Thorough research, team work behind title win: Dhake

By Paritosh Pramanik

AMOL Dhake believes in thorough research before investing in any new business. He does not mind spending a few more pennies before finalising any deal. In the first Nagpur Premier League (NPL), organised by Lokmat Group, Dhake did the same while choosing every player for his team Satvik Bulls. The investment bore sweet fruits when the Bulls charged to the title defeating Baidyanath Heroes 4-1 in a thrilling final on a special Sunday night.
That fact that Satvik Bulls remained unbeaten in the entire tournament (only one draw in league phase) proves that Dhake’s research had paid off.
“We did a lot of research work before the auction. I have one of the best coaches in Atmaram Pande who guided me in selecting this bunch of ‘heroes,” said Dhake while talking to ‘The Hitavada’ a day after his team became the proud winner of Rs 1.5 lakh purse.
The strategy to pick players was simple for Dhake. He went after talent and not after ‘buying’ costly players.
“We played it safe and decided to fetch lowly but talented players. Here coach Pande helped us a lot. With years of experience under his belt Pande knows the nerves of local football and players. Our first choice was former India player Abdul Khalique. We approached him and after that it got more easier for us to pick players. Khalique too helped us in selecting the ‘cream’ of players,” revealed Dhake.
With talented players in his side, Dhake was sure that his team would reach the semis. “Pande was confident of the team reaching the semis. He trained players very well and was very sure. After winning the semis, the players’ confidence was high and they played with more firepower...and the result is there to be seen,” he added.
An avid cricket fan, Dhake, who also has a cricket team at Tumsar, has now switched his loyalty to football. “Frankly speaking, like any other Indian, I loved cricket. But this tournament has forced me to switch my loyalty. Before the start I didn’t even know the rules but in one month I am aware of almost all the rules of soccer,” he confessed.
Even though the NPL is over Dhake wants his team to remain together and has also offered jobs to those unemployed.
“This is my family. It’s not that I am saying this after winning the title. Right from the beginning I had cordial relations with my players. I wanted them to feel it like a joint family. I used to go to the practice sessions whenever I was in India. I asked them to remain as a cohesive unit even off the field. In the beginning itself I have offered jobs to those unemployed in any of my business firms,” said Dhake.
The success story of Dhake lies in team work and co-ordination.
“I got a beautiful and excellent team of supporters, my friends who were behind the scenes. My well-wishers, like Pranav Singhal, Subhash Chaudhary and few others played a big role in this title win,” said Dhake.
The Satvik Bulls owner termed NPL as a big platform for local footballers. “It would give them a good opportunity and the level of the game would rise in future. But I think there should be less foreign players and we should give more importance to our local talents. Then only our players would be able to play at higher level,” Dhake pointed out.
On the organisational part Dhake said that only Lokmat group could have done that.
“We all know that Lokmat was planning to hold a T20 cricket tournament. But that somehow did not materialise. But Mr (Vijay) Darda did a fantastic job. It would not have been possible without his support.” Dhake mentioned.
“I was aware that if I get associated with them my brand name would automatically get popular. So I never thought of refusing the ‘deal’. I okayed it at one go when the proposal came a few months back,” said Dhake.

VHA-VWHA will have to merge in 60:40 ratio: Bose

By Paritosh Pramanik

THE newly-formed unified Indian Hockey Federation (IHF), in which the men and women federations merged together, will be strictly adhering to the 60:40 ratio for men and women, respectively, at the state-level too.
IHF, that will hold its elections “very soon”, will have the executive body of 19 members in which special attention to women’s representation would be given.
Talking exclusively with ‘The Hitavada’ IWHF secretary-general Amrit Bose said every state unit would have to adhere to IHF guidelines.
“We (IHF) are following government guidelines and the merger has already taken place. At the state level we haven’t merged yet. But once the IHF elections are over then we will make the norms at the state-level too,” said Bose, who was in city to appear before the court in regard to a case filed against the merger of IWHF with IHF.
Bose said until the elections were held and proper body of IHF elected the men and women associations would work separately.
“Till that (elections) we are allowing men and women associations to work as separate bodies. After the office-bearers are declared we’ll frame our rules and form a committee and then go to the state level and try to merge those bodies affiliated with IHF and IWHF.”
The IWHF secretary also made it clear that there would be no one-state-one-association and all those affiliated with IHF and IWHF would get affiliation.
“There will be three units in Maharashtra. Vidarbha, Mumbai and Maharashtra will work as separate associations,” Bose mentioned.
When asked whether the 60:40 ratio, like in IHF, would be strictly implemented as the state level too, Bose replied in affirmative.
“Yes, we will try to implement the same at the state level too. Otherwise the men’s association will throw the women’s units out. That is why we have kept a minimum 40 per cent ratio for women in the merged IHF body. There will be representation of one male and one female from each state and male can not take female’s place. That we have mentioned in the constitution. Women’s representation has to be there,” Bose clarified.
On the case filed by Mrs Sudarshan Pathak against the IWHF, Bose, the first Indian woman International umpire, said, “They (Hockey India) just want to stop IWHF from merging with the IHF. The general house sat together and took a collective decision. Who’s Hockey India to stop us? Hockey India can not dictate my members where to go.”
Bose also claimed support of 26 units out of 31 favouring the merger.
“Out of 31 units, 26 are with us. They have all decided to join IHF. Even I can’t stop them. Who’s Sudarshan Pathak? She’s nothing in IWHF. She is with a parallel hockey body in Delhi. They have no jurisdiction to file a case against us that too here in Nagpur,” said Bose, after one of the cases filed by Pathak against IWHF was dismissed by the District and Sessions court.
Bose clarified that attending a few Hockey India meeting doesn’t mean that she is with them. “Attending a few meetings of Hockey India doesn’t mean that I have joined or have become part of Hockey India. Government of India called me and asked to join hands with IHF. The Government had called both the federations (IHF and IWHF). Vidya Stokes (who joined Hockey India) didn’t even attend the meeting. Mr (KPS) Gill and I attended the meeting with the government officials,” she revealed.
Bose informed that IWHF members had rejected Stokes totally at the meeting. “On June 12, 2010, our general house has rejected her totally and passed a no-confidence against her that she is no more our (IWHF) president,” she said.
Asked whether she would be contesting the elections, Bose said, “No. I have decided. I’ve done my job. I’ve been fighting for these ladies and there existence. I’ve been IWHF secretary for 12 years. I wanted to give chance to youngsters. I don’t mind being advisor to them. But not as an office-bearer,” she concluded.

This is where VWHA is holding selection trials

Principal Correspondent

NO NETS over the goal posts, ground full of puddles and knee-high grass covering the entire field. Welcome to Vidarbha Women’s Hockey Association’s Tiger’s gap ground off Sadar.
This is the field where the association will be holding selection trials for the Indian Hockey Federation organised 1st junior national championship for boys and girls from September 20 at Pune.
IHF had asked VWHA to send its team for the nationals. Vidarbha Hockey Association too had showed their willingness to select the girls’ team but IHF granted permission to VWHA.
The trials were scheduled to start from September 16 but heavy rains forced VWHA to postpone it. On Saturday, only road running and fitness exercises were performned as per an official statement.
“As the ground was wet we were unable to use it. But we did road running and fitness exercises,” said Pramod Jain, joint secretary, VWHA.
A big lock on the gate welcomed this scribe on Friday morning. When contacted Amod Sarin, secretary, VWHA, said the registration process was done on Thursday and trials will commence from Saturday starting 4 pm.
When asked whether the trials would be held at the same venue, Sarin replied in affirmative.
“Around 40 players have registered with us and will be undergoing the selections trials. The team will be selected in a few days,” she said.
Jain said, “With rains playing spoilsport we tried to shift trials to some other venue but all grounds were wet.”
But the reality is the ground has not been maintained for at least more than a month. The knee-high grass proves the point.
The ground, which has produced several top level hockey players in the region, is now in a shambles.
Vinod Trivedi and his
colleagues, a few months, back tried to level the field with
trucks-load of mud soil. The ground was rolled well and it looked that city would get another playfield exclusively for hockey after the one off Amravati road. But financial constraints forced VWHA to turn a blind eye towards this decades old ground.
“At VWHA, it is hand to mouth situation. We are shelling out money from our pockets for hockey. Maintenance of ground needs a lot of money. We are trying to arrange funds,” said Jain.

IHF to help VHA in getting astro turf: Jt secy Mathur

Paritosh Pramanik
NAGPUR, sept 17, 2010

INDIAN Hockey Federation (IHF) joint secretary Ashok Mathur paid a surprise visit to Vidarbha Hockey Association (VHA) on Friday afternoon. It was not a pre-planned visit but Mathur spent almost full day with Vinod Gavai, VHA secretary and other officials. He also spent more than an hour at VHA’s ground which earned heaps of praise from the IHF official.
“It is a fabulous playfield. The two lawn turfs are very well maintained,” remarked Mathur while exclusively talking to ‘The Hitavada’.
Mathur was on his way to Pune where the 1st junior nationals for boys and girls are going to be held from September 20.
“I reached Nagpur in the morning and my flight to Pune was in the evening. I called Gavai and asked him whether he could spare some time with me. I am happy Mr Gavai took me to VHA. I am happy with the development works of VHA,” said Mathur about his ‘surprise’ visit.
Mathur said VHA should try to get at least one astro turf in the region and added IHF will try to help them getting one.
“Centre has announced it will lay 100 astro turfs in the country. Entire Maharashtra has just three astro turfs, one in Mumbai and two in Pune. I will ask Mr (KPS) Gill to request Sports Ministry in allotting one astro turf at Nagpur,” said Mathur while having a glance at VHA’s 4-acre land.
“Maharashtra government should provide financial aid to VHA in acquiring an astro turf, he added.
The IHF official also praised VHA for conducting tournaments in several age categories which includes inter-school, inter-college and the A and B division leagues.
“I am surprised to know that the association, along with veterans association, has also started a Sunday League for those past their prime. It’s something unique,” he said. On the ongoing ‘tussle’ between VHA and Vidarbha Women’s Hockey Association (VWHA) Mathur said, “I don’t understand why they are refusing to merge. After all it’s the women’s association which has to merge with the men’s body and not vice versa. They have to merge, that’s the only option. Every association in India is doing the same,” said Mathur.
Mathur felt that the new IHF body would be elected unanimously.
“Till now every IHF executive body has been elected unanimously. I hope the trend continues when the election are held on October 3,” he concluded.

IHF authorises VWHA to select girls’ team for jr nationals

By Paritosh Pramanik

IT WAS sort of a victory for Vidarbha Women’s Hockey Association (VWHA) when the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) granted them the permission to select girls’ team for the forthcoming junior national hockey championship scheduled at Pune from September 20.
This will be the first national championship conducted by IHF for both boys and girls after the men and women bodies merged into one single game-controlling unit.
There was a confusion in Vidarbha regarding selection of girls team for the nationals. Both Vidarbha Hockey Association (VHA) and VWHA claimed they were the sole authority to select the team.
VWHA will conduct selection trials for girls from September 16.
Talking to ‘The Hitavada’ IHF Joint Secretary Ashok Mathur said VWHA would be allowed to select and send the team until the merger process is completed.
“The merger process is still on in most of the states and units. Until it is not completed VWHA will continue to select and send team for the nationals,” said Mathur.
Mathur said the team selected by VWHA would be allowed to participate in the championship starting September 20.
Amrit Bose of IHF also said VWHA had all rights to select and send girls’ team for nationals.
“We have permitted Amod Sarin to select the team for the nationals. The merger process is still on and like other states where women’s associations are yet to get merged with the men’s, the erstwhile associations will continue to send their teams.
“We will be entertaining VWHA selected team in the forthcoming nationals,” said Bose from Delhi.
When brought to notice that VWHA was dissolved when a Nagpur District Unified Hockey Association was formed and got merged with Hockey Maharashtra to get affiliated with Hockey India as a district unit, Bose said, “I don’t want to talk about Hockey India. That is not a recognised body.
“They (VWHA) might have got merged with them but even after IHF and IWHF merger, we are entertaining all our old affiliated bodies.”


VHA can conduct eves’ meet: IHF

By Paritosh Pramanik

VIDARBHA Women’s Hockey Assocaition’s (VWHA) claim that they were the sole authority to conduct hockey tournaments in the region and the inter-school girls’ tournament organised by Vidarbha Hockey Association (VHA) was illegal did not get support from Indian Hockey Federation (IHF).
IHF joint secretary Ashok Mathur, while talking to this paper, said VHA has all rights to conduct the girls’ meet after merger of the men and women’s federations at the top level.
In a media statement, VWHA had threatened to take legal action against VHA if they organised the girls’ meet.
They had also threatened school authorities of “appropriate action” had they allowed their schools to participate in the meet. “Their players would not be considered for sub-junior and junior nationals championship,” the statement said.
VHA’s inter-school girls tournament is likely to start from September 16.
“VHA has all rights to conduct girls tournament. It won’t be termed illegal as the men and women’s body has merged at the top level and same is under process and the district and state level.
“I don’t think there is any harm in VHA conducting a tournament for girls,” said Mathur.
It is now to be seen whether VWHA would allow the girls to participate in the selection trials if they play VHA’s tournament or goes against IHF’s orders.

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With Dutch goal-keeper Guss Vogels.

With England drag-flicker Ashley Jackson.

At the astro turf of Major Dhyanchand Stadium in New Delhi.

With Indian striker Shivendra Singh

With Pakistan goal-keeper Salman Akbar

With Indian captain Rajpal Singh

With Diwakar Ram