Scaling New Heights in Squash

By Hamsini Ravi 11 February 2010 269 views No Comment

Somewhere in a quiet locality called Egmore in Chennai, a silent sport revolution is taking place. Move aside, cricket and tennis, squash is here to grab the limelight! Names like Saurav Ghosal, Joshna Chinappa and Dipika Pallikal, now familiar to sport lovers in the country, are testimony to the rising popularity of squash in Tamil Nadu. Dominating the squash scene in the country, Tamil Nadu rules the roost in most categories; while Dipika and Anwesha Reddy are peerless in the junior girls’ category, the women’s category is dominated by Dipika and Joshna. World ranked 34 and presently training in England is national champion Saurav Ghosal, who also represents Tamil Nadu.

Everyday, around 100 young hopefuls with dreams of emulating the Ghosals and Chinappas enter the superbly constructed India Cements Limited (ICL) Squash Academy in Egmore. The state-of-the-art infrastructure at the academy boasts seven glass back rainbow courts and an ASB¹ 4-sided glass court which has a seating capacity of 500 and enables television coverage from all angles. It also has a squash-specific gymnasium with imported equipment and a 25-metre swimming pool. Run by the Squash Rackets Federation of India (SRFI) and conceived by N.Ramachandran, recently elected President of the World Squash Federation, the ICL Squash Academy was established in 2000.

With Dhronacharya² Awardee Cyrus Poncha at the helm, and consultant coach from Malaysia, Major Maniam, the academy has produced many a national asset. Says the Major, “Indian squash has improved in recent times. About nine years ago we were ranked 16th in the world team championships. Today we are in the top eight in the men’s, junior men’s, women’s and junior women’s world championships. We have enough players who have the potential to be world beaters in the future.”

The transition of squash from a club game pursued by hobbyists to a full fledged competitive sport is evident in Tamil Nadu. Saurav Ghosal, who was awarded the prestigious Arjuna Award³ in August 2007, has an impressive array of international medals including an Asian Games Bronze Medal, three Professional Squash Association (PSA) titles and the British Universities Championship. Ranked 34, he is the highest ever ranked Indian male. “Saurav is likely to break into the top 20 in a year’s time”, says Major Maniam. Joshna Chinappa, who reached a career highest ranking of 35 in May 2008, is another formidable force from the squash powerhouse state, reaching the finals of both the Vietnam Open and the NSC Tour in Malaysia. She is capable of winning many more laurels for the country; age, Major Maniam feels, is on both Saurav and Joshna’s side. “For a squash player, the peak age is between 24 to 27 years; Saurav and Joshna are only 23,” says the Major. The same can be said of teenage sensation Dipika Pallikal, a former trainee of the ICL Squash Academy. Deepika has won a total of 20 titles in International tournaments in Australia, Europe and Asia and has been ranked No.1 junior in the Under-19 World WISPA rising star rankings.

The ICL academy also hosts a number of international squash tournaments; it hosted the Indian Challenger tournament, a $15,000 PSA tour event, in October 2008, and hosted the World International Doubles Squash Championship in December 2008. The academy also hosts the Chennai Open, now an annual PSA tournament. Says Akshay Deepak, a 16-year-old student of the academy, “The exposure we get from interacting with and observing international players is tremendous.”

As a general rule, winners are expected to do things differently, and not merely do different things; the ICL academy is no exception. “At our academy, we have world class facilities, structured coaching and proven methods of training; we cover all major aspects of training - physical, psychological, technical, tactical and life skills. The gym and swimming pool play an extensive role in the training process,” says Maniam. In the pipeline and ready to prove their mettle are players like Anaka Alankamony, Harita Omprakash, Aparajitha Balamurukan, Harinder Pal Singh and Ravi Dixit. Being the nerve center of squash in India, the ICL squash academy in Chennai also attracts players from other states like Maharashtra, Punjab and Rajasthan.

The Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) is fully supportive of the endeavours of Tamil Nadu Squash Rackets Association. A new squash complex has been constructed with private partnership in the Nehru Park Sports Complex as part of the Joint Infrastructure Development Programme. The Chennai Open is fully supported by the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sport under the scheme for preparation for the Commonwealth Games in 2010. Major Maniam is appreciative of the government’s support: “The Government through the SDAT is very supportive of squash activities in the state. However, we look forward to their support in making sports medicines more widely available and accessible.”

There is a widespread misconception that squash is a rich man’s sport. Shattering the stereotype, Major Maniam says, “A month of squash coaching in our academy costs Rs.2,500, and participation fees in tournaments are nominal.” The academy also has a scheme for under-privileged children, offering free coaching to talented players who cannot afford the coaching, and presently has about 30 children enrolled in it. B.Balamurugan and A.Parthiban are two school dropouts who were marker boys in the squash courts. Spotting their talent and hunger, Maniam, inducted them into the formal training in the academy. After technical and coaching inputs, their game blossomed, and the two made a mark at the national level. At the recently concluded National Championships in August, Balamurugan and Parthiban were finalists in the professional men’s category, with Parthiban clinching the title. Balamurugan, who was a member of the Indian team in the Asian Senior Championships in 2002, is now a coach at the ICL Academy. Bala and Parthi, as they are affectionately called, are ideal examples of the academy’s commitment in helping disadvantaged sections of the society.

Is Squash in Tamil Nadu limited only to Chennai? “No!” says Major Maniam. “Efforts are being made by our academy to assist districts in building squash courts. Salem, being a case in point, has already seen an overwhelming response to its newly constructed squash court. A few more districts have already started the construction of squash courts.” Plenty of school and college-level tournaments are also organized in the state of Tamil Nadu. These signs are encouraging, and the future for squash in Tamil Nadu certainly looks rosy.

The successful model of squash training in Tamil Nadu will soon be replicated in other states in India. “Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, Jaipur and Jodhpur have squash centers in a small scale, and by increasing the fund flow and ensuring strong leadership, we can expect fresh squash talent to surface from these parts,” says the Major.

Following campaigns by the World Squash Federation to confer the Olympic Game status on squash, the game has been shortlisted for inclusion in the 2016 Olympic Games. It is an event in the 2010 Commonwealth Games to be held in New Delhi, and one can expect a promising battery of squash talent raking up a gold mine.

Photo Courtesy: flydime

Footnotes

1. ASB Glass Court is a type of squash court that matches international standards- with specific conditions and properties for flooring, lighting, size dimensions. (www.asbsquash.com.ua)

2.Dhronacharya Award is an award presented by the government of India for excellence in sports coaching. The award comprises a bronze statuette of Dronacharya, a scroll of honour and a cash component of Rs.300,000. The award was instituted in 1985. Dronacharya was the teacher of military arts in the Mahabarata epic. (Wikipedia)

3. The Arjuna Awards were instituted in 1961 by the government of India to recognize outstanding achievement in National sports. The award carries a cash prize of Rs. 500,000, a bronze statuette of Arjuna and a scroll. Arjuna was the finest archer of the Mahabarata epic. (Wikipedia)