The 75th edition of the
PROSQUASH, the news Magazine of Indian Squash
Professionals launched by Mr. Bhushan Gagrani (IAS)
the officials present were Mr. Mahendra Agarwal (Founder
Director, Indian Squash Professionals) and Mr. Ashish
Gupta (President, Squash Racquets Association of
Maharashtra).
The 50th edition of the
PROSQUASH, the
News Magazine of Indian Squash Professionals was released at BMC
Headquarters by Mr. Anil Diggikar (Additional Commissioner of BMC,
Projects) along with Noreena (VP, ISP), Mahesh Mangaonkar (British
Junior Champion), Anjali Managaonkar (Mahesh Mangaonkar's mother)
& Mahendra Agarwal (Founder Director, ISP)
PROSQUASH, the Indian
Squash Professionals and its founder president Mahendra Agarwal has
completed its Golden Jubilee. 50 issues of the newsletter have reached out
to more the 3000 squash fraternity all over the country and abroad at no
cost.
Having started
PROSQUASH, his expensive hobby, under the guidance of the late Raju
Chainani, Agarwal has taken the game to never dreamt of heights nation
wide through his unique publication. Chainani was bringing outof his newsletter SIMPLY SQUASH but he was more international and
didn’t devote much time to the grassroots game. He advised Mahendra
Agrawal to come up with newsletter, which had more of Indian squash news.
PROSQUASH decided to highlight the activities and as the activities grew
the news increased from four to the present 12 pages.
Although Mumbai-based,
the coverage of PROSQUASH is nationwide; its reach and influence among
players, coaches and administrators, as also in the corridors of power in
New Delhi, considerable.
The world of squash was
a small compact one. There were the south Mumbai clubs like CCI, Bombay
Gymkhana and Willingdon Sports Club and at the other Club. The activity
was limited to a few tournaments.
It took the vision of
Mahendra Agarwal to go beyond that, provide opportunities for the
professionals by first organizing tournaments exclusively for them then he
started handicap and doubles events.
PROSQUASH began
featuring other development activities like coaching camps.
In time PROSQUASH began
featuring performing youngsters and these clippings come handy for the
players when seeking admission into foreign universities and applying for
squash scholarships. There are a number of youngsters who have thus
benefited.
All in all PROSQUASH
has played its role in taking the sport of squash to another level. The
more the merrier saying applies to sport. There is the national
federation, there is looming presence of Indian Squash Professionals using
its ingenuity to create events that capture the imgination of people
beyond the squash courts.
PROSQUASH has reflected
this ingenuity and its special. Let’s hope PROSQUASH marches on to the
other succeeding jubilees in a manner that will capture the imagination of
grateful squash fraternity.
Prosquash,
the news magazine of the Indian Squash Professionals completed its Golden
Jubilee. The brainchild of Mahendra Agarwal, the founder member of ISP,
the magazine has grown from the initial issue of four page avatar. The
magazine has provided a platform for squash players at all levels to gain
exposure, glean information and voice their grievances, with pride of
place being awarded to the professionals (called markers) the backbone of
any sport in the country.
PROSQUASH, the news
magazine of the Indian Squash Professionals, distributed free of cost to
sporting clubs and institutions all over the country and to more than 3000
individuals, has completed its golden jubilee. The brainchildof Mahendra Agarwal, the founder member of ISP, the magazine has
grown from the initial issue of four pages to its current 16 page avatar.
The magazine has
provided a platform for squash players at all levels to gain exposure,
glean information and voice their grievances, with pride of place being
awarded to the professionals (called markers) the backbone of any sport in
the country.
The magazine has
focused on the grass root level, awarded scholarships to deserving kids,
helped talented players gain sponsorships and has also benefited a lot of
youngsters seeking admissions abroad in reputed universities.
The 50th
issue of PROSQUASH was released recently by ISP Executive Director Anil
Diggikar (Additional Municipal Commissioner of BMC, projects) along with
ISP founder director Mahendra Agarwal in the presence of talented
youngster Mahesh Mangaonkar, the junior British Open champion and Noreena,
VP, ISP.
Manish Chotrani
(National Champion) unveiling 25th issue of
Prosquash Magazine along with Rakesh Lakhanpal (Executive Committe Member,
ISP)
and Mahendra Agarwal (Founder Director)
IT’S been a squashing
decade, so to say, for the Indian Squash Professionals, a non-profit
organization founded in 1993 to promote the game in the country. Exactly a
decade back in January’93 the ISP conducted the first ever squash
tournament since independence only for Professionals as well as a doubles
tournament.
Since then, ISP has
organised 43 tournaments, 10 free coaching camps all over the country and
adopted three players – Arif Paul, Deepali Anvekar and Priyanka Yadav.
Also marking a silver
jubilee of sorts was the ISP’s squash magazine ‘Prosquash’, the 25th
issue of which was unveiled by the recentiy crowned national champion
Manish Chaotrani at a function last evening.
The magazine is
distributed to 3,000 squash players free of cost throughout the country.
PROSQUASH’
TURNS 25
The Free Press Journal – 18 / 01 /
2003
THE Indian Squash
Professionals, a non-profit making organization, set up in 1993 by
Mahendra Agarwal to forward the cause of the
professionals, reached a milestone when they released the 25th
edition of their monthly news magazine ‘Prosquash’.
The honour of releasing
the 25th edition of ‘Prosquash’ was given to recently
crowned men’s national champion, Manish Chotrani at a function held at
the Press Club on Tuesday.
‘Prosquash’ is
being distributed to 3000 squash players free of cost and is read by more
than 15,000 squash lovers throughout the country. Charting the
achievements of ISP, Mahendra Agarwal said that the ISP had conducted 43
tournaments till date, organised 100 free coaching camps all over India,
including Rajkot and Mussorie and adopted three players (Arif Paul,
Deepali Anvekar and Priyanka Yadav).
The ISP also has its
own website, www.ispsquash.com,
the only active squash website in the country, which receives, at an
average, 1,50,000 hits per month. According to Agarwal, the ISP was
instrumental in introducing Rehmat Khan, the coach of the legendary
Jehangir Khan, to Indian squash. He conducted two camps for ISP and went
on to work for SRAM. The ISP was also instrumental in getting the
government of Maharashtra’s recognition for squash in May 2000, in
association with SRAM.
RAHMAT KHAN, the
erstwhile coach of squash legend Jahangir Khan, has offered his services
to the Indian Squash Professionals, an organization formed for the
betterment of the professionals or markers as they are called.
At a function to
release their newsletter, Pro Squash, detailing the activities of
professionals and Indian squash in general, Rehmat, a first cousin of
Jahangir, said he was coming back to the game after a seven year gap and
would be happy to be instrumental in helping the young squash talent in
the country.
Releasing the
news-letter, Mr Phiroze Pandole, the grand old man of squash, said it was
laudable that someone had come forward to help the professionals.
He recalled the days
when Pakistani professionals worked at Mumbai’s clubs and raised the
standards of Indian squash.
Subhash Wali, one of
the directors of ISP, said the organization wanted to bring all the squash
professionals in the country under their umbrella so that they could
improve themselves and in turn help the youngsters at the clubs where they
worked.
Vaman Apte, newly
elected president of the Squash Rackets Federation of India promised full
support to the ISP.
The ISP has on its
rolls nearly 50 professionals working at the city’s clubs and five star
hotels.
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Indian Squash Professionals
Address:
B/705, 7th Floor, Raylon Arcade, Next to Pidilite, Kondivita Lane, Andheri -East, Mumbai – 400 059
Tel : 9122-28314425/26/27
Email: squashindia@yahoo.com