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Sporty India Institutions:   by  on 2009-10-31 01:19:04
 Subject :Pullela Gopichand .. 2010-03-15 17:25:06 
india
Joined: 2010-03-15 11:24:43
Posts: 2
Location: 
Forum : Badminton
Topic : Pullela Gopichand

Hey guys can you believe this the most popular Indian Badminton player
Pullela Gopichand has a star in the sky with his own name

Can't you guys believe this then check this link and try it .....

http://indianstarregistry.com/pages/sdetails.aspx?ra=91.36375&de=2.499444444&cid=yes&element1=740

If this link is not working visit the site

www.indianstarregistry.com

And be a neighbouring star of him by registering in this star....

This is a great chance to you guys to become a neighbouring star of your favourite stars........ and u can also registerd your loved ones names and make a surprise to them....

And be a most brightning star in the sky forever....

Have a great time.....:-D
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 Subject : Ashwini Nachappa .. 2010-03-15 17:12:48 
india
Joined: 2010-03-15 11:24:43
Posts: 2
Location: 
Forum : Athletics
Topic : Ashwini Nachappa

Hey guys can you believe this
Ashwini Nachappa,athlete from Karnataka and prestigious Arjuna award holder
has a star in the sky with her own name

Can't you guys believe this then check this link and try it .....

http://indianstarregistry.com/pages/sdetails.aspx?ra=101.7554167&de=18.18138889&cid=yes&element1=973ment1=973


If this link is not working visit the site

www.indianstarregistry.com

And be a neighbouring star of her by registering in this star....

This is a great chance to you guys to become a neighbouring star of your favourite stars........ and u can also registerd your loved ones names and make a surprise to them....

And be a most brightning star in the sky forever....

Have a great time....:-D
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Last Edited On: 2010-03-15 17:12:48 By india for the Reason
 Subject :I was just saying, finish it, finish it: Sehwag.. 2010-03-03 22:08:51 
Kand
Joined: 2009-06-19 12:58:26
Posts: 28
Location: 
Forum : Cricket
Topic : I was just saying, finish it, finish it: Sehwag

:-D
:star:

NEW DELHI: Superstition kept Virender Sehwag from applauding most part of Sachin Tendulkar's double ton in Gwalior but once the batting maestro reached 190, he shunned his belief and cheered every shot of his idol till he reached the milestone.

"I am the superstitious kind. I never praise a shot because I fear the moment I do so, the batsman gets out. Till Sachin was on 190 in Gwalior, I was rooted in my seat in the dressing room. But when he got to 190, I couldn't contain myself. I came out and started cheering every stroke till he got to 200," Sehwag recalled.

While Tendulkar reached the magical figure in a controlled manner, relying on singles and doubles, the Delhi marauder said he would have finished it off in a hurry.

"When he got to 180, I knew he was going to get it, but when he was in the 190s I was concerned. If I was in his place, I would have tried to finish it quickly, because the longer I take, the greater the possibility of me getting out. I would try to wrap it up in three or four balls.

"Also, he was looking really tired: he had been clutching his right side and showing signs of cramping. So when I stepped out of my seat, I was just saying, 'Finish it, finish it'," he wrote in his column for 'Cricinfo'.

Sehwag said Tendukar's patience and control over his innings, makes him an altogether different batsman.

"But Sachin is never in a hurry. He is a different kind of batsman - one who can rotate the strike with ease and understands there is no need to take any chances. Whenever I have been on the brink of landmarks he has instructed me to do this and do that. But those are things only he can do," Sehwag said.

"You might say, this is 200 but then we are talking about Tendulkar. He looked calm and confident even when he was at the non-striker's end in those final moments. I knew he just needed one ball, and I also knew he would get the opportunity," he said.

Sehwag also disclosed the conversations he had with Tendulkar about this rare feat and said the Mumbai batsman was never bothered about the milestone despite expectations.

"He thought it was difficult, but I told him only he could do it. Last year in New Zealand, when he retired on 163 I told him he had missed the opportunity, but he said 'It will eventually happen if I am destined to do it'. He said the same when he got 175 against Australia last year. On Wednesday he said 'Woh likha tha, toh mil gaya (I got what was destined)'."

Several cricket experts feel Sehwag can also achieve the feat but the Delhi player said with the attacking game he plays, it would be difficult.

"In the past certain people have said I could have scored 200 in one-day cricket, because of my performances in Tests, where I have got near to a hundred before lunch. But I have had the tendency to take too many risks once I reach the 120 or 130-run mark in ODIs. That is difference between me and Sachin," he said.
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 Subject :Master Batsman: Sachin - Wielding the winning willow .. 2010-03-03 05:22:27 
Kand
Joined: 2009-06-19 12:58:26
Posts: 28
Location: 
Forum : Cricket
Topic : Master Batsman: Sachin - Wielding the winning willow

<3
2010030250290201.jpg

It was a record breaking feat. A double century no less. And now Tendulkar finds himself the first man to have reached this milestone in ODI cricket.
He took the cricketing world by storm when he scored a double century in the second One Day International match against South Africa last week. Regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket, the recent feat has placed the Master Blaster on a pinnacle.

But his winning stay on the crease did not turn his head. When he had crossed the limit, he had no show of jubilance or enthusiasm. In a trademark gesture he spread his arms and looked up at the heavens…

Top ODI scores:

Sachin Tendulkar (India) 200 not out, vs. South Africa, 2010.

Charles Coventry(Zimbabwe) 194 not out, vs. Bangladesh, 2009.

Saeed Anwar (Pakistan) 194, vs. India, 1997.

Sachin Tendulkar has 93 international hundreds, 47 in Tests and 46 in ODIs.

Ricky Ponting comes in a distant second with 68 international tons.

For all his subsequent prolificacy, Sachin Tendulkar was out for ducks in his first two ODI innings, against Pakistan and New Zealand.
Sachin Tendulkar's record breaking double century in the second One Day International against South Africa at Gwalior affirms his status as one of the most destructive and prolific batsmen of all time. The undefeated knock (200, 147b, 25x4, 3x6) not only made him the first man to reach the milestone in ODI cricket, but also saw him break several records on the way. The 25 boundaries (fours) he struck during his lethal stay at the crease is an all time record as well. Having already come close on a few occasions (most recently during his 175 against Australia at Hyderabad) Sachin now has three of top 15 scores in ODIs, the most by any man.

2010030250290202.jpg

Ideal pitch

Speaking to Sehwag during the start of his knock at Gwalior, Tendulkar was purported to have said that the pitch contains a lot of runs and all the batsmen had to do was stay there. He did precisely that, facing all of 147 balls, pacing his knock to perfection. The initial powerplays yielded runs in a hurry as he scored 67 runs of his first 50 balls. Tendulkar then took stock, milked the singles and still scored at a run a ball in the middle phase of his innings, scoring exactly 50 runs of the next 50 balls. The much-awaited blitzkrieg came at the end, in the company of M.S. Dhoni with the last 47 balls yielding 83 runs.

The innings also serves to highlight the purple patch that the little master currently finds himself in. Tendulkar has scored 10 international hundreds in the last year, with a whopping average of 75.03. The current streak is almost as prolific as the run he found himself between 1999 and 2003, including the ‘Desert Storm' knocks which ambushed Australia at Sharjah. Even if the numbers do not match up, the way the knock threw the country completely out of kilter is very reminiscent of the Tendulkar of yore.


2010030250290203.jpg


Meet Sachin

Sachin was born in Bombay (now Mumbai).

His father, Ramesh Tendulkar, a Marathi novelist, named him after his favourite music director, Sachin Dev Burman.

Sachin's elder brother Ajit encouraged him to play cricket. Tendulkar has two other siblings: a brother Nitin, and sister Savitai.

At Sharadashram Vidyamandir he began his cricketing career under the guidance of his coach and mentor, Ramakant Achrekar.

Sachin practised for hours on end in the nets.

Achrekar would put a one-rupee-coin on the top of the stumps, and the bowler who dismissed Sachin would get the coin. If he passed the whole session without getting dismissed, the coach would give him the coin. The 13 coins he won then are among his most prized possessions.

In 1988 Sachin was involved in an unbroken 664-run partnership in a Lord Harris Shield inter-school game with his friend and team mate Vinod Kambli. The two of them, it is said, reduced one bowler to tears and made the rest of the opposition unwilling to continue the game!

Tendulkar scored 326 in this innings and scored over a thousand runs in the tournament. This was a record partnership in any form of cricket until 2006, when it was broken by two under-13 batsmen in a match held at Hyderabad in India.

Source : Wikipedia
and RAAKESH NATRAJ
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Last Edited On: 2010-03-03 05:22:27 By Kand for the Reason
 Subject :The Australian mastermind knows that life would not be easy against s.. 2010-03-02 19:04:54 
Kand
Joined: 2009-06-19 12:58:26
Posts: 28
Location: 
Forum : Hockey
Topic : The Australian mastermind knows that life would not be easy against such a dangerous Indian team.So

Subject :The Australian mastermind knows that life would not be easy against such a dangerous Indian team.So

The Australian mastermind knows that life would not be easy against such a dangerous Indian team.So...
Shivendra Singh gets a three-match ban!

:star:
Verdict on appeal expected today
india.jpg
NEW DELHI: India striker Shivendra Singh has been handed a three-match suspension for “deliberately raising the stick” and causing “physical assault without serious injury” to Pakistan player Fareed Ahmed during Sunday's league match in the Hero Honda FIH World Cup tournament.

The Indian team has appealed against the decision. A jury will review the incident and a verdict is expected on Tuesday.

If the decision is upheld, Shivendra will miss the matches against Australia (Tuesday), Spain (Thursday) and England (Saturday).

“Shivendra stated that he had no intention to hit Fareed and just wanted to run faster and for that held the stick in both the hands,” Tournament Director Ken Read said on Monday.

Read rejects argument

“I reject this argument. There was no need for the stick to be lifted. I find the stick was deliberately raised and that the behaviour of Shivendra was reckless as to the safety of Fareed,” said Read, while mentioning that it was a Level-2 offence. Read justified his action, saying, “the ball was on the ground and the players were off the ball, plus or minus five feet. There was absolutely no reason to raise the stick.”

The Tournament Director said it invited more than the minimum penalty of a two-match suspension.

“A four-match suspension is appropriate, but given the history of the player (he has not got a single card in 110 games), I consider that a three-match suspension is appropriate,” the Aussie said.

Asked why the on-field umpires had not taken action, Read said it was not noticed on the ground. Read said he interacted with the Indian and Pakistani players before reaching the decision.

Meanwhile, the Tournament Director has suspended Pakistan's Irfan Muhammad for one match for wearing a glove, which was against FIH regulations, during Sunday's match.

India coach Jose Brasa defended Shivendra and said the whole team was sad and expected a reduction in the penalty. He added that Pakistan had not complained about the incident.

Brasa shocked

Brasa was shocked with the heavy penalty. “I have never seen a three-match penalty in my life. It is a huge punishment. A three-match suspension means half of the World Cup gone for a stupid thing which he did not do on purpose. We will have 15 players for the next three matches and one player short against Australia will be tough,” said Brasa.

If the Tournament Director had the intention of sending a signal to other sides why had he chosen India, he asked. Brasa said the players had to focus on the next game keeping their emotions in check.

“After beating Pakistan, there is too much of euphoria. Our job is to put their feet on the ground. We are working to maintain the intensity with which the team beat Pakistan,” he said.
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Last Edited On: 2010-03-02 19:04:54 By Kand for the Reason
 Subject :Hero Honda Hockey World Cup.. 2010-03-01 18:50:27 
Kand
Joined: 2009-06-19 12:58:26
Posts: 28
Location: 
Forum : Hockey
Topic : Hero Honda Hockey World Cup

The Photograph of the Month for February 2010 is a sand sculpture created by Sudarsan Patnaik at Puri beach in Orissa.

Sudarsan and his students took 5 hours and use 8 tonnes of sand to convey his message via art 'Save Indian Hockey'. This was created to show solidarity for the striking Indian men's hockey team players, who were protesting the non-payment of match fees and the absence of a graded contract system.

With the Hockey World Cup kicking off on 28 February, official broadcaster Ten Sports has roped in Hero Honda as the title sponsor, and Nokia and MTS Mobile as associate sponsors.

According to Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (ZEEL) chief revenue officer Joy Chakraborthy, they aim to have at least 8 sponsors. While not revealing any revenue figures, he says that spots have gone for an average of Rs. 35,000 per 10-seconds.

In terms of marketing activities, Zee Sports CEO Atul Pande has said that spots featuring Virendra Sehwag (Hockey Sehwag ad by Hero Honda), Olympic medallist Rajyavardhan Rathore (Hero Honda Rajyavardhan on YouTube), and Priyanka Chopra (Priyanka Chopra Hero Honda Hockey World Cup TVC) are airing.

The final advertisement in the series to air is a father-son, family-oriented spot. The son sees his father's old hockey stick from his college days, and asks him what this is. His father replies this is a 'Jadoo ki Chhadi' (a magic stick), and then proceeds to play with his son. The excited son exclaims, "Papa, I love this game!"

The tagline in all of the above spots is Phir Dil De Hockey Ko. It is a call to sports fans to support the national sport. It has an emotional connect and was conceived by Hero Honda.

"The campaign is not about taking hockey to India, but taking India back to hockey," said Subroto Pradhan, vice-president and director, Client Services, J. Walter Thompson, who has worked on the Hero Honda Hockey campaign. The creative director on the campaign was Surjo Dutt, while Preeta Mathur was the copywriter.

"Hockey is our national game, and we have a cherished history of great achievements and great players. Our new campaign aims at building excitement around the game. Through initiatives like these, we hope to bring people back to hockey once again, and rekindle the passion for it across the nation," said Anil Dua, senior vice president-marketing and sales, Hero Honda Motors.

In a multi-pronged promotional campaign, print and radio advertisements, syndicated columns, and outdoor hoardings are being used. A soon-to-be-aired radio programme, called Hockey Jockey, aims to generate interest among youngsters. The company has also created an anthem, which it plans to play in the stadium.

Hero Honda is also sponsoring an inter-school hockey league, Hero Honda Cup Inter-school Hockey Tournament. The tournament for school children has been organised across 19 cities, where 4,000 kids from more than 275 schools will participate.

The cities where the tournament has been organised are: Delhi, Lucknow, Jalandhar, Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Kolkata, Ranchi, Bhubaneshwar, Patna, Jamshedpur, Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Ahmedabad, Indore, Chennai, Cochin, Bangalore and Hyderabad.

The Delhi government has decided to waive off all revenue collected as entertainment and luxury tax from the organisers of the Hockey World Cup, being held from February 28 to March 13 at the Dhyan Chand National Stadium in Delhi. This will cost the government exchequer Rs. 6.25 crores.

Hockey India representatives had met Delhi Chief Secretary Rakesh Mehta requesting waiver of entertainment tax on match tickets, and luxury tax on hotel rooms to be booked for delegates. The request was approved by Delhi finance minister Dr. A. K. Valia, and chief minister Sheila Dikshit.

Earlier, Delhi cabinet had waived luxury tax to the tune of Rs. 30 crores on hotel rooms booked by the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee for athletes, delegates, sport physicians and international media persons.
Attachments
 save_hockey.jpg.gif [48 KB] :: Save Hockey
 world_cup_logo.jpg [29 KB] :: The Hero Honda World Cup Hockey Logo
 world_cup_trophy.jpg [10 KB] :: The Hero Honda Hockey World Cup
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 Subject :Thank You Brasa, For Restoring The Magic Of Indian Hockey .. 2010-03-01 18:45:16 
Kand
Joined: 2009-06-19 12:58:26
Posts: 28
Location: 
Forum : Hockey
Topic : Thank You Brasa, For Restoring The Magic Of Indian Hockey

Thank you, coach Brasa. You have restored my vision of the grace and charm of what used to be Indian hockey. You have no idea what memories you have jogged.

* The combination of Virender Singh, Ashok Kumar and M. P. Ganesh hurtling down the right flank, with exquisite understanding and dribbling acumen.
* The delectable Mohammad Shaheed dribbling through the whole Dutch defence in the 1982 Bombay World Cup, and his (match-tying) goal-bound shot being stopped by the Dutch goalkeeper at the buzzer (India lost 3-4 to Netherlands in the World Cup).
* Benny Boodle and Inam-ur-Rehman playing a 1-2 tag against the opposing team in the 1968 Aga Khan Hockey Tournament, one lovely spring evening in Bombay, that started this writer on an incredible journey into witnessing the wonders of Indian Hockey.

I do not care whether India wins or loses in the 2010 World Cup, though I am sure others, including you, do care. To me, you, Brasa, have reinstated the fluidity, the artistry, the breathtaking but judicious use of skills, that we witnessed in years gone by, that wowed the rest of the world.

Despite the dominance of the athletic Australians, the crafty Dutch and the solid Germans, there is still evidence from all quarters around us, both young and old, that the world is excited and enthralled by the play of the Indians, akin to the Brazilians in soccer.

Thank you, Coach Brasa, for reminding the current Indian hockey players of the ancient ancestral skills - that you finish off a move after you have dribbled past 2 consecutive players, with an exquisite pass. Or that you stop using long, unstoppable hard hits to advance the ball. Or that using teamwork and slick passing you can achieve the same, if not a better result, than dribbling through players.

Thank you, Coach Brasa, for looking after the players like your own children, always fighting for them, against an ignorant and self-serving Indian hockey establishment. Thank you for looking after their nutritional and fitness requirements, for teaching them to think for themselves, and to express themselves both on and off the field.

You have done a service for these poor souls who are artisans of a dying art form (dribbling, swerving, stickwork), the result of years of labor, who toil selflessly for few rewards and a meagre livelihood. Hockey players are among the most unassuming athletes on this planet.

Thank you, Coach Brasa, for teaching the Indian players that only making moves and exhibiting exhilarating skills is not sufficient; one also needs to defend, pass, and use tactics and strategy. Thank you for having the guts to bring in a new culture in Indian Hockey, with concepts like all round players, use of man-to-man marking, and not behaving like prima donnas on the field.

Also further thanks are due to you for blending the European style of play with the Indian skillful play, and making believers of skeptical Indian players who could not believe that they had it in them to do anything European or "defensive" or "body play" (as it is called locally).

Hopefully you have shown the way for other Indian coaches to widen their horizons and to train their teams on playing scientific hockey, and have shown the current set of players that they need to dissipate the knowledge gleaned from their coach to other players.

But above all, I want to thank you personally from the bottom of my heart, for giving me a chance to watch our current team, a team which is different from the others we have witnessed in the recent past. The present Indian team plays modern, pleasing hockey as it should be played, showcasing skills, fluidity and understanding. They may not bring the desired results, but they are sure pleasing to watch and do entertain.

I do not know what is in store for you and your Indian team in the Delhi World Cup, but in my eyes, you have already achieved the impossible - you have given us legions of Indian hockey fans the world over, hope for the future. We shall remain eternally grateful.
Attachments
 jose-manuel-brasa.jpg [17 KB] :: Indian Hockey coach Brasa
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 Subject :Contributions Pour In For Indian Men's and Women's Team.. 2010-03-01 18:43:08 
Kand
Joined: 2009-06-19 12:58:26
Posts: 28
Location: 
Forum : Hockey
Topic : Contributions Pour In For Indian Men's and Women's Team

With just over a month to go for the World Cup, India's men's hockey team training in Pune went on strike to demand match fee arrears for the matches played in 2009, and to demand an annual graded contract payment system going forward.

Officials controlling Hockey India were taken by surprise. Initially, the officials took the ultimatum lightly, taking the hypocritical stance that the players should be playing for national honour rather than for money.

When the players refused to back down, Hockey India officials threatened to field the B-team in the World Cup. The members of the second team immediately announced that they fully supported the cause of the national players, and will not play in their stead.

The standoff between the players and Hockey India officials lasted a full week, with the public and the media overwhelmingly backing the players.

Sports Minister M. S. Gill was reduced to being a spectator, neither able to produce the sought-for funds, nor able to persuade the striking players to go back to work.

Indian team sponsors Sahara then put in Rs. 1 crore in a suspense account for immediate distribution to the players. Armed with this generous contribution from the team sponsor, the President of the Indian Olympic Association, Suresh Kalmadi, along with hockey star Dhanraj Pillai, persuaded the players to give up their strike.

On January 18, Kalmadi distributed cheques to the striking players at the Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Balewadi. Around 35-40 men's hockey players were the beneficiaries.

FIH president Leandro Negre thanked Sahara India chairman Subrata Roy for coming to Hockey India's rescue and resolving the pay dispute that threatened to disrupt India's preparations for the World Cup.

During all this, the Indian women players were completely left out in the bargain. The women players then went on a black armband protest in Bhopal, where they were training. In an inspired move, they opened a joint account in a Bhopal bank, and asked the public to contribute.

The women's team received a cheque for Rs. 2 lakhs from Yash Raj Films, the producers of Chak de India. ASSOCHAM Commonwealth Games chairman Vinay Rai announced a contribution of Rs. 10 lakhs for the women players.

Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Chauhan contributed Rs. 1 crore to the women's hockey team. This amount was distributed among 50 women players and officials, with each person getting Rs. 2 lakhs, at a function held on January 28 at the Sports Authority of India centre in Bhopal.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati pledged Rs. 5 crores towards Indian hockey. Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda pledged Rs. 1 crore, while Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi agreed to donate Rs. 50 lakhs.

Importantly, Hockey India has formed a Committee to look into the gradation of players, for both men's and women's national teams, at both the senior and junior levels.

The Commitee consists of Olympians Ajeet Pal Singh, M. P. Ganesh, Zafar Iqbal and Dhanraj Pillai. The Convener of the Committee is Jagbeer Singh, who is the Director, Planning for Hockey India.

In addition, the captains and chief coaches of both the men's and women's teams will also be members of this Committee.
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 Subject :Bindra won’t have to attend trials, for now.. 2010-01-20 01:46:13 
Kand
Joined: 2009-06-19 12:58:26
Posts: 28
Location: 
Forum : General Discussions
Topic : Bindra won’t have to attend trials, for now

Courtesy:HT Correspondent, Hindustan Times
Email Author
New Delhi, January 19, 2010

Two days after Hindustan Times broke the story that shooter Abhinav Bindra was “frustrated enough” because of serious issues with the National Rifle Association of India — the sport’s apex body in the country — to think of quitting the game, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) chief, Suresh Kalmadi, stepped in with the olive branch.

Speaking to HT, Kalmadi said: “The NRAI has agreed not to press for trials. He (Bindra) can participate in the (fourth) World Cup at Belgrade.”

The World Cup will be held from June 26 to July 4.

The NRAI comes under the umbrella of the IOA.

HT had reported how the NRAI wanted Bindra, the country’s first Olympic individual gold medallist, to turn up for regular trials in India regardless of his international results. This, Bindra had said, was disrupting his training for major competitive events abroad.

The NRAI and the Sports Ministry tried to pass the buck but this paper revealed that letters Bindra exchanged with the NRAI as well as the ministry proved neither was above blame.

So will Bindra continue to have to attend trials?

Kalmadi said, “For now, he has been exempted from trials and allowed to participate in Belgrade.”

NRAI secretary-general Baljeet Singh Sethi said the selection of the team for the quadrennial World Champion-ships in Munich in July will be done on the basis of two domestic trials in May-June. “Performance in the World Cup will also be taken into consideration. Bindra will have to appear in the trials,” Sethi said.
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 Subject :In India, world records don’t matter at all.. 2010-01-20 01:41:10 
Kand
Joined: 2009-06-19 12:58:26
Posts: 28
Location: 
Forum : General Discussions
Topic : In India, world records don’t matter at all

Courtesy :Ajai Masand, Hindustan Times
Email Author
New Delhi, January 15, 2010

Suma Shirur is a world record holder in the 10m air rifle. She is also the only Indian woman to make it to the final round of an Olympic Games — in Athens, 2004. She was good enough to be the only Indian in her category at world shooting’s most prestigious annual extravaganza last October — the World Cup Finals.

Yet, she is not part of India’s 37-member squad for shooting’s Commonwealth Championships in New Delhi from February 17.

The National Rifle Association of India refused to include Shirur’s World Cup Finals scores in the selection criteria for the Championships, even though scores from the Asian Air Gun Championships in Doha — much below World Cup standard — were included. Shirur went to the World Cup Finals in Wuxi (China) in the middle of the domestic qualification trials in Pune. She topped the initial rounds at Pune, took silver in the nationals, and was even India’s best performer at Doha.

But, a series of complex calculations that take into account the preliminary and final round scores saw her fourth overall on the domestic radar — without the inclusion of the World Cup final scores. When the World Cup scores are included, she’s by far the best.

The NRAI’s logic for Shirur is this: They said they had already stated that they would take into account only the Nationals, domestic trials and the Doha event, so her World Cup mark was of no consequence, or the fact that she is a world record holder.

Shirur is livid. “There is something wrong with the selection system. When the Doha scores were considered, why not the World Cup Finals, which is a much higher rated event?” Every major competition should be considered, competitive international shooting is a far better indicator than conducted domestic trials,” she told HT.

National coach, Sunny Thomas, an NRAI vice-president, said Shirur made it to the World Cup because another, foreign shooter, withdrew. He did not mention that no other Indian woman made it in Shirur’s category. “We cannot change the criteria once it is publicised. Then other shooters will have objections.”

Shirur said the bane of Indian shooting was that there is no ranking system. “Once that’s in place, such issues will not crop up.” The other shooters who have been ignored for various reasons include Olympic gold-medallist Abhinav Bindra, silver-medallist RVS Rathore and former double-trap world record holder, Ronjan Sodhi.
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 Subject :Hockey crisis resolved, Dhanraj Pillai does wonders .. 2010-01-14 18:08:30 
Kand
Joined: 2009-06-19 12:58:26
Posts: 28
Location: 
Forum : Hockey
Topic : Hockey crisis resolved, Dhanraj Pillai does wonders

The week long agitation of Indian hockey team for their ethical demands ended on Wednesday (January 13), peacefully with Indian Olympic Association (IOA) chief Suresh Kalmadi and senior players breaking the ice.

CARRY OUT your agitation through peaceful means known; Gandhi called it satyagraha in his Gandhian philosophy. During struggle for freedom it was used by the freedom fighters, including father of the nation to raise their demands in front of the dominant British government. The same weapon has been in use since then; over the years it has been used by trade unions and other leaders for their demands. The same weapon also did wonders for Indian hockey team.

Week long agitation of Indian hockey team for their ethical demands ended on Wednesday (January 13), peacefully with Indian Olympic Association (IOA) chief Suresh Kalmadi and senior players breaking the ice. Introduction of grading system on the line of other federations and sports of the world and clearance of outstanding dues were some of the key demands.

Reports emanating from the striking players and federation have said that all the key demands have been resolved. And players have been assured of amicable solution meeting the interest of the players, federation and country. Maverick and mercurial former Indian hockey great Dhanraj Pillai, according to reports, was one of the architects of the truce.

During the week long turmoil, hockey players received overwhelming response from corporate and political world. Team sponsor Sahara pitched in with an offer of one crore rupees. According to reliable sources, the amount was immediately deposited in the account of the federation. Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab Sukhbir Singh Badal offered to help on various fronts including training ground. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati also came forward to assist the team in hard times, she wanted to sponsor the national team. Some affluent non-resident of Indians (NRI) too offered their help.

Players will resume their practice session from Thursday (January 14). The just concluded strike would not have an adverse impact on team’s preparation for the forthcoming World Cup scheduled to be held in India next month. On sports front, hockey threw good news but in cricket it was bad. On Wednesday (January 13), team India lost without making match of it in a one sided final against the Lankans in the tri series finale in Bangladesh.
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 Subject :Indian men’s hockey squad training resumes at Balewadi.. 2010-01-14 18:05:36 
Kand
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Posts: 28
Location: 
Forum : Hockey
Topic : Indian men’s hockey squad training resumes at Balewadi

[img]null[/img]The Indian men’s hockey squad resumed training Thursday at the Balewadi hockey turf, ending six days of agitation and negotiation with Hockey India over delayed cash incentives for 2009 performances.

The 22-member squad, preparing for the 2010 Hero Honda World Cup in New Delhi next month, watched by the entire coaching staff, went through the routines.

Jogging around the turf in batches to get warmed up for training ahead, the players took breaks, mostly planned and some spontaneous when Indian Olympic Association president Suresh Kalmadi arrived at the venue when the session was on. The administrator talked to the assembled boys and coaches before stepping on to the turf for dribble with Dhanraj Pillay and drag flicks into an empty net with specialist Sandeep Singh at hand for tips.

Pillay also jogged with the players for part of a lap before joining in drag flicks. The guests were accompanied onto the turf and goalmouth by television crews capturing live action, forcing the players to bide their time before serious training resumed under chief coach Jose Brasa, assistant coaches Romeo James, Harender Singh and Ramandeep Singh. The players went through regular drills like half-court play, hitting and separate training for goalkeepers using the bowling machine.

Former actress Salma Agha visited the hockey probables. She had promised to arrange a fund-raising programme for the players.

Coach Brasa, talking about the plans ahead, said: “Training will be high intensity for the next two weeks. We have to move forward, there is no point in looking back.” Matches against the national men’s development squad, currently in Lucknow, has been planned, followed by a tour to France for test matches
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 Subject : Bolt's agent: No decision on CWG.. 2010-01-12 15:15:31 
Kand
Joined: 2009-06-19 12:58:26
Posts: 28
Location: 
Forum : Athletics
Topic : Bolt's agent: No decision on CWG

KOLKATA: Usain Bolt's foray into 400m will not happen soon, at least not this year. The 100m and 200m world record holder's agent Ricky Simms informed TOI that the Jamaican sprinter will stick to only the two sprints at the major events this year .

"He will only run 100m and 200m in the big meets," Simms told TOI on Monday, adding that the Jamaican could try out the quarter-mile in insignificant meets.

Meanwhile, Bolt's participation in the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, later this year, remains a matter of speculation. Simms denied quotes attributed to him that the champion sprinter is unlikely to compete in the Games. "The situation remains that Usain and his coach will make a decision about the Games in June or July this year," Simms said.

The Delhi CWG will be held in October, at the fag end of a busy season, which might force many athletes to stay away. But the Indian Olympic Association is leaving no stone unturned to persuade Bolt to compete in the second-largest multi-discipline Games (in regards to the number of participating nations).

Bolt had expressed a wish to compete at the international level in the 400m, an event he considers among his favourites, leading to wide speculation that he would add the quarter-mile to his profile this year. A number of experts, while analysing Bolt's running style, feel that he would be well suited to 400m, a very technical race. Even Michael Johnson, the former 200m and current 400m world-record holder, thinks that it would be logical for Bolt to move to the quarter-mile.
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 Subject :Sporty India 2009 : Kalmadi tops SportsPower List 2009.. 2010-01-10 21:48:08 
sportyin
Joined: 2009-06-16 00:07:19
Posts: 11
Location: 
Forum : Announcements
Topic : Sporty India 2009 : Kalmadi tops SportsPower List 2009

Commonwealth Games Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi has catapulted to the top position in the SportzPower List 2009, while the once-powerful Lalit Modi and number one in 2008 dropped to fifth position.

Union Sports Minister M S Gill dropped two spots in 2009 and is placed fourth. He is replaced by former Board of Control for Cricket in India president Sharad Pawar in the second place.

The rankings are compiled by SportzPower, a media brand covering various aspects related to the business and management of sports.

The SportzPower List each year comes out with an annual ranking of the top influencers and performers in the world of Indian sports. While third place is occupied by Sahara chief Subroto Roy, the owner of Formula One team Force India and IPL franchise Royal Challengers , liquor baron Vijay Mallya makes an appearance in seventh spot, followed by the country's three top cricketers -- captain M S Dhoni , Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag .

The Top 10 is completed by IOA General Secretary Randhir Singh, another important factor in the CWG 2010 extravaganza.

A good year sees badminton star Saina Nehwal , golfers Gagan Bhullar, Jeev Milkha Singh , C Muniyappa, tennis veteran Leander Paes and boxer Vijender Singh mark their spots, while Gautam Gambhir , Pankaj Advani , up and coming boxer Suranjoy Singh, badminton duo V Diju and Jwala Gutta complete the list.

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Last Edited On: 2010-01-10 21:48:08 By sportyin for the Reason
 Subject :Togo 'to play in Africa Cup of Nations'.. 2010-01-10 21:30:27 
iloveindia
Joined: 2009-07-14 19:31:40
Posts: 18
Location: 
Forum : Football
Topic : Togo 'to play in Africa Cup of Nations'

Football team, including Emmanuel Adebayor, want to take part in tournament to honour those killed in attack on team bus
The Togo football team want to take part in the Africa Cup of Nations to honor those killed in a gun attack on the team bus, an African football official said today.

Confederation of African Football (CAF) spokesman Kodzo Samlan told the Associated Press he spoke to the players and "they confirmed they want to play." He says "the players understood that they had to play to honor the dead."

Some members of the Togo team, as well as the Togo government, had given earlier indications that the squad would withdraw from the tournament after three people were killed and eight injured in an ambush on Friday.

However Samlan, who is from Togo, said by telephone from Benguela, Angola, that the team was awaiting approval from the Togo government to remain.

Friday's ambush killed an assistant coach, a team spokesperson and the bus driver, according to the team and the Togo government. Eight others were wounded.

Midfielder Alaixys Romao, who plays for French Ligue 1 club Grenoble, told L'Equipe that the squad and officials met yesterday and elected to go ahead with the tournament, starting with their opening match against Ghana on Monday.

"People died for this tournament, others were injured. We can't abandon them and leave like cowards," Romao reportedly said. "If we stay here, it's for them. But also so as not to give satisfaction to the rebels.

"Our government doesn't necessarily agree with us but we are determined to play in this competition. The decision was taken unanimously."

With tournament officials declaring the tournament will start on schedule on Sunday, and with Togo's Group B matches to be played in restive Cabinda, the tour party was met there yesterday by most of the top officials of the CAF, who implored Togo to stay.

CAF president Issa Hayatou said he'd received a guarantee from the Angolan prime minister, Antonio Paulo Kassoma, that security would be strengthened for all teams and at all venues.

"You came here to play football but unfortunately two of your brothers were killed," Hayatou said. "I am feeling terribly bad and short of words.

"It is left to you to decide to stay in a competition synonymous with fraternity, brotherhood, friendship and solidarity.

"In case you decide to leave the competition, we will definitely understand your decision and it will be accepted. It is a difficult choice individual and collective you are the only ones who can decide."

Organisers in Angola yesterday dismissed calls for the tournament to be abandoned because of security concerns and said the opening ceremony and first match would go ahead tomorrow as planned. The bloodshed represented the worst possible start to African sport's biggest year. The ripples were felt in South Africa, due to host the World Cup in just five months, where officials moved quickly to describe it as an "isolated terrorist incident".

However, the separatist guerrilla group claiming responsibility said last night it had repeatedly warned the footballing authorities that the territory was at war, and it would now strike again. "This operation is only the start of a series of targeted actions that will continue," said Rodrigues Mingas, secretary general of the Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda (Flec), which has fought for control of the northern enclave and its oil and diamond reserves for more than 40 years. Speaking from exile in France, Mingas added: "We are in full action. The country is in a state of war so it's perilous for those who want to go to Cabinda."

Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor was among the players trapped under their seats for up to half an hour as their bus was raked with gunfire. Togo's assistant coach, Amalete Abalo, and media officer, Stanislas Ocloo, were killed in the hail of bullets, the country's football federation said. The driver of the bus also died.

Reserve goalkeeper Kodjovi Obilale was evacuated to Johannesburg for medical treatment, where his condition was described as serious but stable.

"The Togolese government has decided to call back the team," Togolese minister Pascal Bodjona said yesterday. "We could not continue the Cup of Nations in this dramatic situation. This was necessary because our players are in a state of shock and because we do not think the security that should have been placed around our players is giving the necessary guarantees."

The Togo team, travelling by coach from their training ground in Congo-Brazzaville, had just entered the Angolan enclave of Cabinda when they came under heavy machine-gun fire. Another bus, carrying equipment, was also sprayed with bullets.

Aston Villa's Togolese midfielder Moustapha Salifou said he felt lucky to be alive. "Our security people saved us," he told the club's website. "They were in two cars, about 10 of them in total, and they returned fire.

"The shooting lasted for half an hour and I could hear the bullets whistling past me. It was like a movie. It was only 15 minutes after we crossed the border into Angola that we came under heavy fire. The driver was shot almost immediately and died instantly, so we were just stopped on the road with nowhere to go.

"I know I am really lucky. I was in the back of the coach with Emmanuel Adebayor and one of the goalkeepers. A defender sat in front of me took two shots in the back. The goalkeeper Kodjovi Obilale, one of my best friends, was shot in the stomach and was flown to South Africa to undergo an operation to save his life. It was horrific. Everybody was crying. I don't know how anyone can do this."

Others agreed the death toll would have been far higher but for the intervention of the squad's military escort. Hubert Velud said: "What's sure is that the army saved our lives. Without them, the rebels would have destroyed us."

Cabinda, the target of attacks by separatist rebels even after Angola's civil war ended in 2002, is responsible for half of Angola's oil production. However, Flec was not thought to be a serious risk. Last month, Angolan minister without portfolio António Bento Bembe, a former Flec fighter, said the group no longer existed. He claimed all that remained of Flec was a few individuals who were trying to attract unhappy Cabindans with false statements.

But Manuel Rabelais, Angola's information minister, said his government was now blaming the separatist group. He said the gunmen came from Congo-Brazzaville into Angola, and fled back after the attack.

South Africa's president, Jacob Zuma, will attend today's opening ceremony of the Nations Cup as planned, his spokesman said. But the tragedy has raised concerns about South Africa's ability to host 32 teams, including England, for the World Cup in June. Former Togo coach Otto Pfister said: "This is a real blow for Africa. It will obviously be linked directly with the World Cup now. And it will give the critics a boost."

South Africa has spent at least 13bn rand (£1.1bn) on new stadiums and infrastructure, and Zuma has described 2010 as the most important year for the country since the end of apartheid.

Danny Jordaan, the chief World Cup organiser, said: "It has no impact on our World Cup. The world understands that sovereign countries are responsible for their own safety and security and to say what happened in Angola impacts on the World Cup in South Africa is the same as suggesting that when a bomb goes off in Spain, it threatens London's ability to host the next Olympics."
Attachments
 Togo-players-001.jpg [31 KB] :: Togo players after the attack on their bus in Angola last week. Photograph: AP
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Last Edited On: 2010-01-10 21:30:27 By iloveindia for the Reason
 Subject :Multi-Million dollar law suits.. 2009-12-29 05:20:35 
Kand
Joined: 2009-06-19 12:58:26
Posts: 28
Location: 
Forum : Athletics
Topic : Multi-Million dollar law suits

Caster Semenya, the world 800 metres champion, is set to launch multi-million dollar law suits against the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and Athletics South Africa (ASA) over the gender row which she claims has wrecked her life.
Multi-Million dollar law suits

The South African teenager has retained Greg Nott, the lawyer from Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP who acted for South African double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius on a pro bono basis in his successful effort to overturn the IAAF's decision to ban him from competing in able-bodied track events and attempting to qualify for the Olympics in Beijing last year.

Semenya plans to sue the IAAF for $120 million (£75 million) and ASA for $18 million (£11 million).

She is angry that the IAAF allegedly leaked the information during the World Championships in Berlin in August that there were doubts about her gender and were then subsequently responsible for the information that tests had revealed she was a hermaphrodite.

The Board of the ASA were forced to step down after its President Leonard Chuene admitted that he had lied and he knew that there were doubts over Semenya's gender and they had conducted tests on her before she travelled to the German capital for the Championships.

Pistorius won a landmark case last year to be allowed to compete in able-bodied events after he took the IAAF to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), who had claimed that his 'Cheetah'' prostheses he wears gave him an unfair advantage over his rivals.

Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP had been retained in September by Semenya at the recommendation of South Africa's Minister of Sports and Recreation to represent and advise her on a pro bono basis on all legal matters relating to her human rights and her rights as an athlete.

<!-- endif-- ignored -->Nott, the managing partner of Dewey & LeBoeuf's Johannesburg office, has more than 20 years’ legal experience, having represented clients in seminal human rights matters during apartheid.

Jeffrey Kessler, the chairman of Dewey & LeBoeuf's global sports practice, said: "We learned during the Oscar Pistorius case that the rule of law does prevail in international sports and that equality of opportunity can be achieved.

"Hopefully, the IAAF has learned from this experience and we look forward to working with it to ensure a just outcome here for Ms. Semenya.

"The world will be watching."
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Last Edited On: 2009-12-29 05:20:35 By Kand for the Reason
 Subject :The last decade saw Indian sport coming of age too.. 2009-12-27 18:02:38 
Kand
Joined: 2009-06-19 12:58:26
Posts: 28
Location: 
Forum : General Discussions
Topic : The last decade saw Indian sport coming of age too

<3
VISWANATHAN ANAND
Viswanathan Anand's stars turned at the beginning of the decade as he won the FIDE World Chess Championship for the first time in his career when he qualified from the knockout event in New Delhi for the final in Tehran. In the final, Anand swamped Alexei Shirov of Spain 3.5-0 .5. From 2000, Anand started improving in all formats of the game, winning rapid events with ease and classical tournaments consistently. Anand's second World title came in 2007 when he won the Mexico all-play-all championship. The Indian's best moment came when he outplayed Vladmir Kramnik of Russia in a Reunification Match in Bonn in 2008.

MS DHONI
Dhoni's meteoric rise makes him one of the top contenders for Indian sportsman of the decade. Following the disappointment of the 2007 World Cup, it all turned around for India under Dhoni's charmed captaincy at the inaugural World T20. A tri-series win in Australia and glimpses of a keen strategic mind on the field proved Dhoni's leadership credentials were no flash in the pan, and seven wins in his first 10 Tests are ample proof. He is one of the world's best ODI batsmen too, apart from enough stage presence to fascinate a nation.

ABHINAV BINDRA
He believes in going only one way: up. 'Mr Consistent' of Indian shooting made heads turn by bagging a gold in the 2002 Commonwealth Games at the age of 20. The rifle shooter has not looked back ever since, winning a gold in the world championships in 2006. He went a step further to claim India's first individual Olympic gold medal at Beijing. It was the perfect culmination to Rajyavardhan Rathore's path-breaking silver at Athens.

JEEV MILKHA SINGH
Indian golf smashed the glass ceiling in the last 10 years, with Arjun Atwal and Jyoti Randhawa scorching new trails. It was, however, Jeev Milkha Singh who really took a quantum leap in the second half of the decade. He bounced back in 2006 with four victories, including the prestigious Volvo Masters. A year later, he was honoured with the Padma Shri, like his father Milkha Singh. In 2008, Jeev repeated his quadruple feat, winning twice on the European Tour. He also topped the season's Asian Tour Order of Merit - becoming the first Asian golfer to win a million dollars in a calendar year - and rose to 36th in the World Golf Rankings. A US PGA Tour win is in his sights now.

MC MARY KOM
The hard-as-nails Manipuri pugilist has been achieving laurels in the world circuit since she won a silver at the 2001 World Championships, soon after winning her first nationals. She then made the pinweight category her domain at the World Championships, winning the gold in 2002 (Turkey), 2005 (Russia), 2006 (New Delhi) and 2008 (Ningbo, China). Her achievements at the Asian championships too are remarkable. She won the gold in 2003 in Hisar, gold in 2005 in Tiwan, silver in 2008 in Guwahati and gold in the 2009 Asian Indoor Games.

WEIGHTLIFTING
Doping took its toll on Indian weightlifting. The sport with the potential to fetch India lots of medals is looking down the barrel, unaware of its immediate future in the wake of a series of doping violations this year. The menace has taken its toll in the past too, with the Indian weightlifting federation having been banned twice for doping offences. If Karnam Malleswari started the decade for the sport with a bang in Sydney with an Olympic bronze, some lifters' urge to take a shortcut to success has proved disastrous.

HOCKEY
The biggest disappointment about India's failure to qualify for the 2008 Beijing Olympics was that it hardly caused any. People stopped caring about hockey in the past decade. It all began on a high when India won the Junior 2001 World Cup in Hobart but things went downhill swiftly. Two championship gold medals (the 2003 and 2007 Asia Cups) were swamped by administrative squabbles, the association secretary caught accepting a bribe and indiscriminate sackings of coaches. The despotic KPS Gill's reign came to an end. The game now lies in limbo, run by an ad-hoc body.

2007 WORLD CUP TEAM
Never before did the business of cricket take as much beating as it did in the aftermath of India bowing out in the first round of the 2007 World Cup. Close to Rs 3,500 crore was riding on India's advancement to the final stages of the tournament but Bangladesh and Sri Lanka put paid to those expectations.

THE LEE-HESH PAIRING
As individual tennis pros, Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi have always stood out. Between them, they have won over 20 Grand Slam titles (doubles and mixed-doubles ), and have long been ranked atop the world rankings. But it was what the duo achieved as a pair that made them heroes in Indian sport. Their long-drawn , acrimonious split became final in 2002 and also divided Indian tennis down the middle. They also failed to win a medal in the three Olympics Games they paired up for in the last 10 years - 2000 Sydney, 2004 Athens and 2008 Beijing.

NARAIN KARTHIKEYAN
The fastest Indian in the world is a tag that has stuck to Narain Karthikeyan at times like a stubborn fly. A look at his career confirms the suspicion: A bright beginning that perhaps couldn't be converted into a bright future. Formula One beckoned him for a couple of years before he made his actual debut in 2005 but a combination of factors - a weak car, limited financial resources and perhaps unsatisfactory results - pushed him to the fringe. Though he has kept himself busy racing in A1GP, Le Mans and even testing NASCAR cars, Narain's biggest regret could be underutilising the golden opportunity of 2005. But he remains the only Indian to ever race in a F1 car.
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 Subject :'Sports marketing is the need of hour'.. 2009-12-27 17:57:41 
Kand
Joined: 2009-06-19 12:58:26
Posts: 28
Location: 
Forum : General Discussions
Topic : 'Sports marketing is the need of hour'

3 National sports federations should take a cue from cricket in marketing their events at a time when Indian athletes are doing well in Olympic sports, feels the country's sports greats.

Olympians Viren Rasquinha and Pullela Gopichand feel it is high time for the sport federations to shed their unprofessional image and lure the corporates to invest in sports.

Rasquinha, a former hockey captain, said that sports marketing is the only way to expand the game at the grassroots level.

'There is a huge potential for Olympic sports in the country. But unfortunately not much is being done by the sports federations. They have to market the game properly and generate revenue to build a solid grassroots programme,' said Rsquinha.

He holds an MBA degree from the prestigious Indian School of Business (ISB) and is the chief executive of Olympic Gold Quest He was speaking at the Global Sports Summit 'Turf 2009' organised by FICCI here Tuesday.

'It is an exciting time for Olympic sports in India. Last year we won three Olympic medals first time in India's history. Sports federations have to cash in on the success. Marketing is the need of the hour for all Indian sports then only we can 50 Saina Nehwals in the country,' he said.

National badminton coach Gopichand, who is the second Indian after Prakash Padukone to win the All England Championships, said: 'In a country like India it becomes extremely difficult for all sportsperson to get jobs. So in such a scenario it becomes very important for sports federations to generate revenue and help players make a career out of the game.'

'When I started playing my parents were very anxious whether I would get a job or not. I was lucky to get a job with the Tatas at the age of 18. But not many are lucky like me. For many sportsperson getting a job that gives them a social security is a priority. But if they can make a living out of sports, what better than that?' he said.
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 Subject :Sporty India Institutions:.. 2009-10-31 01:28:07 
sportyin
Joined: 2009-06-16 00:07:19
Posts: 11
Location: 
Forum : Announcements
Topic : Sporty India Institutions:

From now Schools, Colleges, Universities and Physical Educational Colleges can register at http://www.sportyindia.com/directory and enter a variety of details including their location, List of Sports Personalities, list of players, Sports facilities, Sports Achivements, academic achievements, clubs, school magazines, details of alumni and an unlimited number of photographs, videos and even Google maps.

Category:

Academy, Association, Grounds & Stadiums, Institutions, Outdoor Activities, Sports Clubs and Sports Services

Team Sporty India
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Last Edited On: 2009-10-31 01:28:07 By sportyin for the Reason
 Subject :Bangalore opts for 100% CYCLING 0% POLLUTION_BSA Hercules Cyclothon Be.. 2009-10-12 08:16:40 
iloveindia
Joined: 2009-07-14 19:31:40
Posts: 18
Location: 
Forum : General Discussions
Topic : Bangalore opts for 100% CYCLING 0% POLLUTION_BSA Hercules Cyclothon Bengaluru '09 flagged off

Subject :Bangalore opts for 100% CYCLING 0% POLLUTION_BSA Hercules Cyclothon Bengaluru '09 flagged off

Bengaluru October 11, 2009: India's first mass mobilized cycling event, the
BSA Hercules Cyclothon Bengaluru '09 kicked off to a positive start with the
Honorable Sports Minister of Karnataka, Mr. Gulahathi Shekhar , flagging off
the 65 KM Elite Ride race category at 0700hrs at Bangalore International
Exhibition Centre. This was followed by the start of the Elite women race at
0710hrs. The Cyclothon event saw participation from more than 6000
participants across various race categories and age groups. The event was a
call for cause, a call for fitness, a call to protect the environment and
sensitized the participants on using fuel efficiently by highlighting the
benefits of cycling as an alternate mode of commute.

For the Elite Mens race, the primes were held on top of climb which was
8.75km from the starting point, the cyclist took the U-turn at 17.5km on
Nice Corridor highway. The men's elite race was won by Sabu Ganegar 19 year
old currently getting trained in the National Camp in Patiala clocked 1
hr.27 minutes 54 .76 seconds. The second rider Sachin Panwar of Delhi
clocked a time of 1.27.56.98sec. The third place won by Sharwan Bambu of
Rajasthan with a timing of 1.27.59 sec. The total participants in elite men
category were 119 including an Australian rider Darren Reid who finished in
the first twenty.

For the elite women race was 35km with two prime on the course and one
U-turn. The first place was won by K Suchitra Devi who is also getting
trained in the National Camp with a timing of 1.18.45sec. The second and
third place won by Nilanmma Maligawad of Karnataka and Mahita Mohan also
National Camper with the same time. Total of 30 women riders took the
start.

In his speech, Sports Minister Mr.Gulahathi Shekar said, "Today Namma
Bengaluru is witness to the start of all that is positive. It is heartening
to see the Cyclothon's dual message of environmental responsibility and
health awareness resonating positively with the city's cycling community
supporting the event in such large numbers".

The other dignitaries present included Mr.Ashok Kheny, MD, NICE amongst a
significant representation of Corporate Bangalore and its leadership who
were present to facilitate and support the event.

The Cyclothon included various race categories for different age groups viz.
the 65K Elite and a 36K Amateur Cyclist's Ride, the 25K Green Ride, the 5K
Teen Ride, the 2K Fun Ride, the 25K Corporate Team Ride, and the 10K
Aspiring Cyclists Ride.

Addressing the press and announcing the total cash prize money worth
Rs.10,00,000 /- to the Elite race category winner along with Mr.Satish
Menon, CEO Sport 18 and Mr.Gulathi Shekar, Honoroable Sports Minister;
Mr.Ramkumar, Managing Director of TI Cycles said, "This is a great platform
for aspiring talent to demonstrate their skill in cycling. If nurtured well,
Bangalore and India has a lot of potential to contribute talent to
international cycling race categories and win accolades".

Under the special Corporate category that saw participation from IT/Non IT
giants like Philips Innovation Centre, CGI, Mindtree, Seimens, HP etc, the
winners of Bangalore's greenest corporate namely CGI, ABB and Philips
Innovation Centre were felicitated with plaques by actress Pooja Gandhi,
Brig.Mittal and ace billiards champion Pankaj Advani amidst encouragement
from fellow employees and colleagues strongly bringing out individual
organizational fervor. The 25km green ride participants' advocated traffic
and pollution reduction alongwith the 10Km ride participants who had
gathered in significant numbers walking away with lucky dip prizes. The
children's category of a 5km teen ride and a 2km fun ride that was held in
the inner circle of BIEC saw kids aged 8 years and above participating with
friends and family present to cheer.

This mega event could't have been completed with the keen involvement of
local administrative authorities, medical staff, volunteers and the Police
whose personnel gave their best support for smooth conduct of the event.

"Cycling is an activity that if adopted seriously benefits not only the
individual but also the environment where one lives in. The support we have
received has been tremendous. The event open to one and all has brought the
cycling enthusiasts together in a first ever platform of this kind promoting
cycling not only as a fun activity but also increasingly as a mode of short
commute as well." added Mr. L.Ramkumar, Managing Director of TI Cycles.

"I am an avid cyclist and an enthusiastic sports person myself. With the
response we have received from Bangaloreans, we have decided to make the
Cyclothon annual. In addition, with our tie up with the Youth and Sports
Council in Bangalore, we hope to encourage more upcoming talent in taking up
Cycling as a serious sport and participating at the international level
going forward" said Mr. Satish Menon CEO of Sport 18.

Mr. Graham Seers, National Cycling coach from Australia deputed by Govt of
India for grooming Indian cycling team which is preparing for next
commonwealth game under his able guidance was present to observe the event.
Praising the event, he said, "This is a good beginning. I am quite happy
that the men category maintained an average speed of 42kmph and for women it
was 35kmph. The cash prize of Rs 2 lakhs for the winner of the Elite Men
race & 1 lakhs for the winner of the Elite Women's race was a first,
creating extra incentives to the champions in India's first ever mass
mobilizing cycling race".

The Cyclothon Bengaluru '09 is organized by Sport 18, the sports management
and marketing division of media conglomerate, Network 18, and TI Cycles, the
second biggest manufacturer of bicycles in India.

The event organizers had a series of entertainment programs lined up for the
participants and other visitors including musical performance by popular
composer-song writer cum singer Raghu Dixit from Bangalore, and a
<http://www.gearindia.in> Hang 5 - BMX freestyle stunt biking contest a
young variation of the sport.

The event is co-sponsored by several prominent area organizations and
companies including the NICE, the developer of the Bangalore-Mysore Highway
and Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC).

About TI Cycles of India

TI Cycles of India is a part of Tube Investments of India (TII), a flagship
company of the USD 3 billion Murugappa Group. TI is the second largest
manufacturer of bicycles in India, marketing top brands like Hercules and
BSA. The company is a market leader in the value-added segment. At present,
TI has 93 exclusive 'BSA GO' and Hercules Express stores along with 226
Hercules BSA Zone Shop in Shops, 2 Track and Trail, 3 BSA Workouts, 54 BSA
Motors stores across India. TI has also ventured into Fitness equipments
with Brand BSA Workouts. Certified with ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 14001, TI
Cycles is one of the most quality and customer centric organizations.

For more information visit <http://www.ticyclesindia.com/>
www.ticyclesindia.com

About the Murugappa Group

Headquartered in Chennai, the Rs. 15,646 crores (USD 3 billion) Murugappa
Group is one of India's leading business conglomerates. Market leaders in
diverse areas of business including Engineering, Abrasives, Finance, General
Insurance, Cycles, Sugar, Farm Inputs, Fertilizers, Plantations,
Bio-products and Nutraceuticals, its 29 companies have manufacturing
facilities spread across 13 states in India. The organization fosters an
environment of professionalism and has a workforce of over 32,000 employees.
The Group has strong joint venture alliances with leading international
companies like DBS Bank, Mitsui Sumitomo, Cargill and Groupe Chimique
Tunisien has consolidated its status as one of the fastest growing
diversified business houses in India

About Sport18

Sport 18 is the sports marketing arm of Network18 Media & Investments Ltd.
Sport 18 operates in various sports verticals that include - Rights
Management, Sports Sponsorship and Sales Management, Sponsor Servicing,
International Representation, Sports Broadcasting and Production and Sports
Consultancy.

Sport18 holds all the commercial rights to the Professional Golf Tour of
India and RWITC Horse Racing. It broadcasts the top marathons in India. It
was associated with the Volvo Ocean Race stopover in the December 2008.
Sport18 acts in the capacity as a consultant to Amara Raja Batteries in its
motorsports foray.

For further details contact:

Vidhya Arvind
Rishika D'anto
The Practice The
Practice
Email: <mailto:vidhya@the-practice.net> vidhya@the-practice.net
Email: <mailto:rishika@the-practice.net> rishika@the-practice.net
Cell Phone: +91 9379168989 Cell Phone:
+91 9343026646
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