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Principal Correspondent
IN A major boost to the ruling body of the Vidarbha Hockey Association (VHA), Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court has ordered restoration of voting rights of ‘51 life members’ in elections to the association.
Former VHA secretary Shyam Sharma had moved court in November 2016, two days before the association’s elections, claiming the newly added 51 life members as illegal. He demanded removal of the new life members who were included in the voters’ list for the 2016 elections.
The 51 life members were included in voters’ list in October 2016, acting on an order passed by Deputy Charity Commissioner in May 2015.
Sharma had approached the High Court requesting to set aside the Deputy Charity Commissioner’s order as it was presented before the executive committee on the day when elections were declared.
For the record, VHA secretary DS Karunashankar presented the order to the VHA executive 16 months after it was passed.
The High Court, on November 26, 2016 has granted stay on the Deputy Charity Commissioner’s order of granting membership and voting rights to 51 new members. It led to postponement of the elections by then election officer Shrigopal Soni, who claimed lack of legal clarity on HC order.
After months of legal battle, the High Court passed order in favour of VHA Secretary DS Karunashankar, on Tuesday.
“The Honourable High Court has passed the order in our favour. The court has allowed 51 life members to participate and vote in the elections,” Karunashankar told ‘The Hitavada’ on Tuesday afternoon.
VHA’s election is now likely to be held after Diwali. “We will plan to hold the elections after Diwali, may be in November,” said president Radheshyam Sarda.
THE ‘NEW 51 MEMBERS’
RC Nema, NM Dakaha, Tanvir Ahmed, BAR Naidu, Shoeb Parvez, Shankar Manchandioa, Raju Joseph, Apurva Sarkar, BR Naidu, RS Trivedi, SN Mishra, Surendra Mishra, KR Reddy, Suhail Arshad, Pradeep Nagarkar, Sunil Agrawal, Sanjay Pande, VB Datarkar, MA Waheed, Amresh Pramanik, Dilip Chougule, Dharamraj Kanojiya, Ashok Yadav, Satdev Mahadule, SR Tiwari, Prabhat Singh, Shailendra Jhazed, CS Iyer, Bernard Ekka, Gopal Thapa, MZ Beg, Altaf Ahmed, S Biswas, Rampal Thakur, Shyam Dubey, Imtiyaz Rizvi, Anil Daral, HB Kedar, Oswald Joseph, Madhu Salve, IC Sachdeva, Shyam Arora, Anjan Dey, VA Khan, MV Khan, A Salim, Mahendra Lakhanpal, Sushil Surve, Shaket Ali, PS Rajeshwar Rao, KT Bose.
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How the life members got back in VHA fold
On September 12, 1989, Joint Charity Commissioner Office, Nagpur had ordered GM Pillay to work as Incharge secretary of VHA after two change reports, one by the elected body and another by TN Sidhra (who had lost the secretary’s post in the elections), were filed with the competent authority.
The elected body then called an executive committee meeting on September 17, 1989 and it was decided to enroll 51 new life members. Since then till 2004, VHA was run by late Balraj Aher as President and GM Pillay as its Incharge secretary. Then in 2004-05 Arun Kokane of Gondia Hockey Association brought an order from Joint Charity Commissioner to hold elections of the association and a fresh body was elected then (in 2005).
But the court’s order also stated that the list of voters which was used in 1987 will be used in 2005 polls.
After the new VHA body took charge, GM Pillay submitted a letter on September 3, 2005, stating that during his tenure (in 1989) 51 life members were enrolled and the same should be added to the list used during the 2005 polls. But several members opposed it and Aher and Pillay had no other option but to move court.
Pillay submitted all the relevant documents and copy of minutes of the executive meeting during which new members were enrolled, to the court.
After years of legal battle, the Deputy Charity Commissioner office passed the order on May 25, 2015 in Pillay’s favour and asked the association to incorporate all the 51 members.
By Paritosh Pramanik
NAGPUR, Sept 4
NOT for nothing Harendra Singh is rated as the best available hockey coach in India at the moment. With over a decade of experience, matured coaching style and a no-nonsense attitude, Harendra Singh ticks all the boxes needed to be incharge of Indian men’s hockey team.
The post is vacant after Hockey India slammed the doors on Dutchman Roelant Oltmans. David John, Director High Performance has been made interim coach of the senior team.
Within hours of Oltmans’ sacking, social media was abuzz with support to Harendra Singh, the 2016 Men’s Junior World Cup winning coach. Having a coaching experience of 379 matches, Harendra Singh has the wherewithal to take the Indian team to a much better ranking in the world.
Most of the current and former India players, who had played under Harendra, think he is the best man at present for the top job. It is Hockey India and Sports Authority of India’s prerogative to pick the coach, but the backing Harendra is receiving should make him a strong candidate.
“Without an iota of doubt Harendra paaji is the best at the moment. I have played a lot of hockey under him. I love the way he dedicates himself for the game,” a current India player told ‘The Hitavada’.
“Harendra would be a good choice. His commitment level is 100 per cent on and off the field. He is a taskmaster on the field and doubles up as a friend, philosopher off the field,” the player added.
Those who have spent their formative years with Harendra talk about his belief in them. “He instills belief in us. He trusts players and their abilities,” another young player asserted.
Olympian Tushar Khandker, who was also assistant coach of the Indian team at Rio Olympics, felt that Harendra would be a good choice for chief coach’s job.
“At present, Harendra is the best coach in the Indian set up, that’s what I feel. However, it is upto Hockey India and SAI to take a decision,” said Khandker,
who played under Harendra for several years.
By Paritosh Pramanik
NAGPUR, Sept 2
THE sacking of Indian men’s hockey team’s coach Roelant Oltmans comes as a shock for the world but a few current players were against the 68-year-old Dutchman.
Hockey India took the tough decision after the three-day power-packed meeting ended on Saturday. The meeting was attended by Harbinder Singh, BP Govinda, Vasudevan Baskaran, Thoiba Singh, AB Subbaiah, Dr RP Singh, Joydeep Kaur, Sardar Singh, PR Sreejesh, Manpreet Singh, Roelant Oltmans, Jugraj Singh, Arjun Halappa, Scott Conway, David John, Elena Norman, Mariamma Koshy, Md Mushtaque Ahmad Rajinder Singh, Tapan Das, Bhola Nath Singh, Firoz Ansari and Gyanendro Ningombam.
Sources told ‘The Hitavada’, several players were against Oltmans and wanted him to go. Though the Indian hockey team emerged as a much fitter side under Oltmans, it’s the performance that mattered when the Hockey India Committee members took the decision. In last one and a half years, since Rio Olympics where India finished a lowly eighth, India’s title drought has continued in major tournaments.
There were podium finishes by the Indian team at the invitational Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh, Malaysia and the Asian Champions Trophy gold in 2016.
“The sword was hanging over Oltmans’ head after India finished sixth at the Hockey World League Semi-Finals in London. Players were not against his training regimen but it was the end result that mattered,” a current player said, on condition of anonymity.
“Out of the 35 players, around 10 wanted him as coach as the fitness level had improved a lot. But the desired results were not coming,” the player added.
“Though no body is speaking openly, they will come forward in coming days,” he said.
By sacking Oltmans, Indian hockey has only continued its tradition. The KPS Gill-led regime had sacked German coach Gerhard Peter Rach before hockey India took over in 2008. After HI came into existence, the story continued. It has sacked Australian Ric Charlesworth, Spainard Jose Brasa, Australian Michael Nobbs, Terry Walsh, Dutchman Paul Van Ass and now Oltmans.
Surprise family celebration planned for city’s chess prodigy
By Paritosh Pramanik
NEWLY-CROWNED World Under-12 Cadet Chess champion Divya Deshmukh will be receiving a surprise celebration at home when she returns on Saturday evening.
Divya and her father Dr Jitendra will be arriving in Nagpur on Saturday at 4.30 pm.
“We will be receiving her at the airport. All family members and friends will be there. It’s a big moment for us,” said Divya’s mother Dr Namrata Deshmukh while talking to ‘The Hitavada’.
Eleven-year-old Divya Deshmukh, a student of Bhavan’s Bhagwandas Purohit Vidya Mandir, Civil Lines, clinched the girls Under-12 World Cadets Chess title at Pocos de Caldas, Brazil on Thursday.
In the 11th and final round, third seed Divya drew with top-seed compatriot Rakshitta Ravi to win the coveted title. She scored a total of 9.5 points out of 11 to help India win its only medal in the championship.
Divya, who has an ELO rating of 1993, emerged winner in eight games and drew three rounds to wrest the trophy.
“Divya is fond of Patodi Bhaji. We are planning to prepare her favourite food. I know she will be eager to munch her favourite Patodi Bhaji as she might be tired of the continental food while on tour. Her aunt will be preparing Kande pohe, too, as Divya likes it the most,” said Dr Namrata.
“It will not be a very big celebration. All the family members will have a small get-together at home. Her cousins from Wardha and Amravati, apart from here will be there. She would be surprised to see all of them together,” she added.
Elated by her daughter’s success Dr Namrata, who has sacrificed her practice for Divya’s chess career, said she would give her daughter a gift of her own choice.
“It (gift) will be of Divya’s choice only. Whatever she wants I will give her,” said Namrata.
After winning her first world title in 2014 in Durban, Divya had to be content with third place finishes in the next two editions.
But after she went under the wings of GM RB Ramesh at his Chennai based Chess Gurukul, Divya’s performance shot up which helped her win the title on Thursday in the U-12 age category. Total 58 players from 27 Federations took part in the competition.
Divya’s first World title (U-10) came at the World Youth Chess Championship in Durban in 2014.
“Every coach has played a crucial part in Divya’s successful journey so far. She has learnt a lot from every coach.
“Under RB Ramesh sir she has gained much more knowledge. As she is growing, her understanding is improving. As a player she is maturing fast and taking her own decision. Ramesh sir is giving personal attention to her. We are not bothered about ELO ratings. If she keeps on performing well her rating will automatically improve,” said Divya’s mother on her daughter’s journey ahead.
Divya has so far won the U-10 Asian blitz event in 2014 after winning the rapid and standard formats in the Asian Schools Championship in 2012.
In 2013, Divya became the youngest woman FIDE Master. She has also won gold in the blitz section, silver in rapid and bronze in the classical version in the Asian Youth Championship held in Uzbekistan in April last year.
