The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

SPORTS

THE ACHIEVERS
Controversies have not cowed this sportswoman
Priyanka Gupta

Determination is another name for Arjuna Award winner Rachana Govil, a superb athlete and a down-to-earth personality. As Arjuna broke down and was in a dilemma before the start of the war until Krishna taught him the lessons of the Gita, similarly the bad times drove Rachana to prove herself. A year after the two tragedies, including the Arjuna Award controversy and a fire that broke in her house, she still stands steadfast with her faith intact. The controversy over the Arjuna Award made front page news in the print media and the fire in her house in April 2002 affected her emotionally. But she picked up the pieces of her life again, starting the business of life anew with determination and dedication.

She is working hard on breaking the world record in shooting. Rachana has won more than 12 medals in athletics and seven in shooting. She is the only woman to have broken the records in two disciplines simultaneously i.e. shooting and athletics. It was difficult for her, belonging as she did to a traditional family, to reach this level from the time when she found herself the only girl running on the streets in Lucknow. Though her mother has always been a big support but she has struggled alone. She said, “I was inspired by my brother. My family was traditional and to be a sportswoman was out of the question. I remember when I used to practice instead of cheering me on I used to be the target for snide comments from passersby. I won the first prize in my first state meet of 400 meters. I didn’t feel great about this achievement as I wanted to do more.” Rachana believes a win or loss is immaterial. She added, “The tough times have increased my power to analyse things closely. It was really difficult for me and Pushpendra to bring everything to normal but we both worked it out. Criticism and appreciation are part of the game but I have always felt there is something to learn from criticism which goads you to perform better. I always tell students that one should never give up. If you have lost the race it’s because you haven’t put in your best and if you have won then look for ways to better your performance.”

Rachana always enjoy being in the company of her competitors and children. She has been chief guest at sports meets in various schools. She voiced, “One has to fight the war alone but I have been blessed with friends who have always stood by me in times of need. Whenever I have been desolate I have always found them near me, ridding me of my tensions. Also, I believe in finding a solution to a problem and this is key to success.”

Apart from sports, Rachana has also excelled in dance and art. The 1985 champion in Indira Marathon has recently been awarded ‘Outstanding Sportswoman of the Year 2002’ award by Ryan International Sports Club in Mumbai. Apart from managing her home and working as Deputy Director, SAI, Rachana is also involved in a lot of social activities. She was awarded a certificate for social service by the Missionaries of Charity. Rachana has visited remote areas of Gujarat to identify unknown talents and bring them into the limelight. Her association with Hum Log, which works for the uplift of slum children, has added another feather in her cap. Her excellence needs no proof. Prakhravel, her son, excels in sports too.

FOOTBALL
DSA to host second division league
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, February 27
Nine clubs of North India will battle it out for supremacy in the second Division National Football League to be held at the Ambedkar Stadium from March 4 to 18. The All-India Football Federation (AIFF) has entrusted the Delhi Soccer Association (DSA) with the responsibility of hosting the North Zone qualifying round in Delhi.

Prominent teams like DSA League champions Allwyn-Hindustan, Indian National, Border Security Force, Punjab State Electricity Board, Jammu and Kashmir Bank, Chandigarh Police, Uttar Pradesh Police, HYC Club (Haryana) and Him Club (Himachal Pradesh) will participate in the league.

The first phase of the league will be held from March 4 to 11. Nine teams have been divided into two groups of four and five teams each.

Group A comprises Hindustan, PSEB, UP Police, HYC Club while Group B includes BSF, J and K Bank, Chandigarh Police, Him Club and Indian National.

The top two teams from each group will play in a four-team single leg league, with the two top teams from this league qualifying for the final phase to be held at Thiruvanathapuram (Kerala) from March 26 to April 6.

The matches in Delhi will be played under gates, and tickets have been priced at Rs 5 each. The AIFF has appointed F Sanches of the Western India Football Association as the match commissioner-cum-referees’ inspector.

Shiv Prakash jumps to early lead
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, February 27
Shiv Prakash carded a five-under 67 to head the pack at the half-way stage of the Rs 8 lakh prize money golf tournament. An overnight total of three-under 69 helped Shiv Prakash tally eight-under 136 and displace overnight joint leaders Indrajit Bhalotia and Shiv Shankar Prasad Chowrasia of Kolkata. They were tied for the second spot with just a stroke behind the leader.

The other two pros from Kolkata, Rafiq Ali and Rahil Gangjee, shared the joint fourth position with a total of six-under par 138 while Gaurav Ghei was at the sixth spot with an aggregate of 139.

Fifty-two professionals and three amateurs made it to the money-making rounds after the cut was applied at nine-over 153. Shiv Prakash gained in confidence after an eagle on par-5 third where his driver-driver shots landed him on the green for a 15-feet eagle opportunity. After a birdie on the sixth, Shiv Prakash hit a bad shot with a pitching wedge and landed on the collar of the green. However, he made amends for his lapse on his return journey with a birdie on the 12th and ended with successive birdies on the finishing holes.

Indrajit Bhalotia and Chowrasia played contrasting rounds but returned similar cards of one-under 71. Bhalotia made two birdies on the 10th from where he teed off and the other on the eighth. He missed a four-feet putt after coming out of the bunker to record a solitary bogey.

Chowrasia played a bogey-free round, making a long birdie on the 18th hole. He missed chances to make birdies from short distance.

Rafiq Ali submitted a card of four-under 68 to tally six-under 138. Teeing off from the 10th, Ali birdied the 12th and recorded a hattrick of birdies, starting from the 14th. However, a bogey-birdie finish on the 18th and sixth respectively gave Rafiq an outside chance to catch up with the leaders. Rahil Gangjee had a fine front nine where he sank five birdies. A chip-in on the 13th was the pick of the lot.

Photo exhibition on 9/11 tragedy captivates
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, February 27
Ace sports photo journalist Kamal Sharma held his 11th photo exhibition with the September 11 terrorist attack in the United States of America as the main theme. Joint Commissioner of Police Ranjit Narain inaugurated the exhibition.

Kamal Sharma was in the US on September 11, 2001 to cover the US Open when the terrorist attack took place on the twin towers of the World Trade Centre in New York. His vivid images of the crumbling trade centre has been the talking point wherever he held his one-man show.

About his date with the momentous event in history, Kamal Sharma recounted that “I was about to pack off from the US after a successful professional stint at the six-nation Doubles Wicket Cricket Tourney and the US Open Grand Slam Tennis Tournament on September 10, 2001 and was capturing New York by night in my camera till late in the night, but woke up when the first aircraft crashed into the WTC tower. Two months later, I saw the aftermath and a nation’s reaction to the tragedy through my lens”.

Kamal’s previous photo exhibitions were inaugurated by Kapil Dev, Sachin Tendulkar, Saurav Ganguly, Steve Waugh, Stephen Fleming, Heath Streak, Anil Kumble, Andy Flower, Uma Bharti, Arun Jaitley, Lt. Governor Vijay Kapoor and Police Commissioner R S Gupta. New Zealand cricketers Stephen Fleming and Nathan Astle have acknowledged his photographs used in their book “Cricketing Safari”.

BRIEFLY
ONGC edge out Sonnet through spin of coin
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, February 27
Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC) pipped Sonnet Club through the spin of coin, after the two teams were involved in a tied match, to move into the semi-final of the third Rajdhani Sports Trophy Cricket Tournament at the Khalsa College ground.

Scores: Sonnet Club: 230 for 9 in 40 overs (Dhruv Mohan 47, 4x4; Deepak Joon 34, 2x4; N S Negi 30, 4x4, 1x6; Devender Sharma 29 n.o., 4x4; Sanjay Gill 3 for 37; Rajeev Rathore 2 for 32).

ONGC: 230 all out in 39.3 overs (Radhey Shyam Gupta 66, 8x4; Gagan Khoda 36, 5x4; Mithun Manhas 32, Sarandeep Singh 32 n.o., 4x4, 19b; Deepak Joon 3 for 38,
N S Negi 2 for 48,Oneil Wilson 2
for 40).

Sunny stars for Royal

An all-round performance by Sunny (47 n.o and one for 191) and a deadly spell of 3 for 30 by Manu Mehta helped Royal Sundaram defeat Airport Authority of India by four wickets in the second Turf Corporate Cricket Challenge.

Scores: Airport Authority of India: 133 for 8 in 25 overs (Rajeev Gupta 38, Mahesh Chand 22, Vikas Bansal 2 for 20, Manu Mehta 3 for 30).

Royal Sundaram: 134 for 6 in 23.3 overs (Deepak Raj 23, Sunny 47 n.o, Anil Rawat 18, Mahesh Chand 2 for 17).

NIIT beat Amway

NIIT defeated Amway in the Reebok Cricket Tournament.

Scores: Amway India: 55 all out in 14.1 overs (Vikas Verma 4 for 22, Kapil Kumar 3 for 7).

NIIT: 59 for no loss in 5.5 overs (Rajesh Varshney 27 n.o, 4x4, 18b; Ashish Prasad 22 n o, 4x4, 16b).

ADMINISTRATION

PRIME LAND
Commercial plots net Noida Rs 50 cr
Parmindar Singh

Noida, February 27
The Noida administration has earned Rs 50 crore from the auction of 90 commercial properties, the draw for which was held on Tuesday.

A reserve price of Rs 2.26 lakh per square metre was fixed for a plot of 96 square metres in Sector 18. This plot alone will fetch the authority Rs 2 crore, it is learnt. One-fourth of this amount is to be deposited with the authority in the next 60 days. The Noida CEO, Dr Om Prakash, had announced a commercial scheme in various sectors last month. Its draw was held in Sector 6 office on Tuesday in the presence of Additional CEO K. M. Pandey by a team of senior Noida officers.

There were a total of 90 plots in this scheme for which 391 tenders were received. The bids of five were rejected on technical grounds.

The main attraction was the two plots of 140 square metres in Sector 110 for restaurants and 18 plots of 32 square metres each. As many as 302 tenders were received for these 20 plots alone. The plots for restaurants were auctioned at the rate of Rs 47,600 and Rs 47,777 per square metre while the rest among these plots fetched Rs 60,000 per square metre.

Four bids were received for a 18,600-square metre plot for a club in Sector 62, which yielded Rs 6,401 per square metre. This will net a revenue of Rs 11.7 crore to the authority. But surprisingly, there were no takers for a hotel plot in Sector 63. Similarly, no tenders were received from builders for five out of the six other plots. A lone plot of 1,250 square metres among them was purchased by a builder at the rate of Rs 32,570 per square metre. The smallest plot of 15 square metres in this scheme was sold at the rate of Rs 80,200 per square metre.

An interesting feature of the auction was that over 150 bids were received from one company alone for plots in Sector 110. Not surprising, therefore, that the same company succeeded in grabbing most of the plots.