Indian Squash Professionals (ISP), a
non profit making organization, was formed by Mr. Mahendra
Agarwal in 1993, with the sole aim of promoting the game
of squash in India .
In January 1993 ISP conducted the
first ever squash tournament (since 1947) only for
Professionals, or Markers as they are known in India,
and also the first Doubles squash tournament in Hotel
Leela, Mumbai.
From January 1993 till date, ISP
has organized 127 tournaments, more than 50 free coaching camps
all over India (Rajkot, Jodhpur, Mussorie & interiors of
Maharashtra) and since then, adopted five players (Arif
Paul, Deepali Anvekar, Priyanka Yadav, Abhishek Pradhan
and Ankita Sharma).
ISP has its own website,
www.ispsquash.com, which is the only active squash
website in India. This is updated daily and receives
about 150,000 hits each month.
ISP also publishes a news magazine,
"PROSQUASH", which is read by more than 15000 squash
lovers throughout the country. This magazine has
completed 95 issues.
ISP was instrumental in introducing
several well-known squash coaches from countries like
Egypt, Canada & Pakistan to India . Jahangir Khan's
coach Rahmat Khan (Pakistan) was the first to conduct a
coaching camp in the year 1997 followed by Abdul Shaikh
(Canada), Sammy Farrag (Egypt), Hanny Ezzat (Egypt),Khalid Atlas Khan (Pakistan), Tarek Solemn
(Egypt) and Ahmed Yosef (Egypt).
ISP, in association with SRAM, has
spread the game of squash to the interiors of
Maharashtra ( 27 districts; Nanded, Beed, Satara,
Pimpri, Kolhapur , Solapur, Aurangabad , Thane, Jalgaon,
Nashik etc) through coaching camps, tournaments and
building squash courts with the help of local Government
officers.
ISP also helped Joshna Chinappa,
who became the first Indian girl to win the British
Junior Open 2003 & is runners up in Under-19 World
Championship 2005, get sponsorship from SWITCHER through
our Hon. Member Rakesh Lakhanpal, and Government grant
in 2005 with the help of late Mr. Sunil Dutt (Sports
Minister, Government of India)
ISP has taken the initiative to
import quality squash rackets from Taiwan and make them
available to the players at subsidized rates to promote
the game.
ISP has received messages of
commendation from the following luminaries, the
commendations were for organizing our 50th, 75th, 100th
tournaments, as well as for promotion of squash:
Shri. Atal Bihari
Vajpyee (Ex-Prime Minister of India
)
Shri. Bhairon Singh
Shekhawat (Vice President of India
)
Shri. Vilasrao
Deshmukh (Chief Minister of
Maharashtra )
Shri. L. K. Advani (Ex-Dy Prime Minister of India)
Dr. Akhilesh Das
(Minister of State for Steel, GOI)
Shri. Narendra Modi
(Chief Minister Gujarat State)
Shri. Vijay Goyal
(Ex-Sports Minister Of India )
Shri. Gopalswami
(Chief Election Commissioner of
India ),
Shri. Naval Kishore
Sharma (Governor of Gujarat)
Shri. Amrish Patel
(Ex Sports Minister Of Maharashtra
)
Shri. Mani Shankar
Aiyar (Minister of Panchayati Raj
and Youth Affairs & Sports, GOI)
Shri. Harshvardhan
Patil (Minister Co-operation,
Marketing & Parliament Affairs Government of
Maharashtra)
Shri. Anil Diggikar
(Ex-Director Of Sports, Govt. Of
Maharashtra & Chief Patron of School Games
Federation of India )
Shri. Suresh Shetty
(Minister of Public Health & Family
Affair, Environment, Protocol & Addtl. charge of
Sports and Youth Affair),
Shri. M. Hamid
Ansari (Vice President) conveyed by
Ashok Dewan (Vice-President's Secretariat, New
Delhi)
Shri. Prithviraj
Chavan (Chief Minister of
Maharashtra)
Shri. Ashok Gahlot
(Chief Minister, Rajasthan)
Shri. Prem Chand
Gupta (Minister of Company Affairs,
GOI),
1. To create a Squash Culture in India. 2. To produce a
world beater from India. 3. To identify talent and
foster competitive spirit amongst the youngster by
supporting them to prepare them for participation in
International events. 4. To enhance better working
environment for our Professionals, who are the backbone
of Squash In India. 5. To promote Indian Squash
through our mouthpiece “PROSQUASH”, India’s only Squash
Magazine. 6. To upgrade our already popular website
www.ispsquash.com having news of Squash in India /
World. 7. To adopt talented youngsters through
sponsorship. 8. To be helpful as mediators for any
problems that may arise and threaten the interests of
the sport in India. 9. To create a world class
infrastructure – viz. Squash Academy in Mumbai. 10.
To provide exposure to international coaching by
inviting coaches/physical trainers to India and sending
players abroad for coaching.
Other activities of ISP involves
Adopting Squash Players, Felicitating National Squash
Players, conducting, Free Squash Coaching camps,
conducting referee clinic for professionals, train top
players under the guidance of National and International
coaches, organize tournaments,
introducing new techniques (Booster Machine) to train
squash players, introduce squash accessories to players
at subsidized rates...all the above activities of ISP
are carried out in India and in interiors of Maharashtra
"PROSQUASH" the only squash
e-magazine in India having readership of 15000 squash
players throughout India.Its being published monthly now. And was launched
in
December 1996 and it contains news regarding squash in
India & World.
The only active Website of Squash in India, which
is being updated daily and it contains all news regarding squash in India
and World. It has 1,50,000 hits every month.
As we require a constant flow of funds to attain our
objectives, the ISP appeals to Corporates all over the world to donate
whatever amount they can. We believe in the saying that drop by drop can
fill an ocean.
The donation by Indians and NRI's are exempted under
80-G of income tax. The donation is to be made by cheque / draft in the
name of Indian Squash Professionals and posted to our Office In India.
