The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

HEALTH

15 pc schoolkids suffer from asthma: Survey
Our Correspondent

Noida, September 16
A recent survey has revealed that about 12-15 per cent of schoolchildren are suffering from asthma in India. This was revealed by Dr Deepak Talwar, Chairman, Metro Centre for Respiratory Diseases. The emphasis today is towards controlling asthma on a large scale across the globe. Dr Talwar represented northern India at the Asia Asthma Academy Conference held in New Zealand recently where delegates from more than 15 countries from South-East Asia, Australia and New Zealand took part to deliberate as to how to provide best asthma care to their individual populations.

Dr Talwar presented a paper on work done in Noida where about 2,000 new patients of asthma were seen in that past two years. These patients were taught about asthma, the myths associated with it, how to overcome fears about the disease and the correct treatment.

The Noida centre has also been instrumental in conducting about 20 continuing medical education programmes for doctors across northern India involving more than 350 doctors, including general physicians, child specialists and physicians.

Asthma is on the rise and at present there are nearly 20 million asthmatics in India alone. “We need to quickly take steps to pass on the benefits of the latest asthma treatment to our population”, says Dr Deepak Talwar.

He also emphasised that by holding patient education programmes and asthma camps this goal could be achieved early. The implementation of such programmes in various cities and towns of our country by technically qualified asthma specialists was the need of the hour, he stressed.

SPORTS

Himanshu to meet Joginder
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, September 16
Himanshu P Kala of Central Bank of India will take on Joginder Singh Bisht of AGCR in the men’s singles final of the Stag 63rd Delhi State Table Tennis Championships at the Talkatora indoor stadium on Monday.

In the semi-finals, Himashu Kala defeated Ajay Jha of Food Corporation of India 11-9, 11-6, 11-8, 11-2 while Joginder Singh Bisht beat Ashish Duklan of Manav Sthali School 11-6, 12-10, 11-7, 11-9.

Sisters Ekta Bhambri of South Campus and Esha Bhambri of Delhi Public School, Mathura Road, will clash in the women’s singles title contest. Top-seeded Ekta Bhambri beat Divya Jayaram of Jaspal Kaur Public School 11-6, 11-2, 11-3, 11-8 while Esha Bhambri prevailed over Neha Aggarwal 12-10, 11-8, 11-6, 12-10 in the semi-final matches.

Ashish Dukla beat Nishank Bajaj (both are from Manav Sthali School) 11-7, 11-7, 11-2, 16-14 to lift the boys singles title. Varun Jindal of Sachdeva Public School annexed the Sub-Junior boys title beating Vishal Aggarwal of Manav Sthali School 11-6, 5-11, 11-6, 11-9 while Neha Aggarwal won the sub-junior girls title defeating her Manav Sthali School mate Shikha Sharma 11-7, 8-11, 11-3, 11-3. The final matches will begin at 4.30 p m on Tuesday.

Results: Men’s singles (quarter-finals): Ashish Duklan beat Sameer Sawhney 5-11, 11-8, 9-11, 11-7, 16-18, 11-9, 11-8; Joginder Singh Bisht b Nitin Mahajan 11-7, 11-4, 11-8, 15-13; Ajay Jha beat Abhishek Puri 11-8, 11-7, 11-7, 12-10; Himanshu P Kala b Ajay Jha 11-9, 11-6, 11-8, 11-2 and Joginder beat Ashish 11-6, 12-10, 11-7.

Women’s singles (pre-quarter-finals): Ekta Bhambri b Khushbhoo 11-9, 11-1, 11-3, 11-4; Chitra Gupta b Apna Bhalla 8-11, 11-7, 11-13, 11-8, 11-8; Anshu Sharma b Anjana Bora 11-8, 11-3, 11-3; Divya Jayaram b Shruti Sehgal 11-6, 11-8, 11-8; Esha Bhambri got walkover from Priyanka Luthra; Shikh Sharma b V Malini 11-9, 11-6, 11-8; Neha Aggarwal b Harsh Prabhu 11-2, 11-4, 11-3; Pratima Sayal b Junali 11-4, 11-8, 11-5.

Quarter-final: Ekta Bhambri b Chitra Gupta 11-4, 11-4, 11-2, 11-3; Divya Jayaram b Anshu Sharma 11-4, 6-11, 10-12, 11-5, 11-8, 11-9; Neha Aggarwal b Pratima Sayal 11-7, 11-8, 7-11, 6-11, 11-5, 15-13; Esh Bhambri b Shikha Sharma 11-8, 11-8, 8-11, 11-9, 11-13, 11-3.

Semi-final: Ekta Bhambri b Divya Jayaram 11-6, 11-2, 11-3, 11-8; Esha Bhambri b Neha Aggarwal 12-10, 11-8, 11-6, 12-10. Veterans singles: N S Rawat b I P Singh 11-3, 11-4, 11-7.

Cadet boys (quarter-finals): Aman Ahuja b Sajal Khandelwal 11-0, 11-7, 12-10; Piyush Diwedi b Kunal Kathuria 11-7, 11-9, 11-5; Kartik Kukreja b Sarthak Gandhi 11-8, 11-9, 13-11; Dhruv Arora b Kartik Sharma 11-1, 11-9, 11-9.

Semi-final: Aman Ahuja b Piyush Diwedi 11-4, 11-8, 11-7; Dhruv Arora b Kartik Kukreja 8-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-6, 11-7. Final: Dhurv Arora b Aman Ahuja 11-8, 7-11, 11-8, 2-11, 11-5.

Cadet girls (quarter-finals): Nupur Kumar b Surbhi Midha 11-9, 1-6, 11-7; Ritika Dhanda b Nitika Kumar 11-3, 8-11, 11-8, 6-11, 12-10; Sanya Sehgal b Nishtha Garg 11-7, 11-4, 10-12, 11-9; E sha Monga b Kanchi Sethi 11-3, 11-7, 9-11, 11-6.

Semi-final: Nupur Kumar b Ritika Dhanda 11-9, 11-8, 15-13; Sanya Sehgal b Esha Monga 3-11, 11-9, 6-11, 11-8, 11-6.

Final: Sanya Sehgal b Nupur Kumar 11-4, 12-10, 3-11, 11-9.

Sub-junior boys (quarter-final): Vishal Aggarwal b Aklesh Sharma 11-8, 11-7, 11-7; Jasdeep Singh b Dhruv Arora 11-6, 11-8, 11-4; Ketan Jain b Aman Ahuja 11-2, 4-11, 14-12, 9-11, 11-9; Varun Jindal b Dhruv Saxena 11-4, 11-8, 11-6.

Semi-final: Vishal Aggarwal b Jasdeep Singh 11-6, 12-10, 7-11, 11-5; Varun Jindal b Ketan Jain 15-13, 12-10, 12-10.

Final: Varun Jindal b Vishal Aggarwal 11-6, 5-11, 11-6, 11-9.

Sub-junior girls (quarter-finals): Esha Monga b Ritika Dhanda 11-5, 11-8, 11-6; Shikha Sharma b Anchal Batra 11-1, 11-3, 11-3; Sanya Sehgal b Mrinalini Mondal 11-4, 11-3, 11-5; Neha Aggarwal b Nupur Kumar 11-2, 11-3, 11-5.

Semi-final: Shikha Sharma b Esha Monga 8-11, 11-8, 10-12, 11-6, 11-6; Neha Aggarwal b Sanya Sehgal 11-2, 11-3, 11-7.

Final: Neha Aggarwal b Shikha Sharma 11-7, 8-11, 11-3, 11-3.

Boys singles (quarter-finals): Ashish Duklan b Karan Arora 11-3, 11-8, 11-6, 12-10; Varun Jindal b Sunal Jain 11-4, 5-11, 9-11, 15-17, 11-7, 11-6, 11-9; Nishank Bajaj b Vishal Aggarwal 14-12, 11-5, 4-11, 11-4, 4-11, 11-9; Kunal Puri b Aditya Puri 11-9, 13-11, 8-11, 11-8, 11-4.

Semi-final: Nishank Bajaj b Kunal Puri 11-7, 13-11, 12-10, 11-9; Ashish Duklan b Varun Jindal 11-8, 11-4, 12-10, 11-9.

Final: Ashish Duklan b Nishank Bajaj 11-7, 11-7, 11-2, 16-14.

Ashish to lead Delhi challenge
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, September 16
Veteran bowler Ashish Himmat Singh with a total 12-game score of 2382 has won the ColorPlus Championship Challenger round and will lead the Delhi challenge in the National Bowling Championship to be held in Bangalore. In the challenger round, Rammy finished at the second position with a score of 2282. National champion in 1999 Harsh Vardhan Sarda took the third place with a score of 2280.

Other bowlers who have secured their berths in the top 14 from Delhi for the National Championship final are Brijesh (2257), Sanjay (2257), Hameed (2256), Mandeep Singh (2226), Samir Jain (2223), Mohan Lal (2199), N. P. Singh (2192), Pummy (2187), Aman Chopra (2173), Shankar (2135) and Vipul Mahajan (2107).

In all, 48 players from across the country, including 14 from Delhi, eight from Mumbai, eight from Bangalore and four each from Hyderabad and Calcutta, will vie for the title. The final rounds will be played in a knock-out format at Star City in Bangalore from September 24 to 29.

With most of the leading bowlers in action, the Challengers round witnessed keen contests, high drama and near level scores at the end of each game, but the day ended with Ashish, who bowled consistently to make 207 in game eight and 241 in game ten, making a cumulative score of 2382.

In a major comeback, Rammy, ranked 13th in the qualifiers, finished second at Leader’s Table with a score of 2282. Commonwealth gold winner Hameed failed to impress as he could make a score of only 2256 to slip to the sixth position. The final round carries a cash prize of Rs 6 lakh.

Robin rattles Cambridge
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, September 16
A brilliant all-round performance by Robin Bisht (4 for 26 and 79 not out, 10x4, 2x6) helped Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan beat Cambridge Foundation School by eight wickets in a Group A League match of the “Rameshwar Trophy” Shaheed Smriti Under-19 Cricket Tournament at the Cambridge Foundation School, Rajouri Garden, in the Capital. It was Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan’s first victory.

Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan won the toss and opted to field.

It proved to be a wise move as Robin Bisht exploited the ideal bowling conditions to play a pivotal role in dismissing Cambridge Foundation School for a modest total of 157 all out in 22.4 overs.

And then Bisht excelled with the willow to enable Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan score 160 for two in 26.5 overs. Scores: Cambridge Foundation School: 157 all out in 33.4 overs (Jitesh Khanna 42, 3x4; Gaurav Mathur 33, 4x4; Robin Bisht 4 for 26, Rohit Wangnoo 2 for 21, Rahul Khanna 2 for 29).

Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan: 160 for 2 in 26.5 overs (Robin Bisht 79 n o, Abhishek 36 n o, Anuj Sharma 37, Ayush Gulati 1 for 26, Sunny Verma 1 for 46).

Photo exhibition concludes
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, September 16
Delhi Police Commissioner R S Gupta presided over the concluding function of the photo exhibition mounted by well-known sports photo journalist Kamal Sharma at the Mati Ghar of the Indira Gandhi National Center for the Arts, at Janpath, on Tuesday. Mr N C Tewari, chief commissioner of Income Tax (Delhi), was the guest of honour.

The exhibition had been inaugurated by former Union Minister and president the Delhi and District Cricket Association Arun Jaitley on September 9.

Kamal Shara, who was in the United States to cover the US Open Tennis Championship, was witness to the terrorist attacks on the twin towers of the World Trade Centre in New York on September 11, 2001.

His evocative pictures of the gruesome crash of the twin towers evoked all-round praise.

Hundreds of people, including several sportspersons, visited the exhibition during its eight-day show.