Mumbai Topple Pune (Article in
Times of India 4/10/ 2006)
Mumbai:
So far so good. That’s the story forMumbai University after proceedings in the inaugural Tri-University
squash championship, organized by HR College at the Police Gymkhana courts
on Tuesday.
Led by 20 – year-old Dhiraj Nagpal of HR College,
Mumbai University worked their way past Pune University 3-0.
INTER-VARSITY SQUASH
The Tri-University Championship is the 150 years
celebration of Mumbai, Calcutta and Madras Universities. Pune University is
playing on invitation.
The championship is being played on a round robin basis
and at the end of Day One, Calcutta and Pune had a win and a loss. Madras
and Mumbai play their remaining two matches on the second and final day on
Wednesday while Calcutta and Pune play their last encounter. Madras lost to
Calcutta 0-3, while Pune too had to work their way round Calcutta 3-0.
Back And
Winning! How Mumbai
University’s squash champion Nagpal battled health problems (Article
in Mid -Day, Mumbai : 4/10/ 2006)
HARDWORK is the key to success. Dhiraj Nagpal stuck to
this good old mantra to change the course of his life.
Being overweight at 15, life seemed to ask too much of
the youngster. Five years on, Dhiraj has tasted a fair amount of success and
is looking as stunning as ever. Reason? Squash.
Parental Guidance
“My weight was a whopping 78 kilograms. I wanted to get
rid of it. Then my father Ashok Nagpal (Indian squash professionals,
Treasurer), himself a squash player suggested taking up the game. I started
playing squash and the results were evident soon,” said Dhiraj.
However there were more problems in store for the Khar
Gymkhana player.
Knee Operation
“After six months I suffered a cartilage rupture due to
extra pressure on the knees. I had to undergo a knee operation,” said the
final year BMS student in HR College.
With three month’s rest necessary to recuperate from
the injury, Dhiraj’s squash career was virtually over.
But with support from parents, the 20-years-old
Maharashtra player got back to the court. Today, he is among the top ranked
players in Mumbai with many national titles to his credit. Recently he won
the The ISP Club squash tournament and did well in Khar Gymkhana A’s triumph
in the ISP The Leela squash classic team championship.
Back Spasms
“I ranked sixth at the All India U-19 table last year,”
said Dhiraj. Still problems are not yet over for Dhiraj. He missed playing
for Maharashtra ‘A’ in the inter-state tournament due to back spasms. But he
returned to the court yesterday to lead the Mumbai University in the Tri
University squash championship, 2006 organised by HR College at Mumbai
Police Gymkhana.
He crushed Pune University player Ashok Suhag 2-0 (9-2
/ 9-0) to help his team defeat Pune 3-0 in their first match of round robin
league. Earlier Siddharth Samantray defeated Sachin Uchade 3-0 (9-5, 9-1 and
9-2) and Naishad Lalwani thrashed Angad Marwah 3-0 (9-5, 9-5, 9-6).
“It was my first match against a Mumbai player and the
experience was terrible. He was invincible. I was no match for him. His game
started killing me as soon as I entered the court,” admitted Suhag.
Clean Sweep
For Mumbai (Article in Hindustan Times,
Mumbai : 5/10/2006)
Mumbai University emphatically wrested the
Tri-University squash tournament title defeating their three opponents at
the Police Gymkhana glass back squash court, at Kennedy Seaface, on
Wednesday.
The event was organised by the sports council of HR
College to celebrate the 15oth anniversary of Mumbai, Culcutta and Madras
Universities, had seen the local team outclass Pune University, a special
invitee for the tournament, on Tuesday.
Mumbai University carried their winning momentum on the
second day of the two-day tournament against Calcutta University and
Mumbai’s Siddharth Samantray set the tone for the tie wrapping up the
opening class against Anurag Garodia in Straight sets 9-0, 9-0, 9-0.
Naishad Lalwani made short work of Calcutta University
captain Rishabh Mundra, winning 9-0, 9-0, 9-2 and Mumbai University skipper
Dhiraj Nagpal completed the whitewash with a 9-0, 9-0 win over Kanishka
Bagarir in the inconsequential third singles.
Mumbai University Best (Article in Free Press Journal, Mumbai : 5/10/2006)
Mumbai University organised Tri University claimed the
HR College organised Tri University Squash Tournament title after winning
all their three ties in the round robin league at the Police Gymkhana glass
back court on Wednesday.
Mumbai University, who had beaten Pune University on
Tuesday, began the second day of the two-day tournament against Calcutta
University as favorites and looked strong from the word ‘go’. Siddharth
Samantray set the tone for the tie, wrapping up his match against Anurag
Garodia 9-0, 9-0, 9-0. Naishad Lalwani made quick work of Calcutta
University captain Rishubh Mundra, winning 9-0, 9-0,9-2 and Dhiraj Nagpal
completed the whitewash with a 9-0, 9-0. win over Kanishka Bagaria in the
inconsequential final singles tie.
In the last tie against a weak Madras University,
Mumbai captain Dhiraj Nagpal allowed reserve players in Abhishek Dhawan and
Prateek Baweja to play and the scoreline didn’t change. Dhawan was run close
by M. Premkumar but the former stamped his superiority, winning 9-6, 9-6,
9-5. Nagpal dominated P.Karthick, winning 9-0,9-0, 9-2. and Baweja
justified his inclusion in the team with a 9-0, 9-0 win over S. Suvarna
Kumaram.
Nagpal was pleased with the performance of the team
saying, “It feels great to have won the title with all players performing so
well. What makes the win even more special is the occasion on which we won
it.”
Dr. Mrs. Indu Sahani , Principal HR College of Commerce
and Economics, said, “It’s a great way to celebrate the occasion using
sport. It has been a great pleasure for us to organize and therefore
interact with the participating teams.’
