THIS BLOG IS DEDICATED TO WELLNESS & SQUASH

The blog is dedicated to the wonderful game of Squash Rackets and for me you can say a small contribution to the game – that literally gave me strength and inspiration on my way to recovery after a serious road accident left me with a brain hemorrhage in 1990 that required close to eight months recovery.

In the 27 years that I have been associated with the game - it is the smell of rubber & timber inside the courts that have always captivated me. Since we started with wooden rackets as growing boys we took pride in walloping the ball hard like youngsters do even today. In the process however sometimes our rackets would break – and that used to give us a HIGH. Incidentally what this did was it helped us develop robust fore arms and powerful wrists – that distinguished us from those who started playing with graphite.

Now close to three decades later – one appreciates the game for the whole set of incidental benefits that come from playing it. Will talk about it as when required – but it was no surprise that Forbes Magazine U.S. rated Squash highly and higher than any other sport in the world.

Before I go further let me make a mention the following people who have been actively associated with the game and brought the game where it is today 

• The first person who I would like to mention is Mr. N. Ramachandran of Indian Cements Limited who has tirelessly worked for the promotion of the game not only in India but also Asia. He is presently the Secretary General of the Squash Rackets Association of India. Along with other bodies Mr. Ramachandran is working very hard at getting the game make it finally to the Olympic.
• Dr. N. K. Pandey – who despite his age and other challenges continues to guide the sport in one of India’s largest state Uttar Pradesh. Dr. Pandey who presently heads the U.P. Squash Rackets Association has been earlier associated with the Swimming & Cycling. Dr. Pandey was with IIT Kanpur for close to three decades. One has to meet this humble person to know more about his dream of promoting the sport in the state.
• Cyrus who is the National Squash Coach here in India – for the ever pleasant and welcoming smile that has never left his face even in adverse situations – you could not find a more apt person to look after the nations interest in the sport.
• Major Maniam – who has been instrumental in the turn around in Indian Squash together with Mr. Ramachandran and Cyrus. Major has a great eye for talent - I do not say this simply because he picked up one of my girls for training in SRFI Chennai but because the way he observes and shares his opinion with the elite and junior players alike.
• The PRINCE and PRINCESS of Indian Squash – Tubby & Candy or Yogendra Singh and Bhuvneshwari Kumari. This brother-sister duo has not only played the game with great passion while in competition but continue to be associated in different capacities with the game even today either as coached of reputed educational institutions,  as Internaltional Referees (in the case of Tubby) or as Women’s National Coach  and GOI observer for the Game of Squash Rackets (in the case of Candy). Both have shown selfless dedication to the game for over thirty years now something that would be a record of sorts.
• B.I. Singh, who I have known for donkey’s years - a tremendous athlete who we admired as kids for his sheer athleticisms. Bharat always played his sport after two bottle beer in the hope that he would sweat it out. It worked sometime but most of the time he ended up losing. It his sheer passion for sports that made him with the coveted British Open Seniors a few years back. With age Bharat’s game matured and only got better – currently he is the National Champion in his age group he now spends quality time coaching children.
• Shri Vijay Goel is someone who follows the game very closely and supports the sport in Delhi by heading the Delhi Squash Association. So profound is his love for the sport that he spends quality time with young and promising Squash Players inside the courts whenever possible. Sharad Sharma who despite being a cricketer is assisting Mr. Goel in his effort to develop talent in Delhi.
• There are others who I would like to draw a mention here who recently did the unthinkable as parents successfully organized a Squash Tournament that I have been to – Lalit, Anil, Vijay, Nikhil and Vivek .
• My friends Rakesh Chotmarada, Faisal Ashraf, Amit Kaushal, Ajay Bhalla, who remind me of the good old days when we were young and raring to go inside the squash court.
• Col Thapliyal and Col Kaushik to soldiers who are dedicated to promoting the game in East Delhi.
• The (Late) Col Pran Handa under who coached me briefly – but till date is the only Indian Player to take one game of Geoff Hunt – the then World Champion.
• My dear father, the (Late) Lt. Col Pradeep Kumar Sharma who is responsible for whatever I am today. A true soldier he had to his credit many first until he lost his eye while joining duty in a road accident. The forces got his medical category down and that dented the career prospects of a man who served with distinction until his death on November 07th, 1997 in Military Hospital Jodhpur. His professional struggle has always been a lesson for me but no matter how hard I try and how far I go the fifty nine years legacy he has left behind is unparallel and nobler than most.
• To all you fellow squash lovers – players, parents, administrators and followers – we are all like a small family because of this wonderful game which is still struggling for its right place in the world of sports.