RITWIK HAPPY HIS PLAN WORKED

 
Ritwik Bhattacharya

Ritwik Bhattacharya won back the National men's squash title and said it was the culmination of a plan. He had planned to worry Saurav with drops. Ritwik hopes to do well for India at the Asians and Commonwealth and climb to the top 30 rankings of PSA. Excerpts from the interview: 

When did the squash bug bite you?

Actually it was tennis till the age of 12. I am from a army family. But when I was sent to the Indian Military Academy school I saw squash courts there and was pulled to the sport. So you can say squash chose me. 

When did squash capture you?

I did well to be picked at 15 for the Indian team that went to Cairo for the World Juniors. That was the turning point. I saw that through squash I could travel the world over. Now I am doing that in the pro circuit and loving every moment of it. 

Which were the institutions that helped you?

I began playing at the Delhi Gymkhana, the courts at Siri Fort. 

What's been the coaches' contribution?

Great. In recent times Neil Harvey has fast-tracked me into big-time squash. In India where the ball bounces more one doesn't need the technique that players develop for the highest grade. That's why training abroad is crucial. There are four world champs training with Neil and that helps. 

But is it really essential?

Five years ago, I would have said that. But today in India the infrastructure has improved and there are good coaches. Juniors need not leave India to train abroad. 

How much stress you put on gym work?

I do but not quantity-wise. It's the quality work put in that interests me. When you are a professional there's no one to push you. It’s how much you can put  in 45 minutes rather than spending a good two hours at the gym. I keep that uppermost in my training. specific planning and attention to details counts for me most. I get an outline for the week, aerobic work and so on. It's the goal-setting the vision that counts. 

Discipline must be the watchword at the highest level?

It's a huge thing. For professionals there's no one sitting on one's head. It's how you push yourselves to the limit. It's what comes from within that determines whether you push yourself or not. 

Did you expect to beat Saurav?

It looked easy going by the scores but it was tough. I planned to put the ball in areas he didn't like. At times I outplayed him tactically. We play each other so often we know each other's weak points. 

Who are your idols?

Obviously Jahangir Khan I play a similar sort of game. There's also Jansher and Peter Nicol whose coach I train with. 

What are the challenges that beskon?

LUCKY RITWIK 

Jamshed Appoo, race horse owner and squash aficionado, had felt bad when an Indian Ritwik Bhattacharya could not win the Herald Maritime Classic title and the prize money that went with it, $5000 (about Rs 2.5 lakhs). Appoo had designed the event in such a way that those ranked below Ritwik (69) in the PSA rankings were invited. But Ritwik lost to Colombian Bernado Samper and Egyptian Ramy Ashour took the booty. Ritwik had also lost in the tournament's first edition to Siddharth Suchde. But Appoo was determined to reward Ritwik, who has won a couple of Satellite events, at all costs. 

Appoo got his chance when Ritwik beat Saurav Ghoshal to win the National men's title at the Bombay Gymkhana. He rushed back to his office, came back with a $5,000 cheque and presented it to Ritwik at a party. A sport, indeed, is lucky to have the likes of Capt Apoo who in successive years brought squash legends Jahangir Khan and Jansher Khan to Mumbai to interact with young players.

Times of India, Mumbai: 22/11/2005

SQUASH'S FIRST ARJUNA AWARDEE   

CAPT. KULBIR JAIN

It's Capt Kulbir Jain. He shared the record with Brig Raj Ma by  Westside, nchanda for winning six national titles in a row, from 1958 to 1963. Manchanda won from 1978-1983. There was a golden year when Services players occupied all four semi-final slots. Capt Jain beat Gill, another Services man 9-0, 9-4, 9-1. In two finals he beast Servi Singh. He won a gruelling five-setter 5-9, 9-10, 9-3, 9-7, 9-2 at the Calcutta Racquets Club. Angled shots were a most attractive feature of this match, according to old clippings. 

At the Western India he had a hat trick of titles. At the Central India he beat an emerging champ, Anil Nayar,then only 17, 9-1, 9-6, 9-7. Earlier Anil Nayar had bagged the junior boys' title, defeating Fali Madon, 9-4, 9-5, 7-9. When he won the country's first Arjuna award in 1961 Capt Jain was in eminent company of stars like like A.N. Ghosh (weighlifting), Gurbachan Singh (athletics), Jayant C Vora (table tennis), Buddy D'Souza (boxing),Nandu Natekar (badminton), Capt. P.G. Sethi (golf), Pradip Kumar Banerjee (football), Prithipal Singh (hockey), R. Krishnan (lawn tennis), Salim Durrani (cricket) and Manuel Aaron (chess).