India prove too strong for Turkmenistan

 By Nilanjan Datta

MUSCAT, JUNE 30

 The goal stayed inevitable but the wait continued. Sometimes one became impatient as opening the rival goalmouth at times, looked like improbable -- simply because Turkmenistan were not willing to push forward. By the 15^th minute itself, they had 10 men defending.

The deadlock eventually broke in the 36^th minute. Romeo Fernandes, India’s super-sub against United Arab Emirates made justice of Arthur Papas fielding him in the Starting XI. As he broke through inside the penalty box, rival defender Komekov Hemayat, beaten by Romeo’s sudden burst, found it best to bring him down.

Midfielder Lalrindika Ralte slotted it past Turkmenistan goalkeeper Garayev to put India in the lead.

India defeated Turkmenistan 4-1 in their fourth match of the AFC U-22 Qualifiers at the Sultan Qaboos Stadium in Muscat. India now move to 7 points from 4 matches and next play hosts Oman on July 3.

Besides Dika, Alwyn George scored in the 69^th minute and Romeo Fernandes, in the 76^th minute. Jeje Lalpekhlua converted from the spot in the 86^th minute to complete the rout. For Turkmenistan, Italmazov Farhad equalised in the 59^th minute.

Barely four minutes after Dika’s penalty conversion, Alwyn George, still then, a bit suffocated in between a horde of Turkmenistan players, got past two but his prompt left-footer hit the post.

India started on a cautious note. They stayed content in building from the back and switched flanks on a regular basis. There were passes being stitched, positions being interchanged. India had the regulator with them – they controlled the match.

Changing over, Turkmenistan started-off with more purpose. The first five minutes had the Indians defending. The organisation stayed good but despite it, captain Gurpreet Singh Sandhu had to stretch back to palm over a deflection.

On the counter, a Romeo placement off a Vishak Kumar throw-in hit the upright in the 51^st minute and then in the 55^th minute, Manandeep Singh’s long-ranger sailed over.

But Turkmenistan struck in the 59^th minute – Italmazov Farhad’s prompt right-footer beating a diving Gurpreet.

But the Indians regrouped fast – Alwyn George capitalising on a defensive lapse, chipped it over an onrushing Garayev. Alwyn could have settled the issue in the 71^st minute when he ran in between the entire defence and entered the rival box only for Garayev’s legs to deprive him.  

It didn’t matter as Romeo got his name on the scoring sheet for the second consecutive match in the 76^th minute. This time, Alwyn provided the perfect supplier for him and Romeo made no mistake.

The second penalty came in the 85^th minute when Jeje was pushed inside the box and Jeje gleefully converted from the spot.

For the rest of the match, the Indians maintained their shape. Turkmenistan did try to press hard but it came a bit too late.

INDIA: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (Captain); Vishal Kumar, Deepak Devrani, Souvik Ghosh, Narayan Das; Ganeshan (Tirthankar Sarkar – 63^rd), Milan Singh, Lalrindika Ralte, Romeo Fernandes (Abhishek Das – 82^nd), Alwyn George, Manandeep Singh (Jeje Lalpekhlua – 69^th)

Hindu scriptures taught to top Wyoming highschoolers by University of Wyoming

by sportswire4u.blogspot.com

NEVADA (USA), JUNE 30
The University of Wyoming’s (UW) prestigious Summer High School Institute (HSI) reportedly taught ancient Hindu scriptures Mahabharata and Ramayana in its Laramie (USA) campus.

The curriculum of this class titled “The Hindu Epic” included: “This course will examine how the great ancient epics, The Mahabharata and the Ramayana,…still shape ideas about identity and devotion in the modern world”. It also included learning about Hindu gods, Hindu worship, etc.

Grace Henderson, who was among over 80 top sophomores from 50 Wyoming school districts attending HSI, was quoted on the UW website in the related newsitem: My favorite class is the ‘Hindu Epic’.

Acclaimed Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, applauding University of Wyoming for including Hindu scriptures in this prestigious program, called it “a step in the right direction”.

Rajan Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, pointed out that opening-up the top Wyoming highschoolers to major world religions would make them well-nurtured, well-balanced, and enlightened citizens of tomorrow. It also made a good business sense to know the beliefs of “others” in a global community. Moreover, students should have knowledge of the entire society to become full participants in the society, Zed added.

Highly selective 26-years old HSI, a three-week summer residential program ending June 30, “is designed to offer intellectually talented high school students a challenging and enriching educational experience on the University of Wyoming campus”. It is said to be a gathering of “Wyoming's most intellectually talented sophomores” and “gifted students”. “The primary purpose of the program is to draw talented Wyoming high school sophomore students to the university for an intensive examination of unanswered questions and unresolved challenges”, according to HSI webpage. “The Hindu Epic” class was taught by Assistant Professor Barbara Logan, while Duncan Harris and Rene Sanchez were Director and Project Coordinator respectively of HSI.

Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about one billion adherents and moksh (liberation) is its ultimate goal.

University of Wyoming in Laramie, founded in 1886, is a nationally recognized research institution, ranked among the nation's top colleges and universities and is stated to be one of the top "adventure colleges”. With about 13,000 students from all 50 states and over 90 countries, it offers 190 areas of study. Notable alumni include Vice President Dick Cheney, quality control pioneer W. Edwards Deming and novelist Cheryl Holt. David J. Bostrom heads its Board of Trustees while Tom Buchanan is the President.

Jaskaranveer, Shivam and Gurinder slamt tons for Chandigarh

by sportswire4u.blogspot.com (Balbir)

CHANDIGARH, JUNE 30 

Chandigarh amassed 477 for 6 in 95 overs against Mohali on the first day of the Punjab Inter-District Under-22 Cricket Tournament at Sector 16 Cricket Stadium here today.

Winning the toss and electing to bat Chandigarh lost their first wicket at 17 when Veer Karan Goel were snapped by Harpreet off Manraj for 1.  Then a double century stand (206) between Jaskaranveer Singh Sohi and Shivam Bhambri took the team’s total to 223 for 2 in 39 overs .The stand was broken when Jaskaranveer Singh was caught by Gagandeep off Amrit Singh for 122 of 131 balls studded with 12x4 and 5 soaring sixes. This was Jaskaran’s 3^rd three figure marks in as many innings. Earlier he had hit two back to back double centuries against the same opposition.

The  Mohali bowlers were kept at bay by the rampaging duo of Shivam Bhambri and skipper Gurinder Singh who added 145 runs for the 3^rd wicket before Shivam Bhambri was caught by Brar off Bir Kanwar after completing a business like century (150) of 178 balls studded with 28 well executed boundaries and 1x6. Skipper Gurinder Singh went on to smash a hurricane century (139) of 126 balls studded with 18x4 and 5x6 huge sixes. Chandigarh were 477 for 6 in 95 overs at close of first day’s play.

Brief score: Chandigarh (Ist innings): 477 for 6 in 95 overs(Jaskaranveer Singh 122, Shivam Bhambri  150, Gurinder Singh  139, Simranpreet  29, Amrit Singh 1 for 62, Beerkanwar  1 for 55, Gurpreet  1 for 62, Manraj   1 for 53).

In the second match played at PAU Ludhiana, Ludhiana were bowled out for 323 in 93 overs by Patiala. Their innings were sustained by 6^th wicket stand of 103 runs between Akhil Aggarwal (127) and Himanshu Shelly (71). This was followed by a 7^th wicket stand between Akhil Aggarwal and davinder Sidhu. Akhil Agarwal‘s knock of 127 of 215 balls was embellished with 16 x4. For Patiala Amaninder Singh (5 for 75) was the main wicket taker for Patiala

Brief score: Ludhiana  (Ist innings): 323 for 93 overs (Akhil Aggaarwal  127, Himanshu Chawla  71, Davinder Sidhu   48, Amaninder Singh 5 for 75, Sukhwinder 2 for 80).

In the last match played at Burlton Park Jalandhar, Amritsar winning the toss and opting to bat first. Soon found themselves in dire straits. They were bundled out for 168 in 63.2 overs Gurkerat Singh (4 for 22), Shubek Gill (2 for 42) and Yogesh Kumar (2 for 53) doing most of the damage for Jalandhar. Rohan Marwaha (24), Abhinav Sharma (32), Aman Bawa (29) were the principal run getters for Amritsar.

Replying Jalandhar scored 106 for1 in 29 overs.Pargat Singh was unbeaten on 62 and Abhishek gupta unbeaten 16 were together at close of play. Rahul Kanojia (1 for 28) was the lone wicket taker for Amritsar.

 Brief sscores: Amritsar:168 all out (Abhinav Sharma  32, Aman Bawa 29, Rohan Marwaha  24, Shubek Gill  4 for 22, Shubek Gill  2 for 42, Yogeh Kumar  2 for 42).

Jalandhar: 106 for 1 (Pargat Singh   62 n.o, Abhishek Gupta  16 n.o.).

Expedition to Mt Leo Pargial by 11 Grenadiers

 

 by sportswire4u.blogspot.com (Balbir)

CHANDIGARH, JUNE 29

 Lt Gen Sanjiv Chachra, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C), Western Army flagged in the Golden Height Mountaineering Expedition to Mount Leo Pargial (22,222 feet) and
felicitated the team on their achievement in a ceremony orgainsed  at Chandimandir today. This Mount Expedition has been undertaken by 11 (The Double First) grenadiers as a prelude to its Golden Jubilee celebrations.   The Army Commannder emphasized that the Army is not just a profession, but a way of life which has a high adventure content and urged all present to encourage more such activities in future by units as it helps in building team spirit and camaraderie besides inculcating the ability to take risks and honing professional and administrative skills.   The Expedition team handed over Ice Axe to the GOC-in-C.

Human desire and will to scale mountain peaks knows no limits. Ever since Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary became the first men to set foot atop Mount Everest in 1953, the passion for mountaineering has grown leaps and bounds all across the globe. It is acid test
of physical and mental stamina of an individual and involves years of diligent preparation. It is a form of adventure which drives a person to risk his utmost in the pursuit of the goal that he has set for himself. The Indian Army
continues to promote this adventure activity in a big way.
Mt Leo Pargial, at towering height of 22,222 feet is located in Kinnaur District of Himachal Pradesh. 11 Grenadiers which is commemorating its 50 Years of dedicated and unstinted service to nation undertook the challenging task of scaling this imposing peak. The
expedition was flagged off by The Commanding Officer, Col KM Shende, on 10 June
2012. The expedition team comprising of three officers, three JCOs and 13 other
ranks successfully scaled this majestic peak on 17 June 2012.

Hindu Temple complex breaking ground in Northwestern Alberta

by sportswire4u.blogspot.com

NEVADA (USA), JUNE 29

Bhumi-Puja (sod-turning) ceremony for “Canadian Hindu Cultural Centre” will be held in Grande Prairie County No. 1 (Alberta, Canada) on June 29 evening.

 Grande Prairie Mayor Bill Given has been invited to do ceremonial sod-turning for the proposed 1400 square foot Centre in over nine acres of land to be built by non-profit registered charity “Grande Prairie Hindu Association” (GPHA). Mangal Parikrama and Puja will also be held on the occasion. Costing about $400,000, it is reportedly expected to be ready by November.

 According to reports, this new temple complex plans to meet the worship, social and cultural needs of the community and will be Canada’s most northern Hindu temple. Besides Hinduism, it aims to promote India and its dances, culture, philosophy, foods, etc., and hopes to bring instructors from India to teach classical music, yoga, etc. Besides private donations, its management hopes to receive some funding from government also.

 Meanwhile, acclaimed Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, applauded efforts of Association leaders and area community to realize this Hindu temple complex.

 Rajan Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, further said that it was important to pass on Hindu spirituality, concepts and traditions to coming generations amidst so many distractions in the consumerist society and hoped that this temple complex would focus in this direction. Zed stressed that instead of running after materialism; we should focus on inner search and realization of Self and work towards achieving moksh (liberation), which was the goal of Hinduism.

 Area Hindus, consisting of few dozen families only, reportedly have to travel to Edmonton, about 450 kilometers, for worshipping at a Hindu temple. Doctors Nikhilesh Roy, S. Karnik and Ram Mudalier are President, Vice President and Secretary-Treasurer respectively of GPHA, which is dedicated to build the Hindu temple and promote Hindu religion and culture.

 Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about one billion adherents.

 First County in Alberta, Grande Prairie County No. 1, with an area of about 5,863 square kilometers has only 20,347 population. This area was settled in the early 1900's. Currently, Leanne Beaupre and Bill Rogan are Reeve and Administrator respectively of the County, whose Vision Statement includes: "focuses on people, their quality of life and diversity of opportunity".

Raghu Bir captures successive title at Tata Steel Bhubaneshwar Junior/Sub-Junior

by sportswire4u.blogspot.com (Balbir)

BHUBANESHWAR, JUNE 28

 Overnight leader Raghu Bir Choudhary annexed his second successive title when he won the Bhubaneshwar Junior/Sub-junior, the fifth leg of the nine-legged Tata Steel IGU East Zone Junior Tour being played at the Bhubaneshwar Golf Club here on Thursday. Raghu Bir added a 88 to his overnight 81 to finish with a two-round total of 169, ten shots clear of second placed Rohan Agarwal in the top category (Cat A & B).

Nishkarsh Sachdeva and Kunal Naidu were tied for the third spot while Yashwardhan Sarda was fifth. Bishwam Ghosh and Udayajit Bhalotia were tied for the sixth place. Rohan Agarwal captured the title in the ‘B’ Category with Nishkarsh Sachdeva and Kunal tied for the second place while Yashvardhan and Bishwan Ghosh ended up fourth and fifth respectively.

The Category ‘C’ honours were grabbed by Hashan Rahman with Devansh Chadha and Bibek Sardar finishing second and third respectively. Sandeep Yadav emerged victorious in Category ‘D’.

Raghu Bir who looked determined to put up a good show in the final round, began earnestly making a hat-trick of pars before losing a stroke each on the next couple of holes. However was in trouble once again on the par-4 eighth where he made a triple in successive rounds and ended his front nine with a double.

On the return journey, the Kolkata lad once again began in a similar fashion making three straight pars before making a triple on the 14^th and bogeying the rest of the holes (double on 16^th). However, Raghubir signed off with a par to emerge victorious.

“I am thrilled to win back to back titles,” said the 16-year-old. “I was very confident after my victory at the Royal Calcutta Golf Club and today too I played well on most of the holes. I committed some mistakes which could have been avoided but there wasn’t any pressure from my opposition and that helped a bit,” admitted Raghu Bir. “I am looking forward to winning more titles and top the IGU Order of Merit,” added the champion.

Top scores after 36 holes

Cat A & B

169 Raghu Bir Choudhary (CAT A) (81, 88); 179 Rohan Agarwal (CAT B) (90, 89); 185 Nishkarsh Sachdeva (CAT B) (94, 91); 185 Kunal Naidu (CAT B) (90,        95); 188 Yashvardhan Sarda (CAT B) (89, 99); 189 Bishwam Ghosh (CAT B) (93, 96); 189 Udayjit Bhalotia (CAT B) (96, 93); 189 Jung Yunwoo (CAT A) (98, 91); 200 Abhisek Abhijeet (CAT A) (97, 103); 208 Tanishq Julka (CAT B) (116, 92), 212 Rajesh Bahera (CAT A) (112, 100); 218 Nihar Ranjan Mishra (CAT B) (110, 108); 255 Akshat Praneet (CAT B) (128, 127)

 Cat B

179 Rohan Agarwal (90, 89); 185 Nishkarsh Sachdeva (94, 91); 185 Kunal Naidu (90, 95); 188 Yashvardhan Sarda (89, 99); 189 Bishwam Ghosh (93, 96); 189 Udayjit Bhalotia (96, 93); 208 Tanishq Julka (116, 92); 218 Nihar Ranjan Mishra (110, 108); 255              Akshat Praneet (128, 127)

 Cat C

166 Hashan Rahman (82, 84); 177     Devansh Chadha (89, 88); 183           Bibek Sardar (94, 89); 197 Vir Singh Lamba (98, 99); 197 Manish Rajak  (102, 95); 211 Raghav Kharb (110, 101); 217 Rohil Chokhany(108, 109)

 CAT D

183 Sandeep Yadav (95, 88); 208 Rajib Ali (103, 105)

--

Chandigarh gain vital first innings lead against Amritsar

by sportswire4u.blogspot.com (Balbir) 

CHANDIGARH, JUNE 27 

Mohali declared their second inning closed 400 for 9 in 115 overs against  Patiala in the Punjab Inter-District  Under-22 Cricket Tournament at PCA Stadium  in Mohali today. They were helped in their cause by Harperet Mander (91, 15x4, 1x6), Sachin Sohal (92, 13x4s) and Manender Singh (64, 7x4s).

 Harperet Mander and Sachin Sohal raised 114 runs for the second wicket. Sachin Sohal in company of Ankit Pursharthy  (39) added 95 runs for the third wicket. Bhavish  Goel (4 for 83) was the most successful bowler for Patiala.

BriefsScores:  Mohali (2^nd innings): 400 for 9 in 115 overs ( Harpreet Mander  91, Sachin Sohal 92, Ankit Pursharthy 39, Manender Singh 64, Bir Kanwar Singh Virk 32, Bhavish  Goel 4 for 83).

In the second match played at  Sector 16 Cricket Stadium, Chandigarh restricted Amritsar to 196 in 71.5 overs and took a vital 1st innings lead of 31 runs. Gurinder Singh (4 for 54) was the most successful bowler for Chandigarh.

Chandigarh scored 269 for 6 in 91 overs at close of third day’s play. Chandigarh at one stage were 128 for 5 then Gurinder Singh (91) and Abhilash Sharma unbeaten (51) added 141 runs for the 6^th wicket. The stand was broken when Gurinder Singh was caught by Sunny of Arush Sabharwal for (91, 3x4s, 9x6s). Gaurav Puri  (51) was the other notable contributor with the bat. Chandigarh were leading by 300 runs at close of play. Ashwani Kumar (2 for 33) and Amandeep Bawa (2 for 46) were the main wicket takers for Amritsar.

Brief scores: Chandigarh (1^st innings): 200 for all in 83.4 overs. Amritsar: 169 for all in 71.5 overs (Rohan marwaha 57, Gurinder Singh 4 for 54, Aman Bharti 2 for 24 Abhilash Sharma 2 for 17).

Chandigarh  (2^nd innings): 269 for 6 in 91 overs. Veer Karan Goyal 31, Gaurav Puri 51 Gurinder Singh 91 Abhilash Sharma 51 not out, Ashwani kumar 2 for 33, Rahul Kanojia 1 for 63, Amandeep Bawa 2 for 46, Arush Sabharwal 1 for 18).

In the third  Match played at Burlton Park Jalandhar between Jalandhar and Ludhiana, hosts Jalandhar took eight runs 1^st innings lead as they bowled out Ludhiana for 381 in 129 overs. Davinder Sidhu (79 not out) and Sandeep Singh (62) put on 127 runs for the 9^th wicket. Yogesh Kumar (6 for 105) was most successful bowler for Jalandhar.

Ludhina came back strongly in the 2^nd innings as they dismissed Jalandhar for 219 in 54.2 overs. Jalandhar kept on loosing wickets at regular intervals. Nitish (45), Love Kumar Singh (35), Abhishek Gupta (38) were the main contributors for Jalandhar .

Anil Sihag (4 for 70) and Sandeep Singh (3 for 37) did most of the damage for Ludhiana. Set to get 228 runs for an outright win Ludhiana were 59 for no loss in 14 overs. Sunny Pandey Unbeaten 28, Akhil Aggarwal unbeaten 30 for together at close of third days play.

Brief scores:  Jalandhar (1^st inning): 389 for all out in 80.5 overs (Mandeep Singh  144, Siddharth Sharma 53, Himanshu Satyawan 85, Gurkirat Singh 36, Sandeep Singh 4 for 107).

Ludhiana (1^st innings): 381 for all in 129 overs (Gitansh Khera 89 Ashish Kumar 45, Davinder  Sidhu 79 not out, Sandeep Singh 62, Yogehs Kumar 6 for 105).

Jalandhar (2^nd innings): 219 for all in 54.2 overs (Nitish 45, Love  Kumar 35, Abhishek Gupta 38, Anil Sihag 4 for 70 Sandeep Singh 3 for 37).

 Ludhiana (2^nd innings):  59 for no loss in 14 overs (Sunny Pandey 28 not out, Akhil Aggarwal 30 not out).

Sunil Ahuja and Manisha win NZ Audit TT titles

 

 

  by sportswire4u.blogspot.com (Balbir)
CHANDIGARH, JUNE 27
  Sunil Ahuja of Principal AG Punjab won men's singles title in the North Zone Audit Table Tennis Tournament beating Piyus of AG Haryana 4-2.
 Earlier in the women's singles final, Manisha Sharma of Delhi Audit beat Gurinder Kaur of AG Punjab 4-2.  In veteran section Harish Kumar of AG Haryana beat Jaswant Gangta of AG Himachal Pradesh by 3-0.      Mr. Onkar Nath, Pr. Accountant General (Audit ) Haryana gave away prizes to all the winners.

Hindus upset at online video game using Kali & other gods as combat tools

 by sportswire4u.blogspot.com

NAVEDA (USA), JUNE 27

Hindus are upset at an online video action game SMITE being created by a Georgia (USA) developer in which the players assume the direct control of some Hindu gods.

 Its current list of Hindu gods includes: Kali, Vamana and Agni. A scantily clad image of Hindu goddess Kali is posted on the SMITE page of the company (Hi-Rez Studios) website.

 Acclaimed Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, urged Alpharetta headquartered developer Hi-Rez Studios to immediately remove the Hindu gods from the game as it trivialized the highly revered deities of Hinduism.

 Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, stressed that in a video game set-up, the player would control the movements of goddess Kali and other Hindu deities, while in reality the devotees put the destinies of themselves in the hands of their deities.

 Rajan Zed argued that reimagining Hindu scriptures and deities for commercial or other agenda was not okay as it hurt the devotees. Controlling and manipulating goddess Kali and other Hindu deities with a joystick/ button/keyboard/mouse was denigration. Goddess Kali and other Hindu deities were meant to be worshipped in temples and home shrines and not meant to be reduced to just a “character” in a video game to be used in combat in the virtual battleground.

 Zed pointed out that Hindus were for free speech as much as anybody else if not more. Hindu tradition encouraged peaceful debates, won on their intellectual merit. But faith was something sacred and attempts at belittling it hurt the devotees. Video game makers should be more sensitive while handling faith related subjects, as these games left lasting impact on the minds of highly impressionable children, teens and other young people, Zed added.

 Hindus welcomed entertainment industry to immerse in Hinduism but taking it seriously and respectfully and not for refashioning Hinduism concepts and symbols for mercantile greed. Hindus would gladly provide genuine entertainment industry seekers the resources they needed for their study and research regarding Hinduism, Rajan Zed stated.

 Hinduism was the oldest and third largest religion of the world with about one billion adherents and a rich philosophical thought and it should not be taken lightly. No faith, larger or smaller, should be plundered, Zed noted.

 Website of online video game developer Hi-Rez Studios describes this video game SMITE as an “online battleground between mythical gods” in which players choose from a selection of gods.

 Upon release, SMITE will be a free-to-play game but gods will be priced, ranging between $2-$4. SMITE Beta, currently a Closed Beta, began on May 31 last and its full release is claimed within eight months. Before its general release, it will be “balanced and polished” with the help of Beta community, allowing users to play it early and provide feedback. Besides Hindu gods, other gods listed are: Greek, Norse, Chinese and Egyptian. It can be pre-ordered now.

 Hi-Rez Studios, established in 2005 to provide online interactive entertainment, has already released “Global Agenda” and “Tribes” titles and is now developing SMITE.  SMITE “tutorial video” was released on June 20. Erez Goren and Todd Harris are Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer respectively.

Goddess Kali, who personifies Shakti or divine energy and considered the goddess of time and change, is widely worshipped in Hinduism. Vamana is the fifth avatar of Vishnu (the “preserver” in the Hindu triad with Brahma and Shiva as the aspect of the Supreme, who had ten incarnations to establish dharma). Agni is one of the most significant Vedic deities, second most frequently invoked in Rig-Veda. Moksh (liberation) is the ultimate goal of Hinduism.

Fine show by Haryana in National School Games

by sportswire4u.blogspot.com (Balbir)

CHANDIGARH, JUNE 27

While continuing its winning spree in school sports competitions at national level, Haryana has bagged third position in 57^th National School Games.

          While stating this today, Haryana Education Minister, Mrs. Geeta Bhukkal said that players from State have performed well in National School Games. The players continued with their third position by scoring 450 points in these games. Haryana has bagged a total of 234 medals which included 69 gold, 78 silver and 87 bronze medals. She said that Haryana had also bagged third position in 56^th National School Games whereas in 55^th National School Games it had bagged fourth position. Similarly, the players maintained the continuity at school level also.

          She said that in 57^th National School Games Delhi stood first and Maharashtra was second. While Manipur was fourth, Punjab was fifth, West Bengal was sixth, Kerala was seventh and Gujarat was at eighth position.

          She said that State Government is trying that every child should get opportunity to move further in sports with education. With a view to refine youth talent, State Government has started Sports and Physical Aptitude Test (SPAT). Under this scheme, 5000 children between eight and 19 years of age were given sports scholarships for which a sum of Rs 10 crore had been earmarked this year. She said that under Direct to Athlete Scheme, the money is being sent direct into the bank accounts of the players.

          She said that State Government is of the view that children from rural areas should also get better sports facilities like that of urban areas, for which Rajiv Gandhi stadia are being constructed in 222 villages. In more than 150 villages the construction works of such stadiums has been completed, she added.

Revised sports calendar of Haryana Education Department

by sportswire4u.blogspot.com (Balbir)

CHANDIGARH, JUNE 27

Haryana Secondary Education Department has revised sports calendar for  2012-13.

          While stating his here today, a spokesman of the department said that necessary instructions to this effect have been issued to all District Education Officers in the state. They have been asked to ensure that games and tournaments are organized as per revised calendar in their respective districts.

As per new updated and modified sports calendar, he said, football Pre Subroto Cup Inter School Games for boys under 14 and 17 years age group and for girls under 17 would be organized from July 25 to 27 at Rewari. Pre Nehru Hockey inter school games for boys and girls under 17 and for boys under 15 would be organized from August 3 to 5 at Shahabad, Kurukshera. Swimming, diving and water polo games for boys and girls under age group of 14,17 and 19 would be organized from August 3 to 6 at Karnal.

          He said that Base Ball tournament for girls under 14, 17 and 19, judo for boys and girls under 14, 17 and 19, football for boys under 17 and archery for boys and girls under 14, 17 and 19 would be conducted from August 7 to 10 at Sirsa. Similarly, Badminton and table tennis games for boys and girls under 14, 17 and 19, boxing for girls under 17 and 19 and softball for girls under 14, 17 and 19 would also be organized from August 7 to 10 at Bhiwani.

          He said that games for Wushu, kick boxing and tang-ta martial art for boys and girls under 19, sky martial art and taekwondo for boys and girls under 14, 17 and 19 and weight lifting for boys and girls under 17 and 19 would be organized from August 17 to 20 at Gurgaon. Kabaddi and Yoga games for boys and girls under 14, 17 and 19 would be organized from Augsut 17 to 20 at Kaithal.

          He said that games like base ball, wrestling, basketball and yoga for boys under 14, 17 and 19 and jumping rope for boys and girls under 19 would be organized from August 22 to 25 at Hisar. Handball and fencing for boys and girls under 14, 17 and 19, wrestling for girls under 19 and yoga for boys under 14, 17 and 19 would also be organized from August 22 to 25 at Nawana. Similarly, football for boys under 14, 19, boxing for boys under 14, 17 and 19 and cricket for girls under 19 would be organized from August 28 to 31 at Rewari. Hockey for boys under 14, 17 and 19 and cricket for boys under 19 would also be organized from August 28 to 31 at Sonipat.

          As per revised calendar, throw ball and kho-kho for for boys and girls under 14, 17 and 19 and cricket 20-20 for boys and girls under 19 would be held at Panipat from October 3 to 6, 2012. Similarly, athletics, softball, skating, volleyball, net ball and football for boys and girls in different age groups would be organized from October 3 to 6 at Yamunanagar and Rohtak. Tournaments for gymnastics, dodze ball, lawn tennis, chow kwonog do, kabaddi and kho-kho would also be organized in different age groups from October 9 to 12 at Ambala and Narnaul.

          The spokesman said that kabaddi, athletics, hockey, cycling, rifle shooting for boys and girls in various age groups would be organized from October 16 to 19 at Kurukshetra and Shahabad. Games of basketball, football and volleyball for both boys and girls would be conducted from October 26 to 29 at Karnal whereas tug of war, circle kabaddi and cricket for boys and girls in different age groups would be organized at Jhajjar from November 6 to 9. He said that ball badminton and shooting ball for boys and girls under 19 would be organized from November 6 to 9 at Panchkula.

Stress Management- Key to Happy Living

 

by sportswire4u.blogspot.com (Balbir)

CHANDIGARH, June 27

PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Konrad Adenauer Foundation of Germany organized a workshop on “Stress Management- Key to Happy Living” at PHD House, here today.

Dalip Sharma, Regional Director, PHD Chamber, Chandigarh while emphasizing the importance of Stress management said, “ the primary objective of this workshop is to help individuals in managing their Stress more efficiently and helping them become more productive while coping with stress. He added the Chamber would organize a series of workshops on Stress Management.

Small Minds discuss people, average minds discuss events, great minds discuss Idea And the ultimate are those who don’t follow their mind said Dr. Mandeep Singh, Faculty, Thapar University, Patiala. He further said Happiness is a state of mind and it cannot be conditioned with any person, object or circumstance.

He apprised participants of the stress Management methods to release stress.

Swami Ashwini, Ashramite said “Stress is a normal and enjoyable part of life, but unresolved, prolonged stress can become a killer”.  He informed participants of the factors that lead to stress and the coping strategies for managing stress.

Swami Ji said "Prana" is Breath or vital energy in the body. Hence, practical session was also organized to help participants learn different types of Pranyamas.

The Programme covered detailed sessions on factors leading to Stress; Understanding Stress & its consequences and Managing Stress to live better.

Satinder of Punjab and Tintu of Kerala best athletes

  Kerala retain overall championship and proved their supremacy once again in the National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships
by sportswire4u.blogspot.com
HYDERABAD, JUNE 26
M.A. Prajusha, the Commonwealth Games silver medallist in long jump, was the cynosure of all eyes on the concluding day of Greenko National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships at G.M.C. Balayogi Staidum in Gachibowli here on Tuesday evening.
The Kerala jumper looked very energetic when she takes up the runway towards triple jump pit.  Her first jump of 13.26m itself assured her the gold medal.  Prajusha faultered on her second try but went on to register a fine series of 13.55, 13.66, 13.53 and 13.45m on her remaining attempts to defend the title in this event.  However she barely missed to better the meet mark of 13.68m standing in her state-mate Mayookha Johny’s name since 2010.
Shraddha Ghule from Maharashtra, the 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games champion, took the silver with a 13.18m jump while Amitha Baby of Kerala the bronze in 12.72m.
Other athletes who defends their title from last year include Kheta Ram (Rajasthan) in 10000m at men’s division, M.M. Anchu (Kerala) in 100m hurdles, Harwant Kaur (Punjab) in discus throw and Sushmita Singha Roy (Bengal) in heptathlon in the women’s section.
Harwant, the Commonwealth silver medallist at Delhi-2010, could manage only 55.92m in the discus throw and hence could not join her teammates Krishna Poonia and Seema Antil in the London-bound squad.
Rajasthan’s Shakti Singh recorded a personal best 18.25m to take the men’s shot put gold while distance runner Kheta Ram brought another for the state in the 10,000m clocking 29:49.71.
Jharkhand hurdler A. Suresh timed career best 13.96 secs to win the men’s 110m hurdles from much fancied Tamil Nadu stars T. Balamurugan (14.18) and K. Premkumar (14.62).  Metric miler Jhuma Khatun, who also represented Jharkhand, engaged in a keen tussle with Kerala girl S.R. Bindu in women’s
1500m and virtually take the title in a thrilling sprint finish on the home stretch clocking 4:28.31 to Bindu’s 4:28.53.
Similarly the men’s race also witnessed a major contest between Asian Indoor Games champion Chatholi Hamza (Kerala) and Haryana runner Sandeep which the latter won in 3:43.76.  Hamza clocked 3:45.67 for the second place.
Delhi sprinter Nitin overpowered Tamil Nadu’s Manikanda Arumugam in men’s 200m (21.44 secs) while Haryana athlete Manisha grab the title in women’s race in 24.26s.  Andhra Pradesh’s Satti Geetha who was trying to emulate her sprint-double from the Patiala edition of the inter-state two years
ago however finished second in today’s race with a time of 24.33 secs.
As expected Kerala retained the overall title with a whooping 192 points, as the runners-up Uttar Pradesh finished a distant second in 82 points.
Tamil Nadu and West Bengal have taken the second spot in the team championships for men and women respectively.
Punjab’s intermediate hurdler Satinder Singh and Kerala half-miler Tintu Luka have been adjudged as best male and female athletes of the championships.
Mr N. Kirankumar Reddy,  Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and a noted cricketer in his heydays, presided over the valedictory function and gave away the prizes and awards to the winners.

COMBINED TEAM SCORES
1	KERALA	KER	192.000
2	UTTAR PRADESH	UP	82.000
3	TAMILNADU	TN	79.500
4	PUNJAB	PUN	74.000
5	WEST BENGAL	WB	71.000
6	MAHARASTRA	MAH	70.000
7	RAJASTHAN	RAJ	62.000
8	KARNATAKA	KAR	56.000
9	HARYANA	HAR	54.000
10	ANDHRA PRADESH	AP	51.000
11	MADHYA PRADESH	MP	48.500
12	JHARKHAND	JHAR	34.000
13	DELHI	DEL	31.000
14	ODISHA	ORI	13.000
15	CHATTISGARH	CG	10.000
16	UTTARAKHAND	UTTR	8.000
17	MANIPUR	MANI	7.000
17	GUJRAT	GUJ	7.000
19	ASSAM	ASSM	4.000
20	CHANDIGARH	CHD	3.000
21	JAMMU & KASHMIR	J&K	1.000
MALE TEAM SCORES
1	KERALA	KER	70.000
2	TAMILNADU	TN	57.500
3	RAJASTHAN	RAJ	46.000
4	UTTAR PRADESH	UP	43.000
5	PUNJAB	PUN	41.000
6	MADHYA PRADESH	MP	36.500
7	HARYANA	HAR	32.000
8	DELHI	DEL	31.000
9	MAHARASTRA	MAH	26.000
10	KARNATAKA	KAR	21.000
11	ANDHRA PRADESH	AP	15.000
11	JHARKHAND	JHAR	15.000
13	WEST BENGAL	WB	10.000
14	UTTARAKHAND	UTTR	8.000
14	CHATTISGARH	CG	8.000
16	MANIPUR	MANI	7.000
17	ASSAM	ASSM	4.000
18	GUJRAT	GUJ	3.000
18	CHANDIGARH	CHD	3.000
20	JAMMU & KASHMIR	J&K	1.000
FEMALE TEAM SCORES
1	KERALA	KER	122.000
2	WEST BENGAL	WB	61.000
3	MAHARASTRA	MAH	44.000
4	UTTAR PRADESH	UP	39.000
5	ANDHRA PRADESH	AP	36.000
6	KARNATAKA	KAR	35.000
7	PUNJAB	PUN	33.000
8	HARYANA	HAR	22.000
8	TAMILNADU	TN	22.000
10	JHARKHAND	JHAR	19.000
11	RAJASTHAN	RAJ	16.000
12	ODISHA	ORI	13.000
13	MADHYA PRADESH	MP	12.000
14	GUJRAT	GUJ	4.000
15	CHATTISGARH	CG	2.000

Hindu Studies Chair at University of Southern California

 by sportswire4u.blogspot.com

NEVADA (USA), JUNE 26

The University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles (USA) is creating its first Chair of Hindu Studies.

 Funded by a $3.24 million gift from Dharma Civilization Foundation, it will be named as Swami Vivekananda Visiting Faculty in Hindu Studies and the Dharma Civilization Foundation Chair in Hindu Studies.  Over 1,800 Indian students are currently enrolled at USC.

 Welcoming the establishment of Hindu Studies Chair, distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that it was important to pass on Hindu spirituality, concepts and traditions to coming generations amidst so many distractions in the consumerist society and hoped that this Chair would focus in this direction.

 Rajan Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, urged other major universities of the world to establish chairs in Hindu studies to explore and disseminate the rich philosophical thought that Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world with about one billion adherents, offered.

 USC, launched in 1880 with 53 students; now has about 38,000 students, over 240,000 living alumni, 17 professional schools and an annual budget of $3.2 billion. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has nominated at least one USC alumnus every year since the inception of the Academy Awards in 1929; and since 1912, USC is the only university in the world to have a gold medal-winning athlete in every summer Olympiad. It boasts of three Nobel Laureates and many prominent alumni including actor John Wayne and first-man-on-the-moon Neil Armstrong. Annual undergraduate tuition is $42,818. C. L. Max Nikias, Elizabeth Garrett and Duncan Williams are President, Provost and Religion School Chair respectively.

India go down fighting to Iraq

 Nilanjan Datta,

MUSCAT, JUNE 25

 UAE Coach Baler Sadih walked up and took the next seat immediately after the kick-off. Out went his notebook and points were being jotted down. He wanted to have a look at both Iraq and India. Tempted, one asked: “What’s your assessment?” It was interval by then and India were down by a goal.

“India’s organisation is good. Iraq are pressing but your team is not crumbling down. You should have converted the two chances you got,” he commented. He referred to a Holicharan Narzary header and a Manandeep Singh shot, both of which were deflected into corners.

Iraq survived those two and went on to beat India 2-1 in their second match of the U-22 AFC Championship at the Royal Oman Police Stadium on Monday (June 25). Captain Ali Mohammed Alialah headed in a Jawad Kadhim cross in the 35^th minute after Jawad got past Vishal Kumar and had sneaked into the box. Ammar Abdul Hussein scored the second goal for Iraq in the 49^th minute.

Alwyn George pulled one back for India in the 82^nd minute.

Arthur Papas’ boys are a new India. They don’t wilt under pressure and stay willing to press; and press hard. In the first half, formations changed. The veteran Baler Sadih noticed it.

“India aren’t sticking to one formation. They are constantly changing. Sometimes it’s 4-3-2-1; the next moment it’s 4-3-1-2 and then 4-3-3. Such teams are always dangerous,” he prophesied as Alwyn George made one of his sizzling runs into the rival box.

Upfront, Captain Jeje Lalpekhlua limped off in the 38^th minute and substitute Holicharan Narzary almost scored off his first touch with the ball – his header just off the target. His partner Manandeep was a man possessed. His passion reflected as he never shied away from tackles, making those off the ball runs and chased like everything depended on it.  

In the 42^nd minute, he almost scored but Alialah was able to deflect it the last moment for a corner.

Changing over, Iraq doubled the lead almost immediately after resumption – in the 49^th minute through Ammar Abdul Hussein.

Despite down by two goals, India didn’t panic. Rather, they tried regrouped. After a string of passes in the 69^th minute, Lalrindika Ralte’s long-ranger almost beat the diving rival goalkeeper Yaseen Yas but Yas managed to palm it away for a corner. In the very next minute, Dika’s free-kick hit the wall.

India pressed and soon Dika and Allwyn’s one-twos had the Iraqis guessing. In the 75^th minute, Manandeep tried to tap in between the two stoppers but Yasees was quick to react.

The Iraqis tried to slow down the game in the last quarter of the match but Alwyn was too good for them. He shrugged off three defenders and tap it over an onrushing Yaseen in the 82^nd minute.

The rest of the match, India went all out but Iraq managed to hold on. A handball shout was even ruled out. The books may suggest the score for future but the spirit and camaraderie will never be reflected in that. This is a resurgent India who plays till the final whistle.   

India next play United Arab Emirates on July 28.

INDIA: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu; Vishal Kumar, Souvik Ghosh, Prathamesh Maulinkar, Narayan Das, Pronoy Halder (Ganeshan – 58^th), Milan Singh (Romeo – 83^rd), Lalrindika Ralte, Alwyn George, Manandeep Singh, Jeje Lalpekhlua © (Hoicharan Narzary – 38^th).

Satinder upsets Joseph Abraham in 400m hurdles

by sportswire4u.blogspot.com
HYDERABAD, JUNE 25
In a race which everyone looked with some anticipation, reigning Asian Games champion and former world championship semi-finalist Joseph G. Abraham suffered a blow as he finished second in a slow time which
shattered his hope to book a ticket to London Olympics next month.
Having clocked 50.60 secs in yesterday’s semi-finals Joseph—the national record-holder with 49.51s—aiming to clock the ‘B’ standard of 49.80s on Monday evening.   However when the race begun at G.M.C. Balayogi Stadium, the venue of numerous international meetings earlier, the Kerala athlete
lagged behind defending champion Satinder Singh of Punjab.
He did tried  to catch-up with Satinder on the eighth hurdle but fatigue played its role as Joseph fails to maintain the tempo thereafter, finishing second in 50.39s against Satinder’s 40.99s personal best for front position.  Youth Olympic Games silver medallist Durgesh Kumar Pal of Maharashtra was third in 50.80s.
There was a clean sweep by Kerala in the women’s race with R. Anu taking the gold in 60.34 secs. K.P. Bimin was another Kerala athlete who triumphed in men’s pole vault by successfully defends his title clearing
4.95m.
The long jump pit witnessed high drama as Karnataka’s 21-year-old M. Arshad won the event by just 1 cm from Asian Indoor and Asian junior bronze medallist K. Prem Kumar from Tamil Nadu (7.42 to 7.41m).  Defending champion Amritpal Singh could not find his rhythm and hence finished fourth with 7.28m.  Former national champion Maha Singh with the same distance took the bronze.
Rajasthan’s Manju Bala clinched his second successive gold in women’s hammer throw by set out the ball and chain to 58.27m while Delhi lad Anil Singh set the spear to 74.39m for the top spot in men’s javelin throw.
In 4x100m relay, Satti Geetha spearheaded the Andhra team to victory in the women’s race while the men’s title went to Tamil Nadu.
Earlier in the morning Deepmala Devi claimed her fifth title in the women’s 20 km walk.  Surinder Singh got the men’s title in this event.

AG Punjab face AG UP in NZ Audit TT

by sportswire4u.blogspot.com (Balbir)
CHANDIGARH, JUNE 25
Principal Accountant General, Punjab will meet Accountant General, UP in the final of the  North Zone  Table Tennis Tournament at the Sector 23 Table Tennis Hall here tomorrow.
In semi-final matches played today, AG Uttar Pradesh got the better of AG Himachal Pradesh by 3-2 and Principal AG Punjab edged out Principal. AG Haryana by an identical score of 3-2.
Results (semi-finals):
A.G.UP beat AG HP 3-2 (Amit  bt Jaswant 3-1, Gaurav Khanna lost to Ankur Behl 1-3,
S.P. Singh bt Anamik Sood 3-1, Jaswant bt Gaurav Khanna  lost to Jaswant 2-3, Amit  bt Ankur Behl HP 3-1).
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Micromax bags title sponsorship of Indo- Lanka cricket series

by sportswire4u.blogspot.com (Balbir)

CHANDIGARH, JUNE 25 

 Micromax Informatics Limited (“Micromax”), the 12th largest handset manufacturer in the World has bagged the title sponsorship for the ODI series between India and Sri Lanka from July 22 to August 4.

The series will feature five one day matches and a T20 match on  August 7. Ten Cricket and Micromax haVE entered into an agreement and the event will be now titled as Micromax Cup 2012.

Commenting on the association Pratik Seal, Marketing Head, Micromax Informatics Ltd said, “The idea behind any sponsorship is to connect with our customer beyond our products offerings and drive our saliency amongst them. Being a youth brand we have identified sports, movies and music as three main passion points for our target group. Micromax has always been closely associated with sponsoring cricket matches. We are proud to be associated with this game and are elated to continue our patronage and support for the game.” 

  “Since this is the first match after the IPL, the series is expected to grab a lot of viewership. At Micromax we believe in patronizing sports bringing the best of cricketing entertainment. We are delighted to announce this series and we believe that it will reinforce the brand charisma in both the countries.  Micromax has already marked its presence and the customers have widely accepted our products not only in India but in Sri Lanka too and through this sponsorship we expect to further extend our customer engagement.”

 Mr Ashish Sehgal , Chief Sales Officer ZEE, said, "We are delighted to have Micromax  on board as the title sponsor for the India Sri Lanka cricket series. He further said, "We believe that this series will be one of the best international cricket series for India and our partnership vindicates the stand that it will be good for advertisers too, I am confident that together we will create a wonderful experience for the cricket fan."

 The official broadcast TV partner for the Micromax Cup is Ten Cricket and Ten HD.

Upsets galore on the second day in National Athletics

by sportswire4u.blogspot.com
HYDERABAD, JUNE 24
The second day’s competitions in the Greenko National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships witnessed several upsets as favourite athletes fails to defend the top spots in their respective events.
First such defeat came in the women’s shot put in which defending champion P. Udayalakshmi from the host state went down to Punjab’s Patwant Kaur who tossed the iron ball to 13.76m for the victory.  However the National Games champion from Andhra Pradesh could manage only 13.35m on Sunday
evening and hence settled for silver.  Bengal’s Suparna Ghosh who threatened to pull Udayalakshmi further however ended with the bronze in her 13.31m put.
Other defending champions who lost their gold status include S.K. Mortaja in 400m, Sajeesh Joseph in 800m and Ramachandran in steeplechase among men.
In a much awaited battle in women’s 800m between Tintu Luka of Kerala and Sinimole Paulose, who represented Karnataka this time, went up to the wire but the young Tintu ascertained her position as she successfully defends her title in 2:01.36.  Sinimole timed 2:03.71 for the silver while another
Keralite S.R. Bindu finished third in 2:09.53.
However the men’s 800m, which held just before the women’s race, witnessed keen contest between veteran Ghamanda Ram (Rajasthan) and defending champion Sajeesh Joseph (Kerala).  A very good line-up which includes meet record-holder Pankaj Dimri (Uttarakhand) and Tamil Nadu star Francis
Sagayaraj, who involved in a fierce contest with Dimri during his record 1:46.26 win at Patiala two years ago throw much anticipation for an Olympic qualifier to emerge from this event.  However Sajeesh lost his
tempo midway and paved way for Ghamanda Ram to take the gold in a noteworthy 1:47.57 while Jinson Johnson from Chattisgarh was a close second in 1:47.80.  Sajeesh was third at 1:48.85.
But the biggest surprise of the day came in men’s 3000m steeplechase when Manipur’s Th. Sanjit Luwang inflicted a rare defeat on defending champion and pre-race favourite Ramachandran (TN).  They fought till the wire when the North Eastern athlete sprinted past to take the first place in 8:47.09 just ahead of Ramachandran’s 8:47.58.
In the ten-event decathlon competition K. Dileep Kumar of Marharashtra triumphed as the Army Sports Institute athlete garnered 6676 points as against his nearest rival Chandrahas Kushwaha of Uttar Pradesh who finished second with 4 points lesser.
Bengal girl Debashree Mazumdar takes the 400m in 54.60 secs.  Priyanka Singh Patel (UP) and M.A. Prajusha (Kerala) claimed the title in women’s 3000m steeplechase and long jump in the absence of defending champions Sudha Singh and Mayookha Johny—both Olympic qualifiers and currently
training abroad.

Haryana athlete provisionally suspended

by sportswire4u.blogspot.com
HYDERABAD, JUNE 24
Athlete Dharambir from Haryana, who won the men’s 100m yesterday, is provisionally suspended by the Athletics Federation pending enquiry for evaded the dope test.  Announcing the suspension, Adille J.
Sumariwalla, President of Athletics Federation of India said strong action will be taken against the erring athlete and the federation will not tolerate the doping-menace anymore.
He further added that in future action will be taken not only on erring athletes but also their respective coaches.

AIFF launches Platinum Jubilee celebrations

Chuni Goswami unveiling AIFF's 75th year logo

by  sportswire4u.blogspot.com

NEW DELHI, JUNE 23

  All India Football Federation turned 75 on Saturday (June 23). It was on this day in Shimla that All India Football Federation was launched way back in 1937. The Football Federation commemorated the occasion by launching the Platinum Jubilee Celebrations at the Headquarters, the Football House on the day. The celebrations continue till June 22, 2013. 

Former India Captain and legendary footballer Chuni Goswami unfurled the flag to mark the beginning of the celebrations. AIFF Senior Vice Presidents AR Khaleel and Subrata Dutta were also present as were Hardev Jadeja, Ankur Dutta, Tempo Bhutia and Sunil Bharadwaj.

Goswami also unveiled AIFF’s Platinum Jubilee logo.

AIFF General Secretary Kushal Das looked back the path travelled so far. “It is a momentous day for all football lovers. The AIFF which was launched in 1937 is now 75 years old. We stay proud of our history,” he said.

He also stressed on the future plans ahead. “AIFF has big plans for the development of football specially the launch of Youth Academies which will go a long way in improving and developing the game in India,” he added.

AIFF President Praful Patel in his message said: “It is indeed a great occasion that we are 75 years old. I am sure that with the programme undertaken in the Platinum Jubilee year we will go a long way in creating the right impetus to take Indian football to the next level in due course.”

Goswami also lauded the AIFF over the recent appointment of foreign coaches. “I need to mention that AIFF has brought in quality coaching staff in all age groups. It’s up to the Indian Coaches who work with them to learn the finer points of the trade,” he commented.

A short documentary film, ‘Glory of Indian Football’ was also screened at the Football House.

Besides, Goswami was presented a bouquet of flowers by AR Khaleel, Subrata Dutta, Ankur Datta and Hardev Jadeja. Kushal Das presented Goswami a memento and Subrata Dutta presented him with a shawl.

The Military Pipe Band of Rajputana Rifles performed on the occasion. “Saare Jahan se Accha,” was played in honour of the guests. The AIFF staff were also present on the occasion.

India breeze past Lebanon

By Nilanjan Datta,

MUSCAT, JUNE 23

 Tears! They don’t always wet your eyes. Often they wet your heart. Your heart cries but your eyes stay dry. It’s a pain which you one can share with none, the pain of losing someone dear. After losing his grandfather three days back, striker Manandeep Singh whenever in solitude has howled. In public, his pain made him stronger as an individual.

He refused to go back to his hometown Hissar for the rituals. Instead, he chose Muscat, the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex to be precise.

India opened their campaign by defeating Lebanon 5-2 in the opening match of the AFC U-22 Championship at the picturesque stadium. Manandeep paid the perfect tribute to his grandfather heading in a scorching header off a Lalrindika cross in the 16^th minute to put India in the lead while Alwyn George slotted it past an advancing rival goalkeeper Nazih Hassan in the 39^th minute. He added one more in the 55^th minute while Jeje Lalpekhlua scored his first goal in the 71^st minute and completyed the rout in the 90^th minute.

For Lebanon, substitute Omar Kurdi pulled one back in the 48^th minute while Abdul Fattah scored another in the 69^th minute.  

If that was all about the sacrifice, here’s something about the history. It was on this day that All India Football Federation was founded in Shimla in 1937. Even as former India Captain and legendary footballer Chuni Goswami unfurled the flag at Delhi’s Football House which marked the start of the Platinum Jubilee Celebrations of AIFF, a new chapter unfolded on the green turf, that too against a team as technically equipped and physically strong as Lebanon.

The style was too possessive. The boys stayed as protective of the ball as if it was their girlfriend. They roamed around it all over, sometimes at a leisurely place, the next moment with a sudden run. Lebanon chased.

In the first half, India were more prepared; more organised. The practice sessions in Delhi and Dubai helped the team to acclimatise fast. Muscat, despite being more hot, was more homely for them than Lebanon.

Changing over, Lebanon reduced the margin almost immediately – Omar Kurdi sneaking in between the two stoppers – Souvik Ghosh and Deepak Devrani to slot it home. Suddenly it seemed, India were losing the plot and Arthur Papas, not much pleased in the momentum being lost, wanted to draft in Jeje Lalpeklua.

But even before Jeje replaced Manandeep, Alwyn George made it 3-1. Receiving it midway into the rival half, Alwyn snaked past three and placed it in the corner for his second goal of the match.

Abdul Fattah did tap in off a melee in the 70^th minute for Lebanon but the very next minute Jeje announced his rival scoring the right corner of the inner box.

With no option left, Lebanon went all out. India stayed content in slowing down the pace for the rest of the match. Lebanon did try to press hard but it came too late. On the contrary, Dika hit the post which should have been India’s fifth goal.

Instead Jeje made it 5-2 off a counter in the 90^th minute.

It was a new resurgent India coached by 32-year Arthur Papas who played with more intent for a deserving victory.

In the dressing room, Manandeep couldn’t hold himself back. His heart was too wet by then and tears overflowed into his eyes. His teammates consoled him. Tears of pain? Or Tears of Joy?

“I wanted to pay my respect to my Grandfather. He loved me like anything,” Manandeep said. Alwyn came over put his arm around his shoulder and the duo walked towards the team bus. The rest followed.

Sacrifice; History; Future! All in one match!

INDIA: Gurpreet Singh (Captain); Abhishek Das, Souvik Ghosh, Deepak Devrani, Narayan Das, Ganeshan (Pronoy Halder – 65^th), Milan Singh, Shaiju Mon, Alwyn Geroge, Lalrindika Ralte, Manandeep Singh (Jeje Lapleklua – 56^th)