Chemists not to buy medicines from 
Haryana manufacturers
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, December 9
The Haryana Chemists and Druggists Association has decided not to purchase medicines from the manufacturers in the state in protest against the levying of tax on medicines manufactured in Haryana.

According to a report, the association has also warned the state government that if the tax was not withdrawn, the chemists would go on an indefinite strike from December 31. They also threatened to hold demonstrations and organise processions to force the state government to withdraw this tax.

The association would also submit a charter of demands to the Deputy Commissioner at each district headquarters after the protest demonstrations.

It pointed out that this tax has adversely affected the business of the chemists, as the medicines were cheaper in the neighbouring states after the imposition of the new tax.

It also said that the Haryana Government would loose a big chunk of the Rs. 55 crores annual revenue as a result of the imposition of this new tax.

SPORTS

WORLD CUP FEVER
Uma flags off goodwill caravan for players
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 9
“Sona Chandi Ka Nara World Cup Hamara”, a caravan to collect good wishes and support for the Indian cricket team for their success in the forthcoming World Cup, reached New Delhi on Saturday. It was flagged off by Ms Uma Bharti, Union Minister of Coals and Mines, amidst a lot of fanfare and excitement.

The caravan, which started off from Kolkata on November 13, 2002, has already covered cities like Ranchi, Patna, Varanasi, Allahabad, Kanpur, Agra and plans to travel 30 major cities in total and 150 enroute towns covering around 9,000 kms within a span of 65 days. The caravan has already collected around three lakhs “goodwill wishes” for the Indian cricket team till now.

Speaking on the occasion Mr Aditya V. Aggarwal, Director Emami, said, “Emami has taken this first ever initiative to wish the Indian cricket team success in the world Cup. It is an attempt to generate good wishes for our team and do our bit for those who will help India to achieve glory in World Cup. We have always been associated with sports in some way or other but this is different type of support. We are very excited about the event and are expecting to collect around 10 lakh wishes for the Indian team.”

The caravan, which is decorated mobile float (Tata 407 and Tata Sumo), will travel nationwide and collect “Good Luck” messages from people and children across the country. Junior cricketers, amateurs and youth in general will be given opportunity to come forward to extend their support. The caravan will move around each city creating excitement and fun all over.

It is a unique concept to collect best wishes from across the country for the Indian team. As a grand finale the collected wishes would be handed to the Indian cricket team, he said.

Asian stars to vie with Mukesh at Noida Open golf
Our Correspondent

New Delhi, December 9
A host of Asian PGA Tour stars will lock horns with Mukesh Kumar, the undisputed numero uno on the Hero Honda Golf Tour, at the Noida Open 2002, which commences at the par-72, Noida Golf Course on December 10.

The tournament offers a prize purse of Rs 8 lakh and Mukesh Kumar will have to fight it out for the winner’s cheque of Rs 1,29,600 and to add to his tally of six tour titles for the season.

The Noida Golf Course is all spruced up and excited to host the Noida Open 2002”, said Mr D K Arya, Golf Captain Noida Golf Course. The Noida Open 2002 commences with the pro-am on December 10, while the four-day main professional tournament will be played from December 11 to 14, 2002. The tournament, sponsored by the Noida Golf Course forms the 15th leg of the Hero Honda Golf Tour and will be managed by the Delhi-based Tiger Sports Marketing.

“The Noida Golf Course is proud to sponsor a tournament on the Indian PGA tour,” said, Col K.K.K. Singh, secretary, Noida Golf Course. “The Noida Open 2002 has attracted a full field including some of the best golfers in Asia and on our own domestic Tour. However, our course is in superb condition and ready to pose a stiff challenge to even a field of this quality. The coming week promises a breathtaking battle and we are all looking forward to it,” he added.

“The Noida Golf Course has been one of the key supporters of the Hero Honda Golf Tour. The Indian Golf has experienced in the past five years has not been without their contribution. On our part, we are thrilled to have them as sponsors on the professional Tour,” said Digraj Singh, senior vice-president, Tiger Sports Marketing.

Mukesh Kumar who has been having a dream 2002-03 season, was expectedly upbeat. “I am playing the best golf of my career,” said the 36-year-old, how golfer who has a phenomenal record this season, with seven wins, three runner-up, finishes and one third place finish in 13 starts with his earnings touching the 14-lakh mark.

“It is going to be an interesting week, with all the Asian PGA tour stars competing. This is a big occasion and I would like to prove my supremacy by beating the best in Asia. The Noida Golf Course is my favourite venue and I have a win here at the Padampat Singhania Open last here,” said Mukesh, winner of last week’s Tata Steel Open in Jamshedpur, who also finished runner up to Vivek Bhandari in a thrilling contest at last year’s Noida Open on this course.

“I am on a comfort zone on this golf course and this will give me the edge,” concluded the current order of merit leader.

Vijay Kumar, who recently made his first cut overseas, at the 1.5 million dollar BMW Asian Open, is another golfer who has performed well on this golf course. Another challenger is defending champion, Vivek Bhandari, who will look to return to form at the Noida Open 2002, after a lukewarm season on the Asian PGA Tour. The likes of Gaurav Ghei, Uttam Singh Mundy (who won the Surya Nepal Masters a fortnight ago), Digvijay Singh, winner of two tournaments on the domestic tour this season, Arjun Singh, winner of the Honda-Siel PGA Golf Championship 2001 and 2002 and Harmeet Kahlon will complete the Asian challenge. Feroz Ali, Rookie Ashok Kumar, Shiv Prakash, Rohtas Singh, Ali Sher and Shiv Shankar Prasad Chowrasia, apart from Mukesh, will be the players to watch on the domestic front.

The Noida Golf Course is a par-72, 6, 915-yard facility packed into 97 acres of land. The chief characteristic of this course lies in its design. Strategically placed water-bodies and bunkers add to the challenge and detailed game planning is the key to success here. The golf course favours long hitters and with most of the golfers blessed with the ability to send the ball a fair distance, the week ahead promises to be an interesting one.

Deb Sen Gupta’s effort goes in vain
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, December 9
All-round efforts of Deb Sen Gupta went in vain as J R A defeated Spectramind by 3 runs in the fifth pre-quarter final match of 2nd Eventus Cup played at Airport Authority ground. He was also declared the Man of the Match. Lots of ups and down happened in this match, but eventually JRA won by 3 runs. just because Spectramind was not able to handle the pressure well and JRA showed how team combination can work wonders in a close match. No single individual excelled for JRA but each and every member contributed to this victory.

Scores: JRA: 149 for 9 wickets in 25 overs: Vaibhav Gupta-27 (31 balls), Sampath Narayanan 24 in 28 balls. Deb Sen Gupta 5-0-31-4, Prabhat Kumar - 5-0-37-3. All round performance of Deb Sen Gupta got him the Man of the Match but was not able to achieve victory for his side. Spectramind: 146 all out in 25 overs. C Venkatraman 32 (49 balls), Deb Sen Gupta 30 (27 balls), K. A. Sriram 5-0-29-3, Man of the Match - Deb Sen Gupta (Spectramind)

GHPS in final

Fine all-round display by Kanwar Singh (39 run 3/24) and fine batting by Robin Singh (37 run 4x4) and deadly bowling by Harpreet Singh 4 for 27 helped Guru Harkishan Public School, Vasant Vihar beat GHPS School (Hemkunt) by 9 wickets and enter in Final of 1st Maharaja Ranjeet Singh Ji U-15 Cricket Tournament at Guru Harkishan School Vasant Vihar. Kanwar Singh was adjudged as the Man of the Match.

Score: GHPS, Hemkunt: 156 all out in 28.3 overs.

GHPS, Vasant Vihar: 156 for 1 in 20 overs Robin Singh 37 Kanwar Singh 39.

New Delhi Heroes thrash Tarun Sangha
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, December 9
New Delhi Heroes recorded their second straight win when they defeated Tarun Sangha by a solitary goal in group A preliminary league match of the Delhi Soccer Association (DSA)- SAIL Annual open Clubs Senior Division Football League Championship being played at Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium (East) ground here today.

N D Heroes have so far collected six points from 2 games while Tarun Sangha drew blank from its opening match.

In a rough and tough encounter, players of both teams were engaged in playing rough game and match referee Govind Kanojia flashed red card to N D Heroes’ Pardeep for violent conduct while Tarun Sangha’s Debyoti Mukherjee and Sudip Khan received yellow cards following infringements. Both teams had an equal number of goal scoring opportunities but forwards Sangha’s S. D. K. Lal and Ram Pershad Dhuley and rivals’ Ravinder and Riten muffed easy chances.

The important goal for Heroes was scored by Sanchin on a rebound came from rivals’ custodian Biswajeet Das in 70th minute.

Earlier, in group-B preliminary league match, Moonlight Club came from behind to held Sonik Shahdara 1-1 draw to share equal points. Both teams have one point from one and two matches respectively.

Bhanu powers Ganga to victory
Our Sports Reporter

The victorious Ganga International team.

Workshop on ‘sports for all’

New Delhi: The NOIDA College of Physical Education will organise three-day workshop jointly with Prajna Foundation on “Sports for All” from December 11. The workshop will be organised in association with the National Olympic Committee for Germany. The “Sports for All” expert Ms Jessie Bohr from Germany will conduct an advanced skills, sports for all workshop at the NOIDA Stadium, Sector 21-A, a press release said.