SPORT

Gearing up for the fourth world title
From A Correspondent

LUDHIANA: Mr Arun Dhand , a veteran badminton star who has created a niche for himself in the world of sports, has been gearing up to make a splash in the upper age group (above 40 years) in the forthcoming Asian Pacific Masters Badminton Championship to be held at Brisbane (Australia) from October 28 to November 5,2000.

Having already three World Badminton Cups ( in above 35 years category) in his bag, Arun Dhand is determined to fight his way out in this cup and tournament.

A person whose whole life is a picture of hard work, devotion and patience, Dhand has won three titles for India at the international level. Though professionally he worked for Customs and Central Excise Department as Inspector, his romance with the game of badminton continued to flourish. In the year 1994, he surprised all and sundry by winning the World Master Badminton Championship in the men’s singles event held at Brisbane (Australia). Though he won many accolades at the national level, his win at the international level boosted his morale. Many players across 68 countries took part in the event. According to Arun Dhand , it was a self satisfying and proud moment as this event was at a par with Olympic event.

Dhand became a star in the badminton arena as he continued to hold his sway by remaining Punjab champion for six consecutive years since 1982-83. His series of success did not end thereafter.

In 1995 he once again won the US Senior Badminton Championship in above 35-year category held at Miami (USA). In the final of this championship, he defeated Peter Henry of Canada 15-10, 15-9 in the straight sets.

During year 1996, he again won Australian Masters Championship held at Melbourne (Australia), as he cruised past his opponent Karinba 18-13, 18-16 and 15-12 in a hard fought battle.

Due to some family reasons, he could not participate in the championship during 1998, but Dhand is eager to participate in the Asian Pacific Masters Badminton Championship to be held on October 28.

Arun Dhand gives credit of his success to the inspiration he got from various stars, who made their mark at the national level. He was greatly impressed by Dinesh Khanna who won the Asian Championship to prove that Punjabis are not restricted to hockey, athletics or rural sports. He is greatly impressed by former national champion, an Air Force officer, Satish Bhatia. His special ‘spin technique’ created such a stir at the international level that it had to be banned at a later stage to stop this Air Force officer.

According to Dhand , the ever-rising cost of playing badminton is a hindrance to its popularity. A player from a middle class family cannot afford to play this game. The state and central governments should make efforts and sponsor the talented players.

He maintains perfect balance among badminton , business and his wife Indu and children Anuj and Ankita.

58 for swimming, waterpolo camps
From Our Sports Reporter

LUDHIANA, June 8 — Thirty three boys and 23 girls have been provisionally selected to attend swimming and waterpolo camps at Faridkot and Ludhiana, respectively, from June 7 to 20.

According to the Punjab Swimming Association General Secretary Mr Balraj Gupta, the Punjab boys and girls swimming teams for participation in 27th Junior National Aquatic Championship to be held at Bareilly (UP) from June 23 to 27 would be selected at the conclusion of the two coaching camps.

The following are the players selected to undergo coaching before selection of the final teams:

Boys — Puneetpal Singh, Pavneet Singh, Sukhwant Singh (Amritsar), Manavjeet Singh, Kamaljit Singh, Navdeep Singh (Faridkot), Harpreet Singh (Ferozepur), Rajinder Kumar, Rohit Mehta, Kanwar Gaurav Singh (Hoshiarpur), Rajwinder Bhatia, Paramjit Singh, Manjinder Singh Bhatia, Puneet Dhir, Pankaj Singh (Jalandhar), Gurtaran Singh, Arvind Puri (Ludhiana), Harminder Singh, Anwar Masih (Punjab Police), Sikanderpal, Paramjit Singh, Navpreet, Harmandeep, Navdeep Singh (Patiala), Puneet Rana, Harsimran Brar, Devinderpal Singh, Harpreet Singh (Ropar), Manmohan Singh, Manraj Singh, Pawanjit, Gurpreet, Sham Singh. Coaches — G.S.Sandhu (Faridkot) and Harpal Singh Kanwar (Hoshiarpur)

Girls — Sunita, Anu Verma, Rita (Gurdaspur), Deepti Kanwar (Hoshiarpur), Geetinder, Meetinder, Harneet Chawla, Mridu Bhatia (Jalandhar), Sukhmandeep, Anisha Maheshwari, Simrit Gill, Monica Vaid (Ludhiana), Neha Bector, Tania Aggarwal, Himani Puri, Deep Shikha, Jyotinder Walia, Shilpa Narang (Patiala), Gurpreet, Gurnoor Kang (Ropar), Rupinderjit, Navneet Kaur, Himanshi Chopra (Sangrur).

Coaches — Amandeep Kaur (Ludhiana), Balbir Singh (Sangrur), Gurcharnjit Singh (SAI).

HEALTH

Veterinarians sore at nitrogen gas shortage
Tribune News Service

LUDHIANA, June 8 — The Punjab State Veterinary Officers’ Association yesterday claimed that a number of veterinary hospitals and dispensaries in the state were facing a severe shortage of nitrogen gas, due to which a large number of semen straws stored in these places had either been damaged or were about to get damaged.

In a press note issued here Dr Gurcharan Singh Chahal, president of the association, said in spite of several requests by veterinarians, the government had not supplied the gas due to which the doctors were being forced to make their own arrangements.

Mr Chahal alleged that the state government had recently spent a huge amount for purchase of equipment not urgently required, but no money had been spared for the supply of liquid nitrogen gas, sheaths and straws required for artificial insemination.

Couple’s dream remains unfulfilled
From Kuldip Bhatia

LUDHIANA, June 8 — Mrs Shanti Bawa and her husband Kartar Bawa, residents of Haibowal Khurd Colony in the city, are a heartbroken couple today. In a rare gesture towards their fellow residents of a rather neglected area, the Bawas had spent almost entire savings of their life to raise a dispensary which is still waiting to open, thanks to petty differences among a section of people and apathy of the administration.

Mrs Bawa, who retired as a JBT teacher from government service in 1995, told The Tribune that she had contributed almost the entire sum of Rs 4 lakh, received as the PF and gratuity on retirement, towards the construction of three rooms and a verandah on a piece of ‘shamlat’ panchayat land for the dispensary, which was sanctioned by the state government in 1982, but could not be set up during the intervening 17 years for want of adequate funds and land. The staff provided by the health department for this purpose was running the ‘makeshift’ dispensary in a section of the gurdwara at Haibowal Kalan for quite a while but for sometime now, the gurdwara management wanted its rooms vacated.

The state government had accorded its approval for the dispensary to be named as “Mrs Shanti Bawa Government Dispensary” with the condition that the Bawa couple or their legal heirs would have no lien over the building and that no rent will be payable by the government on this account.

It was after the building for the dispensary was ready and a signboard displaying its name was put up that petty politics came into play. A section of the residents raised objection to the dispensary being named after Mrs Shanti Bawa. Even though the Health Department had provided furniture, medicines and equipment and a tentative date was fixed for formal opening of the dispensary but those opposed to its being named after Mrs. Bawa double-locked the gate and the opening was put off. Residents of the locality have repeatedly approached the senior health officers and district officials to come to their rescue and arrange for the opening of the dispensary so that people could get much needed medical facilities without meeting with any success so far.

Mrs Bawa, for whom interest of the fellow residents is foremost, has given in to an “unjust” demand of certain motivated and ‘influenced’ elements and had her name deleted from the signboard of the dispensary just for the sake that people could avail of the facilities at the earliest but her cherished dream remains unfulfilled till now.