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By Paritosh Pramanik
24-8-2017
AFTER months of delay, the much-awaited steeplechase pit was finally added to the newly-constructed synthetic track at Divisional Sports Complex in Mankapur. The work for synthetic track was completed a few months ago but there was no provision of steeplechase which had irked several athletic administrators as well as athletes.
Since the beginning, Deputy Director of Sports Subhash Rewatkar has been saying that steeplechase pit was in the plan and would be added after completion of the track work.
A couple of months ago the steeplechase pit, along with shot put, long jump and triple jump pits, have been constructed at the stadium. “This brings an end to the work as far as synthetic track is concerned. This will be the first venue all over Maharashtra where two shot put pits as well as two long jump/triple jump pits have been constructed. No other venue in the entire state has provision of two pits,” Rewatkar told ‘The Hitavada’. However, there would be no synthetic track warm-up area. Either a lawn or chat field, which is by the synthetic track, will be used for warm up.
FUNDS EXHAUSTED
Rewatkar said that the entire fund had been exhausted. “We have utilised entire Rs 19 crore on this project. But the work of pavilion building, electricity is still pending. We have demanded another Rs 10 crore. Around Rs 4-5 crore will be utilised for completion of pavilion building and electricity works,” said Rewatkar. He added that the Divisional Commissioner’s office has asked for more funds from the State Government.
NO GALLERIES
With no funds, the proposal of construction of galleries around the synthetic track, too, has to be postponed. Hundreds of tree saplings have been planted near the boundary wall of the synthetic track to provide shade to the spectators.
“Right now we don’t have funds. So, the proposal of construction of galleries, at present, has been put off. Right now we have planted several tree saplings which will help in maintaining greenery around the area. It will also provide shelter to spectators during events,” reasoned Rewatkar.
This means that the under-construction office cum pavilion building can accommodate only 500 spectators in the stands.
INAUGURATION AWAITED
The synthetic track is ready for competitions and authorities are awaiting Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ time to inaugurate the track. At present students of Krida Prabodhini are using the track for practicing.
Proposal sent to government under ‘Khelo India’ Scheme
By Paritosh Pramanik
23-8-2017
WITH fresh hopes, Vidarbha Hockey Association (VHA) has once again submitted a proposal for astro turf to the Director of Sports and Youth Affairs, Government of Maharashtra, Pune under Government of India’s ‘Khelo India’ Infrastructure Scheme.
The first proposal of VHA got ‘lost’ after change of guard at the top level. Now the department has asked them to submit a fresh proposal under the new scheme.
Determined to bring an astro turf in Nagpur, the Radheshyam Sarda-led body is leaving no stone unturned and has once again submitted a detailed proposal. Secretary DS Karunashankar submitted the proposal a couple of days ago to the Department of Sports and Youth Affairs Office, Pune.
VHA had earlier submitted proposals under the Urban Sports Infrastructure Scheme to the District Sports Office and other concerned government departments. Letters and proposals were drafted and dispatched to Maharashtra Government in January last which had recommended financial grant for the project to the Union Sports Ministry.
The School Education and Sports Department, Government of Maharashtra, on April 22, 2016 had forwarded VHA’s proposal to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, New Delhi requesting them to grant 100 per cent financial assistance for synthetic playing surface under Urban Sports Infrastructure Scheme (USIS).
“Please refer to the proposal of Vidarbha Hockey Association, Nagpur for granting 100% financial assistance for Synthetic Playing Surface Under Urban Sports Infrastructure Scheme (USIS) forwarded herewith. You are requested to sanction the said proposal,” the letter, signed by SN Joshi, Under Secretary to the Government of Maharashtra, had stated.
However, the proposal was caught in the proverbial bureaucratic red-tape. The elevation of the then Sports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal as Chief Minister of Assam further added to the hurdles. VHA’s representative had met Sonowal before Assam elections but after that the process came to a grinding halt.
Later, VHA submitted all the required documents to the concerned department. However, to their bad luck, the ministry decided to rename the Urban Sports Infrastructure Scheme (USIS) and asked VHA to submit their proposal in ‘Khelo India Infrastructure Scheme’, it has been learnt.
In the meantime, VHA president Sarda met Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and submitted a letter requesting him to look into the matter.
“CM Fadnavis assured me to look into the matter. He has directed concerned officials to speed up the work. Now our proposal has once again gained pace,” Sarda told ‘The Hitavada’.
Under the ‘Khelo India Sports Infrastructure Scheme’, VHA can get a maximum admissible grant of Rs 5.50 crore for synthetic hockey field.
With Fadnavis himself taking the initiative, an astro turf in the heart of the city could be a reality. It would be great for the players who are yearning for years to practice on synthetic turf.
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Bought for Rs 47 lakh, the Bengal Warriors player has responsibilities to fulfil
By Paritosh Pramanik
NAGPUR, Aug 9
MONEY can’t buy everything in life, goes a saying. But without money, one can’t fulfil one’s dreams. Now, with the advent of several franchisee-based leagues, players have started earning big money and to fulfil their dreams.
The Pro Kabaddi League, in its fifth season, too, has helped the players make out a good living while playing for their teams only for half of the year.
With big pay packets, players, who once used to find it difficult to make their ends meet, are now fulfilling their dreams. But their priorities have changed — it is no more bungalows and SUVs but repairing dilapidated houses, performing marriages of their brothers/sisters and sending their younger siblings to reputed schools.
One such person to have his priorities right is Ran Singh, the dependable all-rounder of Bengal Warriors. He spent three seasons with the Abhishek Bachchan-owned Jaipur Pink Panthers before the Bengal Warriors fetched him for Rs 47.5 lakh in auction.
‘The Hitavada’ talked to Ran Singh, who knows what to do with the amount he would be getting for his six-month ‘job’.
Ran Singh has his task cut out. He will first repair his dilapidated house in Punjab and then perform wedding of his younger brother next year.
The amount Ran Singh has fetched means a lot to him. “For first two years I got only Rs 2 lakh. This amount is really big. It means a lot to me,” he said in an exclusive interview with ‘The Hitavada’, before Bengal Warriors’ match against Bengaluru Bulls, on Wednesday.
Being the eldest in the house, responsibilities are also huge on Ran Singh’s big shoulders. And the former Punjab Police player is shouldering the task efficiently.
“I will use some part of my earnings to repair my house. I have a younger brother. He is growing and I will have to perform his marriage. Then whatever amount is left, I may purchase a Mahindra Scorpio,” Ran Singh chalked out his plans.
Ran Singh is playing kabaddi for past 18 years. He loves to stay in his village and perform household works when not on tour.
“When not touring with the team I love to stay in my village. I spend my eight months at home and at my village. I do training there and perform household works,” said Ran Singh, who has scored over 100 tackle points while playing for Jaipur.
The Punjab lad had a special praise for his former boss Abhishek Bachchan. “He is an excellent person. He used to motivate us all the time, used to spend a lot time with us. He always used to enquire about our needs and was more than eager to bail us out from difficult situations. He was very supportive,” said Ran Singh, who worked for Punjab Police for five years,.
“I used to play circle kabaddi. During that time I went to play a tournament in Canada where I had to spend around eight months. As I was unable to get that much leave from my Police Department I had to resign from the job,” he revealed.
From eight teams to 12 this season, PKL has grown up in its stature. But Ran Singh feels the organisers should stick to the 12-team format. “I think this is fine. More teams should not be included as the tournament would become lengthy. At present we spend around six months with teams, three months of training followed by three months of actual tournament. I think expanding the tournament further would increase the risk of injuries to players. So, this 12-team format is perfect for kabaddi,” he said.
To popularise the game, Ran Singh felt that the game should be developed at grassroots. “We should promote kabaddi at grassroots. Kids should get more opportunities. The KBD Juniors is a great thing. Such meets for school students should be increased and encouraged,” he signed off.
By Paritosh Pramanik
NAGPUR, Aug 10
SPORTSPERSONS dream of achieving glory. They put in their sweat and blood during training to make sure they don’t falter at the final hurdle.
Some get satisfied after fulfilling their ultimate dream. But, there are a few for whom the hunger to win medals only for the country never ends. They want to keep fetching medals one after the other.
Manjeet Chillar, a professional kabaddi player, belongs to that group of sportspersons who always wants to put country first.
Despite winning gold medals at 2012 Asian Beach Games, 2014 Asian Games, 2014 Asian Indoor Games, World Cup 2016, apart from yellow metals at 2010, 2011, 2012 nationals and above all 2015 Arjuna Award, Manjeet Chillar, the Jaipur Pink Panthers skipper, still wants more. He wants to win more medals for India.
In an exclusive interview with ‘The Hitavada’ Manjeet said he is hungry to do more for the country and never hankers for personal achievements despite achieving so much in life.
“It feels great to win an Arjuna Award and so many gold medals. But I want to win more medals for India. My hunger to win medals for the country will never diminish,” said Manjeet.
Born to a wrestler father, Manjeet, was sent to akhadas at a very young age in his home town in Bahadurgarh, in Jhajhar district. “My late father Jaiprakash was a wrestler and I too was inclined towards wrestling since my childhood. I went to the famous ‘Guru Hanumanji ka Aakhada’, which has produced several Olympians, for my initial training. But as luck has it, I seriously got injured and was sent back home,” Manjeet narrated his wrestling days.
But wrestling’s loss was kabaddi’s gain as Manjeet started playing kabaddi at local level. “I then started playing kabaddi and within months of training I got selected for the junior team of Haryana state,” said Manjeet who works with Northern Railway and is posted at New Delhi.
“My wrestling stint helped me a lot in kabaddi. I had tremendous strength in my arms and my grip was very strong which helped me in easy tackling and even during my raids,” Manjeet, who is playing kabaddi since 2003, explained.
His unparalleled performance in the junior nationals fetched him a place in the Indian junior team and the rest is history.
Manjeet started Pro Kabaddi with Puneri Paltan and then moved to Bengaluru Bulls. He captained both the teams and, in Season 5, is representing Jaipur Pink Panthers.
Manjeet, who is also the vice-captain of the Indian kabaddi team, is not losing sleep thinking of leading the national team. “It doesn’t matter whether I am captain or vice-captain of the national team. For me, it is the country first. I want to win as many medals as I can for India. Nothing matters for me more than my country,” said Manjeet who won the Arjuna Award in 2015 along with cricketer Rohit Sharma, Indian hockey captain PR Sreejesh and gymnast Dipa Karmakar to name a few.
The all-rounder, who has won Asian Games and Asian Indoor Games kabaddi gold medal in 2014 wants kabaddi to be included in Olympics.
“Kabaddi is a very popular game. It has now grown more all over the world. I think it is the right time to include it in Olympics. The game attracts spectators and the rules are very easy to understand. If included, it will also increase India’s chance of winning a gold medal in the Olympics,” Manjeet concluded.
By Paritosh Pramanik
NAGPUR, Aug 7
HIS replies were short, quick and crisp, just like his raids. Pardeep Narwal, celebrated raider of the Patna Pirates, is a simple 20-year-old ‘man’ from Haryana, who is spearheading his franchisee in the Pro Kabaddi League with élan.
In a brief chat with ‘The Hitavada’ before embarking to Ahmedabad for their next round matches, Narwal said Patna’s win over Bengaluru Bulls was a pleasing one. They were confident of coming out victors against the ‘home’ team.
“We were confident of winning. The team played well. I got the opportunity to convert my raids successfully and earn points for my team,” he said. For the record, Narwal collected 15 raid points in his team’s thumping 46-32 win over Bulls.
The 20-year-old raider has a strong body with brute power. When asked from where does he get the strength, Narwal replied, “it’s all about training. I practice twice daily under the guidance of my coach. It is hard training, daily, and that helps me in building my strength.”
What does he eat to build muscles and strength? The diet is as simple as the person himself. “I eat sabzi, roti, dal, milk and curd.”
Born and brought up in Haryana, Narwal’s liking for milk is obvious. The 2016 World Cup gold medal winner used to gulp down ‘gallons’ at home but it has come down to ‘litres’ on tours.
“At home I drink a lot of milk. But the quantity reduces when I am on tour. Back home I get pure milk and here I have to drink those from packets. But I have to adjust,” he said sheepishly.
Patna Pirates, the two-time defending champions, have been unbeatable so far this season and Narwal felt they would continue to do so with such a strong line-up.
“We are performing well and are playing as a unit. Monu Goyat, Jaideep, Sachin Shingade, Vishal Mane are the some of the players who have the capability to turn the tables any moment.”
For Narwal, the most valuable player of Season 4, Gujarat Fortunegiants are the strongest in the 12-team competition.
“All team are strong but I feel the strongest is the Ahmedabad team (Gujarat Fortunegiants). They have some good players and are good at attacking and also in defence. But I hope we would tackle them well,” he said.
On retaining the title, Narwal said, “So far we have won three out of three matches. Hope we continue in the same manner. If we continue our good work we will definitely retain the title,” he concluded.
