In preparation for the forthcoming Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, TNSRA with support from the Tamil Nadu Government and SDAT will be hosting a USD53,000 Women’s Professional tournament and a USD25,000 Men’s Professional tournament at the Indian Squash Academy. This will be followed by the 1st USD15,000 Chennai Open Doubles championships.
SRFI/TNSRA are indeed indebted to the Tamilnadu government and the SDAT for their financial support without which this event would not be possible. These tournaments provide an ideal platform for both our elite players as well as our young aspirants, to show case their talents. It also is an excellent preparation for the forthcoming Asian senior championships in India in may 2010.
The women’s event has attracted 12 of the top 20 players in the world including World Number One Nicol David of Malaysia, who has so far won 40 WISPA titles since turning professional in 2000. The qualification event, which will be played on the 2nd and 3rd will feature players ranked between 20 to 52. The attached list of entries will provide the details of names and their rankings in both WISPA and PSA events. National Champion Joshna Chinappa has been given a wildcard.
As for the PSA event, Ong Beng Hee of Malaysia who is currently ranked 19 in the world has been given top billing. India’s Saurav Ghosal ranked 30 in the world has found his rightful place in the main draw whilst National junior Ramit Tandon has been given the wildcard.
Other National players, Siddharth Suchde (97), Harinder Pal (108), Ritwik Bhattacharya (116) Naresh Kumar (153) Gaurav Nandrajog (174), Ravi Dixit (206), Abhishek Pradhan (292), Sandeep Jangra (369) and Vikas Jangra will play in the qualifying event.
The Indian Squash Academy will also be celebrating its 10th year anniversary and twenty years of TNSRA during the first week of March in conjunction with playing host to these two prestigious events sponsored by the TAMIL NADU GOVERNMENT.
The events will be inaugurated on March 4, 2010 at 2000hrs at the Hotel Taj Mount Road, Chennai by the Chief Secretary to Government of Tamil Nadu Shri. . K. S. Sripathi. The Secretary Sports to Government of Tamil Nadu, Shri. D. Sarangi will release a souvenir on the 10years of the ISA.
These 10 days in March promises to be a treat for squash connoisseurs.
A decade of Squash at the ISA
In November 1999 – first WISPA tournament in the country was held at the Madras Race Club. Two world-class players, Rachael Grinham of Australia and Claire Nitch of South Africa played the finals.
ASF referees Director Munir Shah conducted an ASF referees clinic.
December an ASF level 2 course by ASF Coaching Director, Maj (R) S.Maniam at the MRC.
2000 – The ISA became operational early that year.
In May, a learn to play squash programme was successfully launched and was managed by Hariom Tripathi. The first coach to be attached to the academy on a full time basis. He was closely followed by Balamurugan later that year.
In August the 2nd WISPA event was held at the ISA. Rachael Grinham of Australia won the event.
2001 Indian girls bagged a silver medal in the 10th Asian Junior championships, which was held at the ISA.
NR elected as president of the ASF.
July the Indian lasses again proved themselves by attaining a best ever-8th position in World juniors in Penang, Malaysia.
The 3rd WISPA open was held at the ISA and Ellen Peterson of Denmark emerged the winner.
ASF Level 1 coaching instructors course at the ISA conducted by Maj Maniam, Tony Choi and Fahim Gul, the three stalwarts of Asian Squash.
V. Laxman joined the academy on a full time basis in March.
Cyrus Poncha was appointed National coach and joined the ISA in May 2001.
May 2002Maj Maniam is appointed as consultant coach by the Government of India to the SRFI with his base at Chennai.
Later that year the new complex boasting 4 glass back courts and an all glass court was officially inaugurated.
In August the National Squash Development programme was officially launched.
World junior men’s championships at the ISA. Indian team finished 5th.
2003 -An ISA trainee, Joshna Chinappa became the first Indian to win a title at the British Open championships winning the under 17 girls category.
The year drew to a close with the PSA super satellite at the ISA. Mark Heather of England won the title.
2004 May Around 40 players and 8 coaches congregated at the ISA for the summer camp.
The second PSA event was held in July. Egyptian Mohd.Essam wins the finals.
Saurav and Ritwik collected a silver at the World doubles at the ISA in Dec 2004.
2005 Joshna became Asian junior Champion at the ISA in January. Saurav finished with a silver.
Later in Jan an ASF level 3 course was conducted by Maj Maniam, Roger Flynn, Michel Gagne, Jorge Teichmann and Fahim Gul.
In June 2005 Ritwik Bhattacharya wins the 3rd PSA Chennai Open at the ISA.
National Coach Cyrus Poncha is conferred the Dronacharya award by the G.O.I. He became the youngest ever recipient of this award.
2006 saw the inaugural Asian junior individual event a brainchild of NR launched in Singapore. Dipika Pallikal a product of the ISA won the under 15 girls event.
Ritwik Bhattacharya won the 4th Chennai Open whilst our junior men finished 6th at the World junior in New Zealand.
Asian Games in Doha. Saurav Ghosal won the bronze in the individual event .
Ravi Dixit won the under15 and Mahesh the under 13 at the Scottish jr open.
2007 Anaka won a bronze in the under 13 event at the British junior open.
Arjuna award on Saurav ghosal.
2008 the year to remember as N.Ramachandran was elected unopposed as the President of the World Squash Federation.
Recognising this the ASF and SRFI appointed him as their first patron. Srivatsan Subramaniam takes over as Secretary General of SRFI and is also elected as Vice President ASF.
Maj Maniam and Munir Shah are inducted to the ASF hall of fame for their contributions to Asian squash.
Anaka won the Asian Junior under 15 title, Saurav won the Chennai open and the Indian junior men created history by emerging 4th in the world junior men’s team championship in Zurich. Joshna Chinappa grabbed two back-to-back WISPA titles in December. And Kush Kumar takes the under 13 title at the Scottish junior open. Srivatsan Subramaniam takes over as the sec gen of SRFI.
We started the year 2009 with a gold at the British junior open under 15 category through Mahesh Mangaonkar. Dipika got a silver in the under19 and Kush a silver in the under13. At the 14th Asian Junior championships our boy’s team claimed a silver and the girls team a bronze.
10 wonderful years of progressive squash, effective and productive leadership, numerous awards of recognition and phenomenal growth of grass roots development – that: is the success story of the Indian Squash Academy.
