The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

HEALTH

DRDO working on dental implants, says doctor
Shivani Bhakoo

Dr Dilip Deshpande delivers a lecture on dental implants at Dumra Auditorium, DMCH, Ludhiana, on Friday.

Ludhiana, January 24
The Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) would soon start manufacturing implants indigenously. The project is still in experimental stage and once we are able to successfully manufacture the material, the cost of dental implants would be cut down by 60 to 70 per cent. These views were expressed by Dr Dilip Deshpande, former Head of the Department, Nair Dental College and Hospital, Mumbai, and visiting Maxillo-Facial Prosthodontist, Tata Memorial Hospital. He was in the city yesterday to deliver a lecture on dental implants at Dumra Auditorium, DMCH.

Dr Deshpande said dental implantology was much in demand in metropolitan cities as compared to the northern region. "The main objective of yesterday's lecture was to make people aware that Titanium is a major breakthrough not only in the field of dentistry but in orthopedics also", Dr Deshpande added.

According to the expert, dental implants had 99 per cent success rate. The implants were expensive in India because the material was being imported from western countries. A single implant costs around Rs 11,000 plus the additional cost and added that 90 per cent of the dentists were not even aware of the technique.

Seminar on surgery

Ludhiana, January 24
The district unit of the National Integrated Medical Association (NIMA) will organise a seminar on general surgery here tomorrow.

Dr Surendra Gupta, secretary of the association, in a press statement said today that Dr Anil Mittal, general and laparoscopic surgeon, would be the guest speaker. He would speak on the management of acute abdomen pain. OC

SPORTS

Gurdeep Singh a promising weightlifter
Anil Datt

Ludhiana, January 24
Gurdeep Singh, a local weightlifter, has been selected to attend a coaching camp at the NIS, Patiala, slated to begin tomorrow, to prepare the team for the forthcoming national as well as international weightlifting tournaments.

Gurdeep Singh has been picked up for this important camp on the basis of his performance during the Senior National Weightlifting Championship held from January 14 to 18 at Delhi. He secured a gold medal in snatch event with an attempt of 150 kg while with a lift of 175 kg in clean jerk was adjudged the overall runner-up.

A stoutly built Gurdeep Singh, currently a Head Constable with the Punjab Police at PAP, Jalandhar, got training under SAI coach of the Punjab Sports Department Harbant Singh and started weightlifting in 1993 when he used to accompany his cousin to a club.

According to Harbant Singh, when he joined here in 1997, he noticed that Gurdeep had perfect qualities and good physique of becoming a successful weightlifter. Gurdeep took part in a major tournament in 1999 when he represented the district in the Senior Punjab State Weightlifting Meet at Ropar where, however, he failed to win any medal.

Later, in the same year, Gurdeep attended the trials for the selection of the Punjab team for the National Games conducted in Manipur. He, with an attempt of 172 kg lift, finished runner-up in his weight category and missed a place in the state squad.

In 2001, Gurdeep represented Punjab in the Senior National Weightlifting Championship held at Bhillai and he won a gold medal in snatch in the 105 kg category and came out overall third. Next year, Gurdeep got the silver medal in the National Meet at Visakhapatnam and was awarded by the state government and recruited in the police.

Gurdeep secured second position in the All-India Police Games in Delhi and annexed gold medal in the next edition of the games at Bhiwani. For this achievement, he was promoted to the rank of Head Constable.

Harbant Singh exuded confidence that coaching at Patiala would definitely help Gurdeep Singh prepare for the SAF Games to be held in Islamabad and the Asian Weightlifting Meet to be conducted at Kazakhistan as he had the qualities of speed, stamina, endurance, flexibility and agility, besides dedication and regular practice of becoming a good weightlifter of international repute.

Bhavya, Saibi record victory
Our Sports Reporter

Ludhiana, January 24
Bhavya Dawar and Saibi Kalra recorded victory in their respective matches to move into the next round in the Hibird Cycles Ludhiana District Badminton Championship which began at Shastri Hall of Guru Nanak Sports Complex here today.

In the boys' singles (U-13 years), Bhavya Dawar, student of Class VI of Kundan Vidya Mandir Senior Secondary School, Civil Lines, prevailed over his opponent Satyam whom he defeated 15-9 and 15-5 while Saibi Kalra faced a little resistance from his rival Udit Kaushal before romping home victorious in straight sets 15-5 and 15-1.

In another match, Antarpreet Singh proved too good for Ankit Sahni whom he drubbed 15-0 and 15-3. Surya Ramdev, after surviving initial hiccups, overcame Ikgarjot 15-4, 15-6. In the fifth match, played between Shubham and Ashish Malhotra, the former wrapped up the first set without facing any challenge 15-0 and won the second set 15-6 to emerge winner and advanced into the next round.

Earlier, Mr R.D.Sharma, Chairman, Hibird Safari Group of Industries, inaugurated the four-day championship in which around 150 participants are taking part. Mr R.S.Behal, general secretary, the LDBA welcomed the chief guest and introduced him with the participants. Mr Gianinder Singh, sports officer and the organising secretary of the tournament, Mr Charanjit Singh, founder president, Ludhiana District Cricket Association, Mr Ashok Aggarwal, vice-president, LDBA, and Mr Vipin Dawar of Ujjas Advertisers were among other prominent persons who were present at the opening ceremony.

The LDBA would felicitate three local players, who had brought laurels to the city as well as the state during the national-level tournaments in the recent past, on the concluding day , Mr Behal announced.

Sports icon remembered
Our Sports Reporter

Ludhiana, January 24
The 8th death anniversary of Prof Baljit Singh Grewal whose sports philosphy was reckoned as“an eastern expression of Olympic philosophy” at Mexico Olympics held in 1968 was observed today. Professor Grewal’s thought was acclaimed by the Managing Committees of Tehran Asian Games in 1974, Montreal in 1976 and then in 1982 Asiad. His thoughts have already been published in various magazines and depicted in French, German, English, Persian as well as in Indian languages. The stone was unvailed by Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Union Minister, at Ludhiana during National Games in 2001. Mr Dhindsa has promised that he would try to convince the Central Government to issue a postal stamp of his philosophy which made India proud.

Mr B.B. Goyal, a student of Professor Grewal laments that the Union Government has got given due recognition to this great Olymic philosopher who had been closely associated with sports during his life time.

Athletics meet at Khalsa College for Women
Our Sports Reporter

Ludhiana, January 24
The two-day 43rd annual athletics meet of Khalsa College for Women, Civil Lines, will be held at the college campus on January 28 and 29. According to Dr Varinder Kaur Thind, Principal of the college, students will take part in various sports activities and fun games. Flying Sikh Milkha Singh will be the chief guest on the concluding day and distribute prizes among the winners.