The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

HEALTH

MENTAL WELL-BEING
One out of three Indians goes through depression

Mental health remains a taboo despite health experts and psychiatrists cautioning that brushing mental health concerns under the carpet is not the solution but tantamount to fostering the ailment.

With the incidences of mental health ailment on the rise, health experts are now relying on education and awareness through workshops and interaction through the media to drive home the message of mental well-being.

At a seminar organised on the state of mental health at the Amity Institute of Behavioural and Allied Sciences (AIBAS), experts pointed out that one out of every three Indians goes through psychological depression in a lifetime. Further, 10 per cent of the total population needs mental health intervention at least once a year and there are only 2,000 trained and about 700 qualified psychologists in the country.

While doctors called for the need “ to give mental health due importance” the government’s inability to focus on the issue was also pointed out. Speaking on the occasion, the Minister of State for External Affairs, Mr Digvijay Singh, said, “In the current global scenario many concerns like terrorism, impact of war, recession and a failing economy are putting tremendous pressure on every country and every citizen of this world”.

He added, “Two decades ago the Government of India and WHO had formulated a programme for mental health keeping in view the magnitude of problems in the country, existing manual and material resources and advances in the mental health technology. However, among the plethora of other issues the mental health programme has yet to take off”.

Among those present were Dr Sanjay Chug, Dr Madhuri Behari, AIIMS and Dr Sunny Satin, Director, California Institute of Hypnosis.

SPORTS

South Asian Wushu in Delhi
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, March 26
The second South Asian Wushu Championship will be held at Talkatora Indoor Stadium in New Delhi from March 27 to 29. Wushu Association of India secretary-general Anand Kacker said teams from Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, India A and India B will take part in the championship.

Nepal were the winners of the first South Asian Wushu Championship organised in Kathmandu (Nepal) in 2000. Sri Lanka will be represented by a 25-member team, while Nepal and Bangladesh will be represented by 25 and 10 members respectively. India will field a large contingent of 50.

International Wushu judges from China, Nepal, Sri Lanka and India will supervise the championship.

Wushu, which is a martial sport, has been recognised by the International Olympic Committee, and is likely to be included in the 2008 Olympic Games. Wushu is a regular event in the Asian Games since 1990. The International Wushu Federation has 90 members as its affiliates.

The Wushu Association of India has been recognised by the International as well as the Asian Federations, the Indian Olympic Association and the Union Ministry of Sports.

The Indian contingent have been attending a coaching camp at the Indira Gandhi indoor stadium since March 19. Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Vikram Verma will inaugurate the championship on Thursday at 11 a m while Lt Governor Vijay Kapoor will distribute the prizes on March 29.

Mr Hau Jundo, Ambassador of China, will be the guest of honour at the opening ceremony.

Timex honours Andaman expedition
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, March 26
Timex presented its “expedition range” watches to the international team going on an Andaman Island Eco Tourism and Volcano Expedition, designed to map the eco-tourism potential of the Andaman groups of islands.

The expedition aims to strengthen regional co-operation for biodiversity conservation and bring sustainable development to people living in remote areas.

The ten-member international team will be led by Mandeep Singh Soin, who is a mountaineer, explorer and a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society of the United Kingdom with over 30 years’ of experience in expeditions, adventure and exploration. Other members of the team are all naturalists, explorers and others.

OK Dinghy Open in Goa
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, March 26
The Cidade de Goa will host the OK Dinghy Open National and World Sailing Championships from March 28 to April 4 and the OK Dinghy Open National Championship from March 21 to March 24. Twenty foreign competitors from eight countries will participate in the championship.

India has been selected to host the OK Dinghy World Championship for the first time and Cidade de Goa has been specifically selected for its splendid Vainguinim beach and popularity as a leading tourist destination in Goa.

Nitin Mongia will represent India in the OK Dinghy World Championship. The OK Dinghy is a single-handed sailing vessel which is 14-feet long and weighs 75 kilos. Goa Governor Kedar Nath Saini will inaugurate the championship.

B L Kashyap sail into semi-final
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, March 26
B. L. Kashyap beat GE Capital by six runs and entered the semi-final of the Teri Cup Cricket Tournament at the Teri Oval.

Scores: B L Kashyap: 148 for 7 in 25 overs (Puneet Kashyap 36, 2x4; Atul 25, 3x4; Gaurav 3 for 41).

GE Capital: 142 for 9 in 25 overs (Arijit 61, Thapa 3 for 22).Puneet was named the man of the match.

Maneet Singh hits century

A fine century by Maneet Singh Jauhar helped Richa Exports beat JRA by 16 runs in the Turf Corporate Cricket Challenge at the Sri Guru Gobind Singh College ground. Maneet was adjudged the man of the match.

Scores: Richa Exports: 216 for 3 in 25 overs (Maneet 100 in 67b, Shubneet 59 in 41b).

JRA: 200 for 9 in 25 overs (Mohan 54 in 61b, Rajesh 44 in 24b, Rakesh 2 for 24, Krishna 3 for 22).

Paras stars in FCI victory

A fine knock of 50 run by Paras Dogra and deadly bowling of 5 for 23 by Akash Malhotra helped the Food Corporation of India (FCI) beat National Stadium by 60 runs in a Super A Division match of the DDCA League at the Kotla I ground on Tuesday.

Scores: FCI: 167 all out in 39.2 overs (Paras Dogra 50, Pankaj Thakur 44, Akash Malhotra 21, Damanjeet 21,V Arvind 2 for 20).

National Stadium: 107 all out in 33.3 overs (Ramveer Singh 21, Akash Malhotra 5 for 23, Pankaj Thakur 3 for 16).

Daksh down Canon

Daksh defeated Canon by eight wickets in the Reebok Cricket Tournament. Scores: Canon: 124 for 9 in 25 overs (Ravi 20, Anupam Singh 3 for 23, Mohit Kaushal 2 for 9). Daksh: 125 for 2 in 16.5 overs (Anupam Singhi 54 n o, 51b, 4x3; Vineet Vij 38, 4x5; Mohit Kaushal 18 n o, 16b, 4x2; Ravi 1 for 14).

Anupam Singhi was named the man of the match.

PMG beat Ravi Brothers
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, March 26
Professional Management Group (PMG) defeated Ravi Brothers by seven runs in an A-II Division match of the DDCA League at the RSC ground.

Scores: PMG: 187 all out in 29.4 overs (Rajeev Rana 28, Neeraj Arya 28 n o, Mahender Bisth 20, Bhagat Singh 5 for 29).

Ravi Brothers: 180 all out in 30 overs (Neeraj Sharma 93 n o, Rajeev Rana 3 for 40, Mahender Bisth 2 for 29, Ranjeet Singh 2 for 40).

National Stadium beat Golden Hawks by seven wickets in a Super A Division match at Kotla I ground. Scores: Golden Hawks: 126 all out in 35 overs (Vishal Tyagi 27, Shailender Singh 20, Shashi Ranjan 5 for 11, Tariq-ur-Rehman 3 for 28).

National Stadium: 130 for 3 in 26 overs (Atul Shaukeen 51, Tariq-ur-Rehman 46 n o, Pradeep Maan 1 for 17).