Eye conference to focus on macular degeneration
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 15
The age related macular degeneration (ARMD), which is affecting more than 10 per cent of the old population and is considered to be the second largest cause of blindness worldwide, would be the focus of the four-day annual ophthalmology conference being organised in the Capital.

The Organising Secretary of the conference, Dr Lalit Verma of AIIMS, said, “The incidence of ARMD affects approximately 4-5 per cent of the population over the age of 50 years and may be affecting 19-20 per cent of people above 70 years of age.”

He said the two types – Dry and Wet – of ARMD, it was the wet form, characterised by growth of new vessels under the retina, which caused 90 per cent of the severe visual loss in ARMD. Unlike cataract, visual loss in ARMD was irreversible in late stages, further aggravating the concern.

Dr Verma said, “Any visual loss or deficit in over 50 years of age was generally wrongly attributed to cataract – not only by patients, but even by doctors.”

Stating that the exact cause of ARMD was still unknown, he said some of the known risk factors included increased exposure to blue and visible light (therefore, more prevalence in the tropical countries around equator) cigarette smoking, and blood pressure more than 95 mm Hg (diastolic). Dietary supplements of vitamins and anti-oxidants, including vitamins A, C, E, Zinc and Selenium are believed to help.

Describing the newer techniques for treating cataract, the Secretary-General of the conference, Dr Mahipal S. Sachdeva, said in conventional Phaco, the 0.9mm titanium tip is surrounded by an infusion sleeve, which allows fluid to pass into the eye maintaining the anterior chamber. The infusion sleeve serves to cool the wound site, which would otherwise lead to corneal burns when high Phaco energy is used.

Now, with the advent of the “sleeveless Phaco”, the infusion sleeve is removed from the Phaco tip, thus allowing the incision to be reduced to 0.9mm. This has been possible by the introduction of the new Cold Phaco or the WhiteStar Technology. The Cold Phaco allows periods of rest during each pulse of Phaco, thereby eliminating heat generation, which is an unwanted effect of Phaco, he added.

The four-day 61st annual conference of the All-India Ophthalmological Society is being organised in Delhi after a gap of five years from tomorrow. More than 3,500 delegates from India and abroad would attend the meet. Besides, the conference shall also have state-of the-art eyecare equipment on display at the Trade Exhibition by as many as 200 ophthalmic companies.

SPORTS

Sachin guides Malviya to semis
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, January 15
A devastating 5 for 28 bowling spell by Sachin Rana helped Malviya Club beat K N Colts by six wickets and entered the semi-final of the seventh Sahibzada Ajit Singh Cricket Tournament, organised by the Sri Guru Gobind Singh College of Commerce, at its ground in Pitampura. Sachin Rana was presented the Man of the Match award by Dr Gurdev Singh.

Scores: K N Colts: 125 all out in 34.3 overs (Dinesh Rai 31 n o, 3x6, 1x4; Nishant Sharma 23, Sohail Rauf 22, Sachin Rana 5 for 28, Kuldeep Dewan 2 for 15).

Malviya Club: 126 for 4 wickets in 29.2 overs (T. Anand 56 n o, 8x4, 1x6; Bhanu Sharma 30, 4x4).

Thursday’s fixture: Khalsa College vs Rajdhani Sports (9.30 pm).

Dinesh Rai shines

A devastating 6 for 32 bowling spell by Dinesh Rai helped K N Colts Club defeat Montfort School Academy by eight wickets in a Group A match of the Rajiv Gandhi Smriti North Delhi Cricket League, organised by the North Delhi Cricketers’ Association, at the Ashok Vihar ground.

Scores: Montfort School Academy: 133 all out in 25.3 overs (Tara Chand 64 n o, 9x4, 2x6; Manu Jain 36, 6x4, 1x6; Dinesh Rai 26 n o, 3x4, 1x6).

Danij Rathi stars in Ganga’s victory
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, January 15
A fine all-round performance by Danij Rathi (4 for 21 and 74) helped Ganga International School beat N C Jindal School by seven wickets in the sixth Rohtak Road Gymkhana R P Jain Inter-School Under-15 Cricket Tournament at the Ganga School ground.

Scores: N C Jindal: 157 all out in 36.5 overs (Chiraj Sharma 40, Akhil Yadav 51, Danij Rathi 4 for 21, Vikram Singh 3 for 14). Ganga School: 158 for 3 in 27.1 overs (Danij Rathi 74 n o, Sagar Bhargav 39 n o, Chirag Sharma 3 for 19).

Najafgarh Club in semis

Najafgarh Sports Club beat Mont Fort School by 49 runs and entered the semi-final of the first Shanti Memorial Under-14 Cricket Tournament at the Najafgarh Sports Club ground. Scores: Najafgarh Club: 158 all out in 30 overs (Pramod Gupta 50, Amanjeet Singh 34, Tarun Kumar 3 for 24, Manav Sharma 3 for 19). Montfort School: 109 all out in 28.4 overs (Dhruv Kumar 32, Manav Sharma 30, Anubhav Rishi 3 for 7, Amanjeet Singh 3 for 14, Pramod Gupta 3 for 20).

Jaspreet hits ton

An unbeaten century by Jaspreet Singh and an all-round performance by Ravinder Bhola (61 and 3 for 16) helped Ashoka Club defeat Bank of India by 148 runs in a B Division DDCA League match at the Kotla 2 ground.

Electing to bat, Ashoka Club made 362 for 4 in 40 overs. In reply, Bank of India were 214 all out in 40 overs.

Scores: Ashoka Club: 362 for 4 in 40 overs (Jaspreet Singh 103 n o, Arvin Mehta 80, Ravinder Bhola 61, Vikas Katyal 53 n o, Kamal Kant 2 for 59). Bank of India: 214 all out in 29.1 overs (Mukesh Sehgal 70, Hare Krishan Kalra 50, Ravinder Bhola 3 for 16, Sushant Gambhir 2 for 4).

Vijaykumar steals thunder in MRF Motocross
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, January 15
C Vijaykumar of Team TVS Racing stole the thunder at the end of the fourth leg of the MRF National Motocross Championship held at the Gymkhana ground in Secunderabad. In an enthralling race, Vijaykumar sped to glory with his superlative driving skills.

Vijaykumar shot into the lead from the start by staving off the challenge of Nippender Jassi and C Srinivas on the first bend. With a powerful thrust, he managed to build a slender lead coming into the first straight, in the Experts-Foreign Motorcycles Class Group A for motorbikes up to 250cc. He built his lead gradually, increasing it to a comfortable margin, and them rode to victory.

In the Class 4 Indian Novice-Indian motorcycle class Group D above 80cc and up to 150cc contest, Syed Eathasham on a RX 135 led from start to finish. In the Experts-Indian Motorcycles Class Group D for four stroke above 110 cc and up to 180 cc race, the lead changed hands frequently till Shivkumar of Yamaha leapt to victory.

In the Group B for 2 stroke, C Jinan of Team TVS on a Shaolin managed to nose ahead for a slender lead on the first table top when he soared past Shivkumar. He then drove a smart race to cling on to his lead. Vijaykumar, also on a Shaolin, finished second.

In the race for Indian motorcycles, Group B four stroke above 110cc and up to 250cc, Vijayakumar scored a straight victory. The fourth leg ended with the first race being run the second time around and Vijayakumr drove like a man possessed to race to victory.

Bhaskar Pillai to lead veterans
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, January 15
Former Delhi Ranji Trophy captain Bhaskar Pillai will lead the Delhi Veterans Cricket Team in the All-India Veterans Cricket Tournament, to be organised by the Punjab Cricket Association for Veterans, at Jalandhar from January 17.

Veterans Cricket Association of Delhi secretary Sunil Khanna said the team will comprise 13 players and two officials.

The team: K Bhaskar Pillai (captain), Bantoo Singh, Rajinder Singh Dara, Tilak Raj Sharma, Pradeep Jain, Sune Singh Thakran, Ajay Parihar, Suresh Batra, Mahesh Sood, Pradeep Gupta, Pardeep Kashyap, M S Jaggi and Sunil Sudan.

Himmat Saini is the administrative manager and Parmod Sood the cricket manager.

Marij Khan shines
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, January 15
A century by Marij Khan (111, 9x4, 5x6) and deadly bowling by Sami Subur (4 for 39) helped St Michaels School defeat IPSSC School, Jaipur by 194 runs in the HT-Pace Young Cricket National Tournament at the Salwan School ground, Rajinder Nagar.

Scores: Bhopal: 340 for 8 in 35 overs (Marij Khan 111, Madan Lal 64, Mohd Shanawaj 36, Ziad Mohamad 34 n o, Hemant Meena 2 for 61, Kunal Singh 2 for 72). IPSSS: 146 all out in 26.2 overs (Bharat Sharma 24, Kunal Singh 23, Sami Subur 4 for 39, M Shanawaj 2 for 3). DAV Chandigarh beat Sun Rise School, Kolkata by 128 runs and entered the semi-final. Scores: DAV Chandigarh: 268 for 7 in 35 overs (Gukirat Singh 69, Bipul Sharma 56, Amardeep Sonkar 40, Amit Das 2 for 56).

Sun Rise School: 140 all out in 25.5 overs (Mohd Waqar Azim 27, Supender Singh 5 for 36, Vikash Ghosh 29, Amardeep Sonkar 2 for 29).

Star players for SBI cricket

Former star Test players like Gundappa Vishwanath, Syed Kirmani, Ashok Malhotra, Pranab Roy and Raghu Ram Bhatt will take part in the All-India State Bank of India Inter-Circle Cricket Tournament, to be held in Delhi from January 16 to 21, at the Delhi University ground, Khalsa College ground and Hindu College ground.

Sandeep Suri Cricket

R R Gymkhana defeated Ekta Cricket Club by nine wickets and entered the quarter-final of the Sandeep Suri Memorial Cricket Tournament.

Scores: Ekta Club: 166 all out in 40 overs (Joshi Bardwar 35, Anand Kasana 30, Deepak 27, Sandeep Angurala 4 for 47, Gaurav Malik 2 for 4, Himanshu Chawla 2 for 40).

R R Gymkhana: 169 for one in 21.3 overs (Gagan 81, Chetan 57).

New format for DHL Challenge
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, January 15
A modified stableford scoring format will be unveiled in the Hero Honda Indian Golf Tour when the DHL Challenge is played at the Bombay Presidency Golf Club from January 28. The tournament offers a prize money of Rs 10 lakh, with the winner getting Rs 1.62 lakh. The DHL Challenge will mark the use of the new scoring system.

The other commonly used format is the matchplay, which is like a knock-out tournament and a direct clash between the players.

In the modified format, players play their scheduled rounds, but get points for the scores on each hole. A par is worth 0 point, a birdie plus two, an eagle plus 5 and an albatross plus eight. On the other hand, a bogey earns minus one point, a double bogey two minus points and so on.

The modified format rewards excellence—in the case of birdies and eagles—and is forgiving to mistakes. Three birdies and three bogies in a stableford round would mean a mediocre level-par 72 score, which is better than someone who scores five birdies and six bogies (a score of one-over in stroke play). 

R P Academy lift Durga Devi title
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, January 15
A brilliant knock of 86 by Mukul Dangar helped R P Academy defeat Bharat National Academy by six wickets and lift the second Mata Durga Devi Under-12 Cricket Tournament at the Bharat National Public School ground at Ram Vihar.

Mukul Dangar was adjudged the Man of the Match as well as the Man of the Tournament. Sahil Kher was named the Best Batsman of the tournament while the Best Bowler award went to Saurabh Nischal.

National Public School principal Kamaljeet Singh Khungar gave away the prizes.

Scores: Bharat National: 198 for 5 in 35 overs (Jayant Yadav 40, Akshay Sharma 31, Sahil Kher 30, Sameer Gupta 3 for 30). R P Academy: 202 for 4 in 32.4 overs (Mukul Dangar 86, Tandon 47, Jayant Yadav 2 for 36, Saurabh Nischal 2 for 43).

City Club down Air Force
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, January 15
City Club downed Indian Air Force 1-0 in a racy match of the Delhi Soccer Association (DSA)-SAIL Super League at the Ambedkar Stadium on Wednesday. City Club scored the match-winner in the 26th minute when Michael Dinogogo converted a penalty kick.

The penalty was awarded to City when Michael himself was tripped inside the box.

But the Airmen, who had the better of the exchanges, failed to convert a penalty awarded to them. Air Force earned the spot kick when City defender Sidhu handled the ball, but Kar’s shot was saved by rival custodian Bishwanath Deb.

The Air Force forwards failed so miserably in converting their chances that goalkeeper Bandhopadhayay had to move up and take a free kick, but still to no avail.

Thursday’s fixture: New Delhi Heroes vs Delhi Police (3 pm)—Ambedkar Stadium.

Ahmedabad, Meerut in cricket final 
Our Sports Reporter

Meerut, January 15
Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, and Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut entered the final of the Rohinton Baria Inter-University Cricket Tournament here on Tuesday. The final will be played on Thursday.

Scores: Bangalore: 181 and 98 for five lost to Gujarat 539 for eight declared (Deep Trivedi 195, Sunil Bhatt 105 n o, Neeraj Saha 63, Asif Bala 48).

Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut: 248 beat Ranchi University, Jharkhand 199 for nine (Tej Pratap 40, Vasudeva 34, Sandeep Vig 32, Nazar Khan 3 for 46).