending the event is not what the doctor ordered but in this case, there may be no other choice. Given the circumstances, there is a possibility of two rounds being played in a day and this is something which could lead to protests. If a canopy was put up to prevent the sunlight seeping in onto the glass-back, more use could be made of this court. But it could add to the discomfort of the players as conditions may get rather stuffy. The other problem area is the practice courts. With a tight match schedule, the time available for the players to have a hit may be very restricted. The executive director of the Asian Squash Federation (ASF) Major (rtd) Haridas Nair is flying to Madras this weekend to inspect the facilities. He was in India immediately after the Singapore Open and his first stop was Madras. But the politics of the game have been such that the secretary-general of the Indian federation did not make contact with him. Had this been done, the ASF would have had a first hand report a month ago. Instead, we have a classic scenario of the member countries being advised of the event before the facilities have been looked at. As of now, the event is to take place in Madras. But if Haridas finds the facilities to be inadequate, it could lead to an awkward situation. The last thing the ASF would want is a fiasco. It has done extremely well to keep this event going since it was initiated in Singapore in February 1983. It has not missed out on a single Asian championship and would like 1997 to keep up that tradition. There is no entry fee for the Asian championships. For the world team event, the participating countries pay an amount which usually covers the accommodation cost. This is the main item of expense and once it has been taken care of, the rest is not so difficult. Perhaps the time has time for the ASF to introduce an entry fee for future Asian championships. There are 27 member countries of the ASF. So far, Singapore (1983 and 1993), Hongkong (1985 and 1995), Karachi (1987), Bahrain (1989) and Colombo (1991) have hosted the Asian junior championships. That is, five member countries out of the 27. If there was an entry fee, the possibility of the poorer cousins holding this event would increase. There are strong sentiments within the ASF on the entry fee matter but one has to move with the times. The ASF should follow the World Squash Federation. Early next week, we should know the fate of the 1997 Asian junior championships. It is not just a matter of to be or not to be. The interest of the players has to be safeguarded. Haridas has the job of telling everybody whether Madras will provide southern comfort. Note: Raju Chainani is the editor of Simply Squash. |
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Trials
for Asian juniors in Chennai Times of India 25-10-1996 MUMBAI, October 24. It is going to be a working Deepavali for India's top under 19 squash juniors. They have been summoned to Chennai to take part in the 'provisional trials (whatever that may mean) from November 1 to 6 for the Asian junior squash championships to be held in February next year. That is just the beginning. After this round of selections the players have to attend a coaching camp. According to an SRFI letter "the date and venue of the coaching camp will be decided by the federation depending on the performance of the participants at the selection trials". The junior nationals were held in Chennai a few weeks ago. Except for K C.Mehra, the SRFI president, the other members of the selection committee, N. Ramachandran, Manan Mashruwalla and Srivastan Subramaniam, were apparently present. Why did the SRFI not use the Nationals as the basis of selection? Those who know about squash are aware that players like to peak for a major event. The top juniors had prepared for the Nationals and put forth their best, To be asked to return a few weeks later is grossly unfair. The players have to find time for their studies as well. The SRFI ought to be concerned about such matters as well. The SRFI letter mentions that a junior national coach would be a special invitee for the selections. Which is strange because it is the coach who should be providing the inputs. Why have the SRFI dragged their feet on appointing a national coach? Till July, Rajdeep Brar was given that responsibility, Has he been given the push just like Ananth Nayak and Yogendra Singh were earlier? SRFI secretary-general N. Ramachandran has suggested that he is "only the financier for the Asian championships" and that other decisions are made by people like Manan Mashruwalla. Unfortunately for Indian squash, personal issues are becoming the order of the day. Some of what Mashruwalla has done has raised a lot of question marks. For the Asian, we need our best team. It doesn't matter who somebody likes or dislikes. Mashruwalla has the backing of Ramachandran. One has to ask why the SRFI president is keeping a low profile when he should be cracking the whip. So far the SRFI have done nothing about the way the Indian team's trip to Cairo for the world juniors was messed up. Instead, the person responsible has been invited to be part of a core committee. By the way, the players who have been asked to go to Chennai for the selections are making their own travel arrangements. Some of them have obviously learnt the lessons from the Cairo trip . |
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The Times of India 11-12-1996 SINGAPORE: Mumbai's Parth Doshi, the number three seed has reached the final of the Perrier Asian boys under-16 squash satellite. Doshi upstaged the number two seed, H. Goonasena (Sri Lanka) 9-6, 4-9, 9-3, 9-3 in the semi final. He beat So Pak Hei (Hong Kong) 9-2, 9-2, 9-0 in the quarter-final. Doshi plays fourth seed Abdul Azmin (Malaysia) in the final. Azmin defeated top seed Kenny Ng (Malaysia) 10-8, 9-0, 7-9, 9-2 in the semi finals. Doshi is India's sole entry in the tournament. This is surprising because India have a good record in the event. Last year, Rohan Bhappu won the boys under-l6 and Arif Paul the boys under-19. The Perrier Asian satellites provide an excellent opportunity for players in the region to gain experience. This year, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, India and Singapore have entered. '"We have two satellites. After the Singapore leg, the players go to Kuala Lumpur for the second satellite. The Asian Squash Federation is keen to expand the circuit next year," said Major (retd) Haridas Nair, executive director, Asian Squash Federation. DELHI SAIL THROUGH: Delhi 'A' sailed through the round robin league easily winning all the five ties against West Bengal on the opening day of the National squash championships at the Delhi Gymkhana here. In a one-sided affair, Delhi lad Udai Singh beat Sunil Pramanik of Bengal in straight sets 9-0, 9-0, 9-1. Sameer Thukral then routed K. Sarana 9-0, 9-0, 9-0. Ritwik Bhattacharya and Yogendra Singh also won in straight sets giving a good start to the hosts, while Lalit Verma got a walk over from J.Choudhary. The opening day saw Services beat Punjab 5-0. In a one-sided affair Rajdeep Brar of Services beat Manjit Singh (Punjab) 9-5, 9-1, 9-3. The Punjab lads were no match for the strong Services team, losing all the five matches in straight sets. Navneet Narain of Services defeated Sundeep Bhatia 9-0, 9-2, 9-0 while Lt. R. Teotia thrashed Amit Verma 9-0, 9-0, 9-0. Ravinder Malik (Services) dominated Saravdeep Singh (Punjab) from the beginning and easily won the encounter 9-3, 9-1, 9-3. Chandigarh had to fight hard for their win over Maharashtra 'B' 3-2. Maharashtra 'B' also lost to Delhi 'A' in another pool 'B' encounter. Results: Services beat Punjab 5-0; Delhi 'A' beat W Bengal 5-0; Chandigarh beat Maharashtra 'B' 3-2; Services 'A' beat W, Bengal 5-0; Chandigarh beat Punjab 5-0; Delhi 'A' beat Maharashtra 'B' 5-0 (UNI) |
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Asiad
to include squash, kabaddi The Times of India 13-12-1996 BANGKOK: Squash has found a Santa Claus in the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA). Sheikh Ahmad al Sabah, president of the OCA, told the general assembly on Monday that the 1998 Asian Games at Bangkok would include squash as a discipline. The Asian Squash Federation's of forts were almost thwarted as last Sunday Bangladesh put in a bid for kabbadi to be included. The OCA held over their final decision for 24 hours before announcing that both sports would be given entry, An impressive presentation to the OCA by the ruling bodies in squash did have the necessary effect. The facts pointed out were that squash had been included in the 1998 Commonwealth Games, squash was part of major multi-sport events like the South East Asia Games and the Pan American Games, squash has 27 member countries in Asia, squash's men's world champions nave mainly originated from Asia. In addition, the continent would have hosted eight world championships including two junior championships in the six years from 1993-1998. In the overall analysis, an extensive document "New trends in world squash, 1985-95," by Indian journalist Raju Chainani has been widely acclaimed. The Squash Rackets Association of Malaysia (SRAM) was deeply involved in the Asian Games programme. The World Squash Federation stood solidly behind using its political clout. The media have played an important role. Be it print, television or of late the internet, squash has become a much more widely acknowledged sport than a decade ago. Within Asia, countries like Pakistan, Malaysia, I Hong Kong and India have given extensive coverage of major championships. |
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Press Articles of Raju Chainani (1995) |
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Afternoon 24th May 1995 INDIAN squash has its own vision of this box office hit The
Oscar nominations have been there for the last five years during which
time certain officials have had a ball. From the time Raj Manchanda became
vice-president of the Squash Rackets Association of India (SRFI) there's
been many a tale of the unexpected. Today, with Shiv Hazari in the chair
as Secretary General, the saga continues. Remember the Asian
championships at Calcutta in 1990? The
T-shirts disappeared and no one was made answerable. Some people were
seen wearing a new T-shirt everyday. Some weren't as fortunate as they
were given water in dirty beer bottles. In the Chowringhee mist, there was
plenty of fun and games. A year later, Manchanda was sent as the coach of the Indian
team to the Asian juniors at Colombo. For reasons only he can explain,
the team turned up late for the official reception hosted by Madam
Premadasa. It was only a stone's "throw away to the venue and when
the Indians rolled in, many a head turned. Perhaps the distractions of
Colombo took precedence. Again, no one was made accountable. On court Manchanda was a master. His ball control was
something
out of the ordinary. If only he had helped other players team some of his guile and technique.
Indian squash would have been much better of. Instead he chose to be part
of the establishment. The rein lies the story of the first wedding. Alongside, there was KJ. Vohra and Shishir Bajoria, the two
secretaries of the SRFI. Then there was Harry Melwani who came in as
vice-president. There's a story about how Harry singh was actually
supposed to fill this vacancy but the wrong Harry got proposed. And so.
the SRFI had its four weddings. Sadly, all ended in divorce as the
quartet are no longer in office. Vohra had aspirations to be national coach. He had been abroad as assistant to Manchanda and later for a referee's clinic. But his playing style led to many a joke including one which suggested "Who does he think he's coping? John Travolta??" Bajoria was the suave magnate from Calcutta. Work pressure took its toll and in the end he crossed swords with a few people. When the Indian team left Bombay for the 1993 Asian juniors, they traveled via Delhi and Calcutta to Singapore. It took all of fourteen hours. Melwani was in charge of making the travel arrangements. When it came to advising the bays on doping controls, our friend suggested it wasn't necessary and he would take personal responsibility. In time to cope, he was involved in an unsavory incident with five tunes National Champion, Meherwan Daruvala. Was it all necessary? Perhaps being in the chair led to this power mania. Melwani is still at the helm in a south Bombay club. And there's talk of some grandiose scheme of erecting a Taj Mahal. At present, the search is on for Noor Jehan. Just imagine, four weddings and all with a tearful partition. Did the SRFI learn from all this? When Bajoria left, Shiv Hazari was still in Calcutta and he took over in December '93. His tenure has been just eighteen months, a record in the annals of Indian squash. When the rains come to Bombay, Shiv Hazari would be ready to leave for Singapore on a work assignment. During his term of office, there's been plenty of controversy. Had he chosen to sort things out with Bombay, it might have helped a lot Instead there were remarks made which can best be described as unparliamentary. The situation got from bad to worse and a particular junior camp was conducted in the sizzling heat of Delhi only because of a bullheaded attitude. The boys suffered, the results spoke for themselves and it was all eminently avoidable. Indian squash had by now
touched an all time low. The
weddings were over and the funeral march had begun, In the steel city of
Jamshedpur, the SRFI President, K.C. Mehra, had his throne. Could he do
something to correct this mess? When Bombay's Kaiyoze Billimoria and Micky Dalai were
appointed as Joint Secretary and vice-president of the SRFI in March this
year, it looked promising. Indeed, it still does. Both have experienced
the political maze that exists in the federation. Both have seen the way
in which one is played against the other. It's a masterful game of mental
chess. Take Ananth Nayak's sacking. Just about everybody has been blamed
for it and Harry Singh (who recently resigned as President of the
Maharshtra state association) must be wondering how he got left out. Incidentally, K.C. Mehra is in the metropolis. In the
congenial surroundings of the Shamiana, squash does get discussed once
in a while. Tales of the "Raj quartet" sometimes surface. Then
the akuri is washed down with orange juice and the summer breeze from
across blows the squash talk away. It's time for the matinee show. But,
wait a minute. With Shiv Hazari on his way out, the search is on for a new
star. Otherwise how can we have the 1995 version of "Four weddings
and a funeral". |
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Afternoon 16/10/1995 Satinder Bajwa is coming to Bombay in ten days time. The pony tailed sardar with his nonsense approach has become an important cog in the wheel of Indian squash. Since his first visit in May ’93, Bajwa has seen our juniors progress steadily. Had he been given the leeway by the powers that be, we might well have seen even better performances. Undeterred by the politicians, Bajwa has soldiered on. The players have responded. All four members of the current Indian senior team Arjan Singh, Rajdeer Brar, Akhil Behl and Arif Paul have trained with him. Our top juniors have done likewise, It is the under-16 category that is being targeted. At this month’s camp, no one over sixteen is being included. The reasoning is simple. It has to be a long term strategy. The under-12 and under-14 players need to be developed. If Malaysia can produce a world number two in the under-16, why can’t we? There has to be some method in the madness and in Satinder Bajwa, we have a professional who has the dedication and love for the game. He would dearly like to see an Indian Player emerge. Can it happen? The current lost of juniors are oozing with talent. They are keen, they work hard and they have taken to Bajwa’s ways. With the gradual increase in the number of tournaments, they get much more competition than in days gone by. There is now an accent on the fitness, something which wasn’t given so much attention before. And with sponsors like Deepak and Rajiv Kochar stepping in, there is hope for the future of Indian squash. The time round, the Squash Rackets Association of Maharshtra (SRAM) is very much involved. Things have changed in the corridors of power in Bombay squash. The cobwebs and the designer nosed officials are being phased out Instead we as see a refreshingly positive attitude . The players matter the most. The juniors deserve the attention and Bajwa is there to help them. The camp starts on Diwali day. Amidst the firecrackers, sweets and festivities, the London based coach has the job of inducting a sense of discipline to the trainees. He’s done well in the last couple of years. One thing you can be sure of. The Satinder Singh doesn’t believe in relaxing. (CENTRESTAGE EVENTS PVT. LTD.) |
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Afternoon 18/4/1995 THE World Squash Federation (WSF)
have come to India's rescue yet again. They have accepted our late entry
for November's World Men's team championships at Cairo. The cut off date
was February 26th by which time member countries had to confirm their
participation and pay US 600 (of the total of US 2350) entry fee. This
figure may seem to be large but it is essentially to cover the
accommodation charges for four players and one official for the duration
of the event. Anyway, February came and
went. The Squash Rackets Federation of India (SRFI) even put a press
release saying that Ravinder Malik had been appointed as the coach of the
men's team, interestingly, their press note is dated 29th March. It was
splashed all over India. Wouldn't it be reasonable to assume that the SRFI
had sent the entry? On 30th March, a fax. from the WSF said it all. "Twenty-eight teams had entered for the World Men's Team Championships by the closing date of 28th February. As you will see from this we have received no entry from India and as the closing date is long gone they would have to wait for someone to drop out if they wish to enter." Ted Wallbutton, Executive
Director of the WSF further explained, "We faxed a reminder to all
nations before that date so there was plenty of time. Also we have an
entry of 28 teams which means 7 pools
of 4 teams. If we go to 29 teams, the format is very difficult Due to
this, the Management Committee decided at their last meeting not to accept
any further entries. But we could also try to make them change their
minds!". More than 30 days had elapsed
since the entry deadline. It was time for the SRFI to make a feverem plea.
Some bureaucratic babu got in touch with the WSF. A few days ago, there
came a positive response. As Ted Wallbutton suggested in his fax of 13th
April, "We have made a decision that both India and Belgium will now
be admitted to the World Men's Team Championships and the number of
nations increased to 30. India stated that they had not received an entry
form probably due to some missing mail and on this basis we did everything
possible to include them." Missing mail? Missing fax
reminder? Last year we had a similar incident when the juniors were to
participate in the World Champion ships at Christchurch. The SRFI have a
paid employee in Delhi where everything has so far originated. Is anybody
accountable for this shocking state of affairs? The SRFI are meeting in
Bombay on Friday morning. Hopefully, the President, K.C. Mehra. will take
a strong view on this unholy mess. If it means that somebody has to
resign, so be it. Diwali is still six months away but there's a definite
threat of some fireworks at this SRFI meeting. |
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Afternoon 4th
January 1995 ADRIAN EZRA will remember the Calcutta Nationals for a long time. The six times champion was overweight, relatively unfit compared to the past few years and was woefully short of match practice. That he reached the final is a reflection on the state of affairs in the game today. Capt. Arjan Singh had lost to Adrian in the last two finals but at Calcutta, he came good. Arjan was two games down and trailed 2-4 in the third. But, as Adrian tired and went for the bold and the beautiful Arjan worked his way to a splendid victory. It was almost an identical reversal of the Madras final in 1992 when Arjan had been in the box seat. This year it was much closer as Adrian had his chances in the fourth and fifth games. There is no substitute for matchplay and Arjan who has trained throughout the year, showed that he can deliver the knockout punch. His 5-9,2-9,9-6,9-6,9-5 win took all of 79 minutes and the final was one of the best the National has seen in its 41-year history. Bombay's boys promised much but on the day, they were caught out in the individual event. Vinay Asthana was toppled by the Leela Kempinski professional, Chandrakant Pawar. It turned out to be a good National for Pawar as he won the professionals and the over-35 titles. Vineet Asthana did reach the semis but only after a struggle. He was thrashed by Adrian in a 23-minute encounter. Akhil Behl reached the quarterfinals, a good showing on his part and Arif Paul lost in the third round. But the boys had something in reserve for the Inter-State event. Adrian was not in the team as he was returning to England. Paul Ferreira, last year's hero, had opted not to make the trip to Calcutta. It was left to the five times National champion, Meherwan Daruvala to lead the way. Maharashtra duly made the finals of the team event. They stumbled a bit in the semis against West Bengal but were too strong in the end as Daruvala beat Kavi Seth 3-1 to ensure his side was through. The Services had powered their way into the finals and started as the favourites. Vinay Asthana gave Maharashtra the lead beating Lt. Navneet Narain in four games. It was very close and Asthana just managed to hold on. But, the situation changed as Capt. Ravinder Malik beat Akhil Behl easily and Capt. Arjan Singh routed Vineet Asthana. Then, Capt. Rajdeep Brar led Meherwan Daruvala 9-0, 9-1 and was 5-0 up in the third. It looked all over. But, Daruvala was to have the last laugh as he produced an unbelievable recovery to win the game and also the next two. Maharashtra had drawn level at 2-2 and it all hinged on Arif Paul's match against Lt. Pradeep Singh. The refereeing wasn't up to the mark. The tension was growing and when Pradeep Singh took the opener 9-0 and won the next game on a very debatable decision, it looked grim for Maharashtra. Arif Paul is a fighter. He hung on and Pradeep Singh tired. Paul won stylishly and his team had scored a sensational victory. They will remember Calcutta. The juniors had an "under the bed and no breakfast" arrangement thanks to the SRFI but this was put right by the generous organisers. It was Micky Chinoy, president of the Calcutta Racket Club who was in the thick of things, organising accommodation and keeping the teams happy. As for Daruvala, what can one say. It was his win that paved the way for Arif Paul to deliver the final punch. The champagne flowed at Chowringhee that night. The bells of St. Paul's Cathedral chimed even louder, as if congratulating the Bombay boys. They had stolen the thunder and the Services will not forget this loss easily. |
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Afternoon 26/4/1995 BOMBAY squash is on a roll. Abdul Shaikh set things in motion with his coaching certification programme last week. Of the 10 who qualified as level-two coaches, Fali Madon, Deepika Chandratreya and Rajdeep Brar are to assist Satinder Bajwa at a month long junior camp at the CCI courts. Meherwan Daruvala and Cyrus Poncha are coaching beginners at the Khar Gymkhana and Willingdon Club courts. Abdul Shaikh has returned to Vancouver with happy memories, He is due to return in September. The SRFI have agreed to use his services on a much wider scale and Shaikh will be travelling to other parts of the country henceforth. When Satinder Bajwa held his first camp last May, there was considerable opposition. It was an encore of what had happened a year earlier when four juniors were sent to train with the legendary Yusuf Khan at Seattle. But Bajwa's professionalism won the day. The results were there for all to see. As one senior player suggested, "That is what counts. Everything else is a lot of hot air." The SRFI were forced to take notice. Indeed, when the president, K.C. Mehra spoke to the juniors who had trained with Bajwa, he received positive vibes, Mehra acknowledged that the SRFI had erred and was quick to repair the situation From hereon, Bajwa's camps will be used by the SRFI to train India's top players. At the present camp, India's leading under-16 boys have been included. During the next fortnight they will be under his fetchful eyes and shall then be involved in the selection trials, India are to participate in the Perrier Asian Junior Mens Under-16 Championships at Kuala Lumpur (June 14-18) and Bajwa, Ananth Nayak and Kaiyoze Billimoria are to decide an the composition of the squad. K.C. Mehra came across forcefully at last Friday's SRFI meeting in the city, It was a case of enough is Enough." Mehra instructed that the selection trials for the under-16 team be completed well in advance (by the first week of M3y) and that there be no fracas with travel arrangements, foreign exchange and knitting. The grapevine suggests tail with the present Secretary-General, Shiv Hazari, likely to move to Singapore for his work commitments, the SRFI secretariat could find its way to Bombay. The present working arrangement has been far from satisfactory with Bombay being left in The dark on several matters. The SRFI's decision to use Abdul Shaikh and Satinder Bajwa as part of their overall gameplan must be lauded. "It doesn't matter who is helping to bring them to India. You have to be objective and apreciate that it is for the good of the game. We accept this and would like them to feel very welcome," Said Mehra. During the last two years, the SRFI have utilized the services of, Ananth Nayak and Yogendra Singh. Sadly, the powers-that-be seemed to be unsure of what it was best suited to the two. It be became a game of musical chairs as Nayak went once as manager and on the next trip as coach. He wasn't given a free hand and on one occasion he was accompanied by an official who had ostensibly come at no cost to the federation. Why had he tagged along? Was he the official shoe shine boy or the cook? Such tales of the unexpected have made Indian squash very interesting part of the game's lore. But now, a new chapter has begun where people are aiming to put the game before self. There is no better place to start than at Bombay, the home of Indian squash. Things are happening in the metropolis, be it Abdul Shaikh's clinic or Satinder Bajwa's camp or of new junior tournaments on the anvil. Of course, the Mickey Mouse
characters will continue to fry and put spokes in the wheel. TO only
difference is that they have no more access to the spokes. |
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By Raju Chainani BOMBAY, December 25. Arjan Singh was a deserving winner of the men's event at the 2nd National squash championships in Delhi. His straight games victory over six times champion Adrian Ezra was made easier by String of unforced errors by Ezra. At his level of competition nobody can afford the luxury of making the tin a happy companion. Ezra, after his splendid win over Haul Ferreira in he semis, was made to pay a heavy price for this. The Willingdon courts at the Delhi Gymkhana were celebrating their 60th year. The locals were at heir vociferous best in the semis Where Udai Singh came within a whisker of beating Arjan. He was two games and 28 down when the recovery mission began. Udai, the clown prince of Indian quash, is a joy to watch when he is on song. He forced the match into the decider but let Arjan enjoy a 6-1 lead there. Hard as he tried, it wasn't enough and Arjan held on to win the game 9-7. The match of the tournament was Undoubtedly between Ezra and Paul Ferreira. The free flowing style and superb athleticism of the Bombayites won them many fans. In the and, Ferreira was caught out in the fifth game and Ezra went through to his ninth consecutive final. National under-19 champion Akhil Behl showed he was a force to reckon with. Behl gave Fererria many an awkward moment in their quarter-final encounter which went the distance. This was a national where it was suggested that you play for prestige and not for prize-money. Such a situation hasn't happened for many a year but the Squash Rackets Federation of India (SRFI) decided 1995 was to be different. Bombay had offered to host the event and a detailed proposal had been submitted eleven months ago. Some where, someplace, somehow, all that effort remains gathering dust. The national should be the last event on the calendar. Instead it turned out to be the first. The ANZ Grindlays Western India and the Hong Kong Bank open were pushed back for no accountable reason. Delhi were told at the eleventh hour to organise the national and, under the circumstances , they did a good job. Without the officials, there would be no fun and games. A former vice-president of the parent body turned up at Delhi and the story was that he was checking if the entry forms of a major Bombay event had reached in time. But he was in the second division when compared to the other major drama. In September, the SRFI had insisted on a selection camp at Delhi. Attendance was compulsory. Arjan Singh flew in from Brazil, missing out on a prize-money event, Only four people turned up and all were told they had been selected for the team which was to participate at the world championships at Cairo in November and the Asian championships at Jordan in January. There is a letter to this effect from the SRFI with the players. Bombay's plea to hold the camp fell on deaf ears. The excuse given was that an air-conditioned court had been booked in Delhi. Anyway, the moot point is that the SRFI committed to the four players that they would be representing the country in both events, Last week there was a vague notice suggesting that performance in the Inter-State and the Nationals would be a criteria for selection. Sure, the team that went to Cairo had been hammered. But, if the SRFI wanted a fresh set of players, should this not have been intimated to everybody well in advance? Behl and Paul have left for England to play in the Scottish and British junior opens. They have the solid backing of the Maharashtra SRA. Both would have loved to wear the Indian crest at Jordan. But, that Is now a part of another Indian squash tamasha. |
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Ezra
eligible to play for India
Afternoon 26/4/1995 THE World X Squash Federation (WSF) have ruled that Adrian Ezra can represent India at international events. The six times National champion holds a British passport but according to the WSF guidelines, he can play for India since he was born here. It may be recalled that a former National champion had raked up this issue a few years ago. The SRFI cleared Ezra to play in the Nationals but the matter was again brought up at the Executive Committee meeting at Delhi in March. Obviously there remain some vested interests but now the matter has been sorted out once and for all. Interestingly, there are two other leading players who also have British passports but the SRFI's Delhi office remained silent on this. The SRFI do have a copy of the WSF regulations but the Delhibased babu still faxed London to make sure. Now that the reply has been received in the Queen's English, it has been signed, sealed and filed. |
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BY RAJAN
BALA LAST week I attended a dinner hosted by Harry Singh of the Squash Rackets Association of Maharashtra (SRAM) to honour its team's triumph in the recent national. In a way it was a memorable evening because it seemed that at last the warring factions within the SRAM had made up. Or is it just a truce? Friend Raju Chainani who contributes reports and articles on the game to this paper has in the past been a virulent critic of the SRAM and not without good reason. Hut I have constantly advised him that he should avoid being personal because such criticism only makes people more stubborn. However, there is no doubt that Chainani cares for the game having played it at a good level himself. It was a surprise though that Chainani was the manager of the successful state team. It could only mean that the differences between him and the SRAM have been sorted out. When bickering ceases progress begins. But well wishers of Harry Singh and Chainani would do well carry on the good work because only then can the SRAM carry out its plans for the development of the game. There is no doubt that if the game has to prosper and be played on a wider basis, a lot of work needs to be done. And this is only possible when people get together. Horse racing columnist Hob Sawhaney, who is a common friend of Singh and Chainani, has done his bit to bring about the rapprochement. He seemed most pleased when I met him that evening. "Don't you think it is important?", he asked. Of course it is. But the important aspect that is to be determined is whether the differences between the SRAM and its critics are based on ideology, as then reaching any sort of agreement would not be that simple. Chainani argues that as far as he is concerned the interests of the players come first. It is difficult not to agree with him. Yet one must ask people like him, who do lend to get carried away, whether the game itself is not more important than the players. How many players who have benefited from the game have given anything back after their playing days? and this applies to any discipline. A game like squash is not mass based. It is restricted to leading private clubs and controlled by people who arc affluent and influential. People who should know better. Here is wishing that all will be well in future |
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HIRE
& FIRE POLICY
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Bombay
squash gets a Shaikh-up By RAJU CHAINANI HE came, he taught, he commanded respect. At the end of his clinic, Indian squash has ten more level-two coaches. Previously only Ananth Nayak and Yogendra Singh had such claim to fame. Now we have India's first qualified ladies coach in Deepika Chandratreya. Amongst the men, there's Fali Madon and Meherwan Daruvala. Can anybody dare question their credentials? Even the designer-nosed former officials will have to bow to that Abdul Shaikh was slightly apprehensive at the start of his coaching clinic. But, as the week progressed, there developed a splendid working relationship with the nine men and one lady who were aspiring to become qualified coaches. This was no holiday for Shaikh who had flown down specially from Vancouver to conduct the course. He's coming back in September when his services are likely to be shared by Bombay and Madras. Last Saturday, Bombay's club professionals joined in. They were shown the ropes by the newly qualified coaches with Abdul Shaikh acting as the Master of Ceremonies. This was practical, hands-on experience for the likes of Rajdeep Brar and Milan Khurana, the two representatives from the Services. Rajiv Reddy, who had come down from Madras 'for the clinic was most impressed. It was enough for him to suggest that the maestro's should visit Madras next time round For the last couple of years, the Squash Rackets Federation of India have had a topsy turvy programme, far from planned and punctuated by bungling officialdom. The need for somebody like Abdul Shaikh was on the anvil Whilst some people were still thinking about it, Kaiyoze Billimoria, the recently elected SRAM President, swung into action. The results will no doubt speak for themselves. The bureaucratic babus in the capital are still going through the motions of preparing a file to put up a similar case. Perhaps, their plan will materialise at some stage by which time the next door paanwallah would be offering them free home delivery. It is no secret that an attempt was made by the SRFI last year to have the Malaysian national coach, Major S. Maniam to conduct a clinic like the one Abdul Shaikh has Just completed. But, thanks to our Delhi babu, it never came about He was trying to avail of Maniam's services tree of cost by using the Asian Squash Federation umbrella. He even announced dates of die course. If only he had offered to pay for Maniam's air-ticket and even a professional fee, he would probably have succeeded with his plans. But, as Kipling suggested, "IT can be a very big word. At the end of the day, something positive has happened in Bombay. People like Abdul Shaikh are one in a million. They want to give something back to the sport They have no interest in die mysterious goings-on which have made Bombay squash famous. Their approach is direct and it achieves results. Bombay Gymkhana had provided the courts frer of charge. They need to be complimented for this and hopefully some other clubs in the metropolis will realise that such gestures help in developing the game. Meherwan Daruvala and Cyrus Poncha. who were part of the course, are starting a coaching clinic for juniors from Monday 24th. At Rs. 300 per junior per month, it's a steal. So it does look like something good has come about from Abdul Shaikh's presence. On Sunday evening there was a farewell dinner for Shaikh, The ambience was very good. Everybody was talking to everybody. Squash's famous couple, affectionately nicknamed "Beaky Nose and Thunderwoman" were conspicuous by their absence. Ramdas Kamat, the former SRAM Vice-President and elder statesman of the game, was a generous host Even Harry Singh was there and as he floated around, it was obvious that he was relaxing. The speeches were short, the kebabs superb and for Abdul Shaikh, there was a small present Deepika Chandratreya did the honours, "To Sir, with love." |
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Press Articles of Raju Chainani (1994) |
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Mid-day 8/4/1994 SEATTLE, April 8 THE sudden passing away of Moibullah
Senior, one of the 'Four Musketeers of Squash' has come as a big blow Mo was Hashim Khan's nephew. In the early 1950's, Hashim
had begun the glorious era of the Khans and his seven British Open victories
remained a record till Geoff Hunt surpassed it in 1980. Hashim's dominance set the scene for his younger brother
Azam who won the British Open three times. Jahangirs father Roshan and
Moibullah senior won this event once each and it was only in 1963 that the
rule of the Khans was disrupted. Moibullah had been groomed to carry on where his
illustrious uncles had left off. After winning the British Open in 1962, he
made the Trans-Atlantic journey to America. His skills impressed none other
than the late President John F Kennedy and Mo soon found himself as the
professional at the prestigious Harvard Club. His death has certainly cast a gloom over the squash world.
His brother, Gul Khan accompanied the body from Boston to Peshawar where
the last rites are to be performed. Joining the group of mourners arc
Hashim, Azam, Roshan, Juhangir At last year's World Open in Karachi, Roshan Khan had
depicted
seven trees one for each of the Pakistanis who had won the British Open. Of
them, Hashim, Azam, Roshan, Qamar Zaman, Jahangir and Jansher are alive and
kicking. Forty years have passed since Hashim began it all, Now, one of
those branches has broken. |
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The Times of India 31st May 1994. BOMBAY, May 30. "DONT go, Sir, please stay another two weeks," pleaded many of the trainees, like , month-long coaching camp with Satiate Bajwa at the cricket dub of India courts had gone off very well and the kids wanted more. But, "Sir" had to go back to London where Jansher Khan was due, to arrive today from France. The good news for them though is that "Sir" should be back in October for another stint. You have to nun the clock back almost 30 years to remember the days when Yusuf Khan taught the likes of Anil Nayar, Fali Madon, Dinshaw Pandole and others the ropes. As times changed and western philosophy sunk in the coaching methods did likewise. At Seattle, in Yusuf's club, the presence, of a gymnasium, aerobic instructors and modern day gadgets speak for themselves. During the last four weeks, Satinder Bajwa has attempted to show the Indian juniors the importance of getting the basics right. There were drills that may look mundane, positional playing that may be boring and the nutrition aspect that may not sound important But these are part of a total package designed at getting the juniors thinking in the right direction. The camp was a tremendous success. Two years ago, Bajwa had seen the Indian under-19 team just before they left for Hong Kong for the world championships. He had a chance to speak to them last Friday. "Your victory over Pakistan at hut year's Asian is something to be proud of. But do remember that you would have woken a sleeping giant Next time they play you they will remember what happened at Singapore. It is up to you to prepare yourselves and be able to repeat that performance. The future, though, lay with the younger brigade, many of whom were at the camp dating the last four weeks. "It has been tough on them but I fed they have coped well. Hopefully, they will continue in the same manner and we shall have the makings of some top level players," said Bajwa. He had been gentle but firm. The juniors had grown to appreciate what was being taught and when it was time for "Sir' to go, there was even a silent tear. The warm-up, stretching and warm-down become a regular routine. With the able assistance of Deepika Chandratreya, Bajwa was able to get the juniors into six groups whereby they could practice their drills on court. "Each time they made an unforced error they had to do five pushups. It wasn't meant as a punishment but to make them realise that they should not have played such a stroke," he said. The continuity aspect is important and from Saturday, the juniors have been asked to attend a three-hour session which will be guided by Fali Madon and Deepika Chandratreya. It'll be a once a week routine aimed at keeping the discipline and will continue till Bajwa's return during the Diwali holidays. His presence here during the last four weeks certainly opened many eyes. The camp was made possible thanks to the sponsorship from Central Roadlines Corporation, the never say die attitude of Professional Management Group and the splendid assistance recieved from CCI. |
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By A Staff Reporter THE four boys chosen last year for the Non-Resident Indian Squash Association (NRISA) junior development programme, Rohan Bhappu, Shondip Ghosh, Rishad Billimoria and Paul Fererria, have performed creditably in the 1993-94 domestic season. Bhappu won the national under 14 title and Billimoria was the national under 19 champion. Ghosh was runner-up at the national under 14 and under 16 categories. Paul Fererria reached the semi-finals of the men's Nationals last December. At the Asian seniors championship in January, Billimoria played at number two and Fererria participated in the individual event. This quartet did have the benefit of coaching with Yusuf Khan at Seattle last summer. As part of the programme devised to assist the junior talent, the NRISA have included Abhijit Kukreja in the scheme this year. Some other top juniors are also being considered. Prince Inc, the world leader in squash rackets, sponsored the four boys under the NRISA scheme last year and the coach, Ananth Nayak, with free rackets. Pleased with the performance of the juniors they have agreed to support more boys (and/or girls) under the programme. The NRISA have roped to Meherwan Daruvala, five times national champion, as a coach. This would widen the base, particularly in Bombay. Over the next 12 months, the junior programme will be expanded as both Daruvala and Fali Madon would be involved on a regular basis. Last December, the NRISA brought down Abdul Shaikh, the Vancouver-based coach, to teach the Bombay club professionals. His fluent Marathi proved to be an added bonus and, for the first time, the local professionals were given lessons on how to coach. Abdul Shaikh has been earmarked for another such clinic in December. The junior development programme has been made possible thanks to support from Kishinchand Chellaram foundation, Mahindra and Mahindra, Vitesse and Prince Inc., a spokesman said. |
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