Gold Hunter: City’s talented paddler Jennifer Varghese wins 3 golds at Asian Junior and Cadet TT C’ship in Maldives

By Paritosh Pramanik

NAGPUR, May 13, 2022

She participated in three permissible events and fetched gold from all of them.

Nagpur’s talented table tennis player Jennifer Varghese is on a golden hunt these days.

From two international outings, Jennifer has claimed four gold and one silver medals forcing all to shake their heads in disbelief.

The 13-year-old Centre Point School, Katol Road, Nagpur paddler, escorted the Indian table tennis team on a golden journey as Indian boys and girls wrapped up their outing with 11 gold and 10 silver medals in the South Asian Junior and Cadet Table Tennis Championships that concluded in Male, Maldives.

Out of the 11 golds, Jennifer, who had won a gold and a  

silver at World Table Tennis (WTT) Youth Contender in girls singles events at Salle Omnisport de Rades in Tunisia in March, claimed all gold medals up for grab in her cadet girls category.

Indian paddlers won four singles and four doubles titles, besides three team gold medals. To her credit, Jennifer won cadet girls singles, cadet girls team and cadet girls doubles titles making it another memorable international outing. Jennifer played with precision and showed her killer instincts devouring opponents after opponents. In the girls team final category, India defeated Nepal 3-0 with Jennifer winning her singles match against Evana 11-1, 11-5, 11-4. Later in the doubles section of the same event, Jennifer teamed up with Sandika Bhattacharjee and they defeated the pair of Evana and Bianca 9-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-9, 11-8 to claim the title. The Indian duo were up against the Pakistani pair of Hoor Fawad and Haiqa Hassan in the cadet doubles final and they did not give an inch to their arch-rivals claiming the gold in straight games 11-6, 11-6, 11-4.

Jennifer did not stop her and showed her hunger to win golds. She stepped up to aim for her third gold in the cadet girls singles sumit clash against hosts Maldives’ Fatimah D. Jennifer took the first game but lost the second. 

However, she grouped herself brilliantly in the remaining three games to clinch her third yellow metal with the scoreboard reading 13-11, 4-11, 11-5, 11-13, 11-6.

India did not field a team in the Junior Boys category, resulting in the loss of another sure-shot gold. 

With the near-sweep of gold apart, the team members also boosted their overall tally with 10 silver medals to stamp their authority in the regional event.

The four-day championships that began on May 9 saw complete domination of the Indian squads in both the team events, the doubles and the singles. The gold in the Junior Boys team went to Bangladesh. Teams like Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the hosts, Maldives, had to settle for the lesser medals.

Midland’s sports academy to come up at NIT pool

By Paritosh Pramanik

THE Nagpur Improvement Trust’s (NIT) Swimming Pool in North Ambazari Road will not be limited for leisure swimming any more.

For decades, this most vaunted venue for city swimmers saw hoards of budding and fitness freaks thronging during summer seasons to beat the heat. Some even used it to slash that extra flab in their body by taking up swimming classes at this venue.

But from now onwards the NIT Swimming Pool will also become the address for an advanced sports academy apart from swimming.

The pool, which underwent a major renovation, opened to the general public on Saturday.

Midland Sports and Wellness Private Limited has taken the pool on a 15-year lease and will be operating the same.

That’s not all. The company has also started a sports academy—Hanuman Sports Academy — which will not be limited to swimming.

Prashant Ugemuge, Managing Director, Midland Sports and Wellness Private Limited, said that the pool will now be developed as a sports academy.

“When we took this venue on a 15-year lease, it was in a very bad condition. At one corner there was a statue of Hanuman. We were already planning to start an academy here. Hence we decided to name it as Hanuman Sports Academy,” said Ugemuge while talking with ‘The Hitavada’.

Speaking further on the selection procedure for the academy, Ugemuge said, “the enrollment is on. We will hold competitions among the swimmers. Then we will select the best and deserving swimmers. The best would be then sponsored and coached year long. We want to produce champion swimmers from the city. We have set a target of 4-5 years where we wish to produce at least two national swimming champions.”

The Hanuman Sports Academy will not only impart swimming coaching. There will also be proper trainers, physios, dietitians, doctors and nutritionists who would look at the overall development of the swimmers.

“We want to produce national champions and for that we need a proper set-up. We have already appointed a couple of coaches and are in process of appointing other faculties,” informed Ugemuge.

Apart from swimming, the academy will also train sportspersons in triathlon. “I am also associated with cycling. We will be taking the services of internationally famed ultra-cyclist Dr Amit Samarth who will impart training in cycling and triathlon. We will also be constructing a virtual cycling arena with adjustable temperature modes. The sportspersons would be trained here so that they get a competitive feeling,” Ugemuge further explained.

“In next 3-4 months the complex will also boast of a gymnasium, a spa and will also have water yoga. We will also have a squash court,” Ugemuge proudly said.

The Midland Sports and Wellness Pvt Ltd also kept senior citizens in mind and has decided to provide fabulous discounts to them. “Those in the 60 to 75 years bracket will get a 50 per cent discount in their fee while those above 75 years of age will be allowed to use the pool free of cost,” Ugemuge said.

About the renovation of the pool, Ugemuge stated that around Rs 45-50 lakh have already been spent and would be investing more.

“We would be needing around Rs two crore for further upgradation which also includes installing Ozone treatment plant. Such plants are very less in the country and it filters water in a much better way than the present one,” mentioned the Managing Director.

The company faced a lot of difficulties in renovation work.

“The biggest challenge was to make the pool water proof. A lot of hard work was required. With the pool shut due to COVID for over two years, the water pumping motors at the treatment plant got damaged and were of no use. We had to replace most of them. The water we are getting is of very poor quality and it had to be treated well. That is also a big challenge,” Ugemuge admitted.

Once the treated water is pumped in the main pool, which is 50 metres in length and 25 metres in width (10 lanes), it looks crystal clear with 

the blue tiles beneath clearly visible. 

A warm-up pool has also been constructed for beginners which is of 25 metres length and 15 metres width. “This pool is constructed under the stairs of spectators gallery and hence covered. It can be used by beginners as well as by professionals who can use it in the afternoon as well if they want to avoid the scorching heat,” informed Ugemuge.

“The area of the pool for kids has also been increased and the diving pool has also been renovated. Theses will also be opened in a few days,” concluded Ugemuge.

It’s time to make a splash!

Sarda: The ‘nursery’ student who became VHA president

By Paritosh Pramanik

THE passing away of Radheshyam Sarda, a steel businessman and former two-time President of Vidarbha Hockey Association, has created a big void in city’s hockey circle. He will be missed by the game’s lovers for his administrative skills.

Sarda, 67, passed away on Thursday.

Sarda came into limelight in the sports field in the year 2005 when he defeated much acclaimed late Balraj Aher in the VHA election. The election was much publicised as it was after more than 18 years, that the association was getting a new legally-elected executive committee. It was also for the first time the election was held as prior to 2005, the body was elected unanimously, till 1987.

From 1987 and till 2004, VHA was run by Aher who was its president and late Gurumurthy Pillay who acted as the secretary.

Late Arun Kokane fought a legal battle in the charity commissioner office and the election was announced on April 24, 2005.

Sarda, who himself termed his entry on hockey field as a “nursery student” stunned all by narrowly defeating Aher,  who was the sitting Vice-President of now defunct Indian Hockey Federation (IHF), by eight votes for the top post.

Sarda later continued to be associated with hockey and also served as its executive committee member, having no inclination in holding the top posts.

“I want to serve the game. Whether I am the president or an executive member, I will always be there for the development of hockey,” he had told ‘The Hitavada’

If his first executive body in 2005 was a mixed one, the 2014 election helped his Hockey Lovers and Promoters Panel make a clean sweep winning all the 13 posts available. Such was his relation with the life members of the association, which had a big number of businessmen.

It was a sort of return to the game for Sarda in 2014 as he claimed the president’s post from another well-known businessman BC Bhartia who was at the top for six years.

Sarda also helped in developing the lawn ground and during his tenure the association got a new office building.

Sarda’s passing away was mourned by his VHA colleagues. “Very sad news that Radheshyam Sarda left for heavenly abode today. He served Vidarbha Hockey Association as executive committee member as well as its President. We pray the departed soul rest in peace and impart strength to family at this time of grief,” said TN Sidhra, who is court-appointed administrator of the association.

Former VHA Vice-President Subhash Chander said, “Sarda was a dynamic personality. May Almighty give strength to his family.”

“He was a good administrator of the association. His administrative skills were excellent and has the ability to complete any task within time,” said other hockey lovers.