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The former VHA, Maharashtra hockey player completes B.Sc in sports science, a four-year degree course from Chennai to become first Sports and Exercise Scientist from Nagpur
Principal Correspondent
NAGPUR’S Chander Rajesh Nagrurkar did the city proud by achieving a Bachelors degree (B.Sc) in Sports and Exercise Sciences, earlier this month.
The degree course is believed to give a new dimension in approach to training, physical fitness and health of sportspersons as well as help them in quick recovery of injuries with the help of such scientists.
Nagrurkar, who has represented Vidarbha and Maharashtra in a couple of hockey nationals, is son of Rajesh, a certified football referee of Nagpur District Football Association. Rajesh is working with Maharshtra Police Department and is presently posted at Buldana.
Chander did the course from reputed Sri Ramchandra College of Allied Health Sciences which is part of Sri Ramchandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (Deemed to be University) Porur in Chennai.
The course is a project of Cape Town and Chander will be receiving his certificate (degree) from the South African firm.
The 22-year-old Chander cleared all eight semesters in one attempt and probably became city’s first Sports and Exercise Scientist.
Chander said the course helps sportspersons in taking balanced nutrition, exercises, psychology, injury management, rehab counselling.
“Just like we need physiologist for physical training, sports psychologist to make a sportsperson mentally strong, dieticians to look after proper nutritious food for a sportsperson, through this course, there would be a single person taking care of all these aspects of a sportsperson,” explained Chander.
During his four-year course, Chander got a chance to work with and international players like Indian footballers Jeje Lalpekhlua, Halicharan Narzary, The Netherlands U-19 cricketer Aryan Kumar, Indian rower and Asian Rowing Championship (Thailand, 2019) silver medalist Tarun Gutta, Indian hockey camper Niyaz Rahim among others.
“I worked on the injuries on some of these players and also on their performance building during my internship,” informed Chander, who scored nine out of 10 Grade Points with a Grade Point Average of 8.42 which comes to A+ grade.
It is worth mentioning that Chander scored A+ Grades in subjects like Applied Sports and Exercise Nutrition (Practicals), Applied Physiology (Practicals), Applied Sports and Exercise Psychology, Health Care Biotechnology, Performance Analysis, Technology and Innovation, Clinical Postings-IV, Projects-Part II and Internship-II.
Chander is further planning to do MBA in sports management from University of Massachusetts, Boston, USA.
“It is tough but not impossible. I am not preparing for Toefl, GMAT so that I can get admission in University of Massachusetts, Boston, USA. I want to do MBA and M.sc in Sports Management, which is a dual masters course of two years,” concluded Chander.
By Paritosh Pramanik
IN NORMAL circumstances Nagpur athletes by now would have had two synthetic tracks to train in the city.
But the deadly coronavirus pandemic has changed the entire scenario. The nation-wide lockdown imposed to break the chain of spreading of virus in March had halted all sporting activities around the world.
Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University would have had its own synthetic track by now but due COVID-19 pandemic, it seems that it would take another year, or even more.
At present there is one synthetic track at Divisional Sports Complex in Mankapur.
The task of laying the synthetic track at RTMNU’s sports complex, beside Law College, has been assigned to Public Works Department (PWD). After floating tenders pre-bid meetings were also held between the concerned departments of RTMNU and PWD. But due to lockdown, all plans have gone haywire.
This is for the second time that the work of laying synthetic track has been delayed.
Earlier, it was delayed due to model code of conduct imposed in the country last year due to general elections.
“The coronavirus has changed the entire scenario. Had the situation been normal, we would have almost completed the laying of synthetic track. But it’s not in our hand,” lamented Dr Sharad Suryawanshi, Director, Department of Physical Education and Sports, RTMNU.
“This is a very peculiar situation. We are waiting for the work to start since last year. We have also deposited Rs 8 crore to PWD. Pre-bids meetings were also held with them. But COVID-19 has put brakes on the developmental works,” Dr Suryawanshi told ‘The Hitavada’.
“Still we are in contact with PWD. We are taking follow-up atleast once in two weeks. It’s up to them to start the work,” said Dr Suryawanshi, who is also a former international athlete. The trac would have eight lanes instead of 10 due to paucity of space.
“We will also be constructing two long jump pits at two corners of the area. Similarly, two high mast poles will also be added to the present six towers. We have observed that at curves there is less light. Hence we decided to add two more towers,” said Suryawanshi.
Once the work starts, it won’t take much time to lay the synthetic track as the base is already there. “With the present cinder track, we won’t require much of levelling. The base is already ready. This will definitely save our money and time as well. Even the drainage facility is also in place,” informed Dr Suryawanshi, who is also Secretary of Nagpur District Athletics Association.
To save the track from mud which would seep in from football ground, RTMNU has decided to replace lawn turf with artificial grass.
“We don’t want to get the track damaged due to mud of football field. We will be replacing the lawn ground with artificial grass,” added Dr Suryawanshi.
The synthetic track will also be protected with chain-fence.
“It is important that the track is protected from spectators as well as from stray cattle, dogs. We will be constructing chain-fencing around the track. This will stop spectators enchroaching the finish line and disturbing the runners,” said Dr Suryawanshi.
Former Olympians write to Rijiju, Batra to save players future
Principal Correspondent
THE clamour to save their existence has started to grow among hockey associations of Maharashtra. After Vidarbha Hockey Association (VHA) knocked High Court’s door for their survival with Hockey India, several Mumbai-based legendary Olympians, too, have come forward to save Mumbai Hockey Association and its players’ future.
Hockey India’s decision to disassociate several associations including VHA, Mumbai, Bhopal, Coorg Hockey, Bengaluru Hockey Association, Hockey Patiala has not gown down well with these age-old hockey bodies.
VHA has already filed a writ petition in Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court. VHA has sought separate status and has prayed to let its players play under VHA banner in Hockey India nationals on the lines of Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA), but citing Indian Olympic Association norms, Hockey India - apex body of hockey- refused to grant this concession.
Meanwhile, in a positive development, VHA’s attempt has started getting support from other associations. On Thursday, several Olympians came forward in an attempt to save careers of hockey players of Mumbai and have appealed to Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju to save Mumbai hockey as the team won’t be able to take part in the nationals.
According to a report in PTI news agency, The Mumbai Hockey Association Limited has decided against legally contesting Hockey India’s move to withdraw their associate membership and recognise Hockey Maharashtra as the state’s sole representative body for the sport.
Twelve former India players – Dhanraj Pillay, MM Somaya, Joaquim Carvalho, Mervyn Fernandes, Marcellus Gomes, Balbir Singh Grewal, Gurubax Singh Grewal, Viren Rasquinha, Iqbaljit Singh, Eliza Nelson, Selma D’Silva and Margaret Toscano – have together written a mail to Rijiju, IOA chief Narendra Batra, its secretary Rajeev Mehta and HI president Mushtaq Ahmad – seeking their intervention to save hockey in the mega polis, the reports states.
“In summary we would like to say that there are two significant drawbacks of not permitting a separate Mumbai team to participate in the National Hockey Championship. Indian hockey talent pool would get weakened,” the agency report stated.
“With fewer players from the city of Mumbai representing Maharashtra in the nationals, there would be less opportunities to showcase their talent. Many deserving players would not get spotted by national selectors,” the report quoted former players as saying.
“With Hockey Maharashtra being based out of Pune and fewer players from Mumbai getting National colours, job opportunities for hockey players in Mumbai would reduce. Employers would consider discontinuing sponsorship of hockey teams. This will destabilise the hockey ecosystem in Mumbai,” the players further wrote.
Same is the case with Vidarbha players who too would go unnoticed after their Associate Membership is withdrawn.
The former players also suggested to amend Hockey India and IOA constitution. “If needed an amendment in constitution should be urgently considered by IOA/HI to save hockey in Mumbai as well as in other high potential centres,” the report states.
Just like VHA, the former Olympians, in the mail, also cited the example of BCCI, which has allowed Mumbai Cricket Association to field a separate team in the Ranji Trophy, the national domestic competition.
VHA can participate in tournaments of Hockey Maharashtra
Staff Reporter
NAGPUR bench of Bombay High Court on Tuesday refused to grant any relief to Vidarbha Hockey Association (VHA) and turned down its demand to allow VHA team to participate in national tournaments directly.
The Hockey India once again reiterated that it was bound to follow One State One Unit and the VHA would have to participate through Hockey Maharashtra. As a result, the status of VHA as an affiliate unit of Hockey India has come to an end with effect from July 1, as of now.
A division bench consisting of Justice Ravi Deshpande and Justice Amit Borkar while admitting the matter for final hearing, made it clear that its earlier attempt to solve the issue without going into merits of the matter had not yielded any result. The High Court had asked the Hockey India whether it would allow VHA team to participate in the national level tournaments, but the apex body refused to make any exception in favour of VHA.
The Hockey India in its pursis made it clear that VHA can be permitted to participate in the sports activities to be conducted by Hockey Maharashtra under its banner. However, Hockey India categorically stated that in the activities to be conducted by Hockey India, the VHA cannot be permitted to participate except through Hockey Maharashtra.
Hockey India also clarified that from 2021 only recognised State unit would be allowed and only Public Sector Undertakings/departments would be allowed to directly participate in national units as Associate Member.
The VHA had sought separate status on the lines of Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA), but citing Indian Olympic Association norms, Hockey India-apex body of Hockey-refused to grant this concession. In a detailed pursis filed before the High Court, the Hockey India counsel Adv Shreerang Bhandarkar informed that affiliation of VHA would be withdrawn from July 1 and henceforth Hockey Maharashtra would be the only registered unit for Maharashtra. The stance taken by Hockey India to recognise only Hockey Maharashtra as a single unit for the State will reduce opportunity for players from Vidarbha at national level, the VHA apprehended.
VHA counsel Adv Anand Parchure once again urged the High Court to restrain Hockey India, but the request was firmly turned down. VHA claimed that the association wanted to maintain a separate existence of VHA in the interest of players and was not interested in any financial aid and voting rights. Hockey India made it clear that players from this region can be part of the State unit or PSUs or departments enjoying Associate Member status during national championships.
Hockey India had decided to disaffiliate VHA from July 1. VHA claimed that it was in existence since 1959 and applying one state one unit norm of Justice (retd) R M Lodha committee report applied to Cricket Boards would be unfair and unjust to VHA, which was not interested in getting voting right at all. On January 6, 2020, Hockey India had asked VHA and several other Associate Units to merge with their State bodies by June 30, 2020, citing Indian Olympic Association’s One State One Unit diktat. VHA was asked to merge with Hockey Maharashtra which is a Permanent Member of HI.
