12 tennis players from Pakistan arrive
Arvind Katyal

Sitting in one corner of the clay courts along with their coach, Mr Rashid, were two teenaged girls, Zehra Ali Khan and Qurat-Ul-Ain, both promising tennis players from Lahore. Qurat said though they had not moved much around the city, it seemed to be a lovely place with serene surroundings and excellent playing facilities. Zehra said they played at Punjab Tennis Academy in Lahore, adding that more and more girls in Pakistan were now taking to tennis.

Chandigarh, January 28
It was a unique moment to watch 12 tennis players from Lahore, Pakistan, in the age group 11-56, including two girls, who have come here to play the first-ever tennis tournament between the two countries organised at the initiative of Total Tennis Academy, YMCA, Sector 11 here.

Led by Davis Cup Captain and former national champion, Rashid Malik, the team is part of the Punjab Tennis Academy based at Lawrence Garden, Bagh-e-Jinnah, Lahore.

Qurat Ul-Ain

Zehra Ali Khan

Today at 3 pm, the visitors were given a befitting welcome in the presence of Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi, Chief Parliamentary Secretary (sports), Punjab, who praised the efforts made by Mr L.D. Kapoor, Director of the Total Tennis Academy, and his aides in organising this nine days long friendship meet where mostly juniors will play and interact with local players.

Rana Sodhi said earlier Punjab successfully played host to Indo-Pak Punjab games in December last, adding that with the tennis matches also now being held, it was another milestone in strengthening relations between two neighbouring nations. He announced a grant of Rs 50,000 to the Total Tennis Academy. Mr T.R. Sarangal, IAS, Punjab, presided over the function. Mr Christophere Adwine and Mr Arvind J Noel, President and Secretary respectively of the YMCA also thanked the Pakistan players for accepting the invitation of coming to Chandigarh.

Rashid Malik later said that they, too, would invite Indian tennis players to play in Lahore in the near future.

Later in the day, the first exhibition match was played between Digvijay Singh Mehta of India and Faizan Khurram of Pakistan, which the former won.

The Pakistan players who have come are: Rashid Malik (Davis cup Captain), Inam Ul- Haq (national above 45 doubles winner), Laeeq Pirzada (above 55 champion), Omer Babar (under 17 winner), Tanveer Ashiq (under-17 runners-up), Khurram Nazir (under-17 third place holder), Faizan Khurram (11 years), Ali Asghar Sheikh and Abdullah (both play in the USA), Zulfiquar Ali, Zehra Ali Khan and Qurat-Al-Ain.

6 CFA players called for u-16 camp
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 28
Six players of Chandigarh Football Academy who were earlier picked in the national under-14 team that toured Nepal, have now been called for the under-16 national camp being held in Goa to finalise the national under-16 football team.

According to coach Harjinder Singh, the players are Randip Singh, Gagandeep Singh, Gurjot Singh, Pawan Kumar, Sukhwinder Singh and Aaqib Javed.

The camp is likely to commence on February 24. Meanwhile, the North Zone trials for the same camp will be held at Chandigarh from February 14 to 20 and at least three more players from the city are likely to make it to the camp being held in Goa. Among the two selectors named by the All-India Football Federation for the camp is former international Harjinder Singh, who is also coach of the Chandigarh Football Academy.

St Xavier’s team wins trophy
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 28
The team from St Xavier’s School, Sector 44, emerged as the winners in the third All-India Euro Enviro Quiz held here today. Teams from eight schools participated.

The team of Karanveer Singh and Shyam Upadhaya, both students of Class VIII, would now compete in the national level semi-finals scheduled to be held at Mumbai on February 19. As many as 156 teams from 14 different cities from across the country would be participating in the semi-finals.

Exhilarated over their success, the budding quiz masters said they were looking forward to the semi-finals. Karanveer Singh said participating in the quizzes was his favourite hobby. He had been placed first in a recently conducted state-level competition organised by the Central State Library.

For Shyam Upadhaya winning the quiz is nothing new. “I like participating in the quizzes as it is a challenging and it improves my general knowledge”. His team was placed sixth in an international level quiz held at Lucknow.

CRPF vacates community centre

Chandigarh, January 28
The Community Centre of the Municipal Corporation, Ram Darbar, which was occupied by the CRPF, was got vacated today. The first floor comprising five rooms was vacated today. Deputy Commissioner Arun Kumar said the possession of the centre has been handed over to the Municipal Corporation for use by residents of Ram Darbar. TNS