Squash Rackets Federation of India

Squash Rackets Federation of India
Sport Squash
Abbreviation SRFI
Regional affiliation Asian Squash Federation
Location Chennai
President Debendranath Sarangi
Secretary K.Rajendiran
Coach Cyrus Poncha
Official website
www.indiasquash.com
India

The Squash Rackets Federation of India or SRFI is the Indian governmental apex body for the game of squash. It conducts the National Squash Championship, and promotes the game through the different state level squash bodies, and provides training facilities and selects the squad for the Indian team. It also chooses coaches for the national team (presently Cyrus Poncha and Major S. Maniam). The rise of squash worldwide with many players in the top 100 worldwide and India's higher rankings worldwide are a testament to the hard work put in by the administrators and players over the last decade.

Among the major facilities created by the SRFI is the ICL-TNSRA squash academy,[1] which hosted the World Team Championship in 2007.[2]

Conflict between the SRFI and squash athletes came to a fore in 2005, when the government was conferring the Dronacharya award on SRFI affiliated squash coach Cyrus Poncha. India's number one squash player Joshna Chinappa wrote a letter to the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs that she never trained under Poncha, and that he had misused her name to get the Dronacharya award.[3] The SRFI chairman Ramachandran then produced testimonials from Joshna where she acknowledges the support of SRFI and Poncha.

In 2008, the SRFI chose a woman's squad for the Asian championships without Dipika Pallikal, who was then training in Egypt, after having recently won the under-17 British Open. The federation cited irregularities in the paperwork in informing the group about her absence due to training,[4] but it was felt that this might have been a rivalry with the Mittal Champions Trust which had been sponsoring her training abroad.

The SRFI maintains the website indiasquash.com,[5] which announces the national squash calendar and other details.

The SRFI Conducts Various Activities during the Year :

  • Coaching camps.
  • Tournaments (National & International).
  • Daily training at the Indian Squash Academy.
  • Referee Clinics.
  • Participates in International competitions.
  • Level 1, 2 & 3 coaching courses.
  • Development activities at tier 2 and 3 cities.

Rise of Indian Squash

In 2011, Inorder to promote the sport, The SRFI conducted the 2011 JSW SDAT WSF World Cup. This tournament was staged initially at the Indian Squash Academy, before moving onto an all-glass show court erected at the Express Avenue Mall. Egypt justified their billing as top seeds in the 2011 JSW SDAT WSF World Cup by beating second seeds England

In 2012, first ever Under-21 World cup in Chennai, the event was stage once again at the Express Avenue Mall. The event climaxed in a dramatic and unexpected final between Egypt and India – the top seeds versus the fourth-seeded hosts. Spurred on by an exuberant crowd seated around the all-glass court as well as hanging over balconies stretching three floors above, outsiders India staged a remarkable fight back in the second match to force a decider before ultimately falling to the favourites - Egypt.

In December 2012, Dipika Karthik broke into the top 10 by achieving a career best of ranking of 10.[3] She became the first Female Squash player to be conferred with the Arjuna Award, India's second highest sporting award in the year 2012.

In December 2013, Saurav Ghosal became the first Indian male squash player to break into top 20 by achieving a career best of ranking of 15. Ghoshal was also awarded the Arjuna Award by the President of India in August 2007.

In December 2014, Dipika Pallikal and Joshna Chinappa scripted history at the Scotstoun Campus Squash centre as they beat the English pair of Jenny Duncalf and Laura Massaro to claim India's first ever gold medal in squash at the Commonwealth Games.

At 2014 Asian Games, Incheon The Indian squash players wrapped up a historic performance, clinching an unprecedented men's team gold after the women's side settled for their first ever silver. With a silver and a bronze, Saurav Ghosal and Dipika Pallikal respectively in the individual events, the squash players signed off with their best ever medal haul in the Asian Games. The men's team, led by Ghosal, which clinched the historic gold after edging out Malaysia in the Individual finals.

At 2014, WSF World Junior Championship, Kush Kumar became the first male squash player from India to reach the semifinal. Kumar made history by bagging the first ever Bronze medal for India at a World Junior championship.

At 2015, Velavan Senthilkumar won a bronze medal in the boys singles event at the squash event of the 2015 Commonwealth Youth Games being held in Samoa. Velavan Senthilkumar and Harshit Jawanda gave India a silver medal from the mixed doubles competition.

In 2016, India regained supremacy in squash winning the men’s and women’s team gold at the 12th South Asian Games in Guwahati. But in the Men's Individual event India suffered a major disappointment as the country's top squash players Saurav Ghosal and Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu lost to arch-rivals Pakistan and settled for Bronze. In the women's event, however, ace player and top seed Joshna Chinappa easily defeated her Pakistani rival Sadia Gul to clinch Gold.

In 2016, Indian doubles pair of Joshna Chinappa and Dipika Pallikal Karthik settled for a bronze medal after losing to English duo of Jenny Duncalf and Alison Waters in the semifinals of the WSF World doubles squash championship.

In May 2017, Joshna Chinappa on Sunday scripted history by becoming the first Indian to clinch the Asian Squash title with a thrilling win over compatriot Dipika Pallikal Karthik in the women’s final. This tournament was staged yet again at the Indian Squash Academy and Express Avenue Shopping mall in an all glass court set up inside the shopping mall.

Postings

In February 2015, the federation appointed Harish Prasad as a National Development Officer to manage, develop and oversee Indian Squash. The SRFI currently has 10,000 registered players, web streaming at all tournaments, equal prize money and over 15 tournaments across India.

In June 2015, Debendranath Sarangi and K Rajendiran were elected unopposed as president and secretary-general respectively of the Squash Rackets Federation of India at its Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM).

In July 2016, Egyptian coach Ashraf el Karagui appointed by the Sports Authority of India to serve Indian squash. Within a short span he has made significant difference to the Junior and Senior players. Currently India's top two players, Joshna Chinappa and Dipika Pallikal Karthik trains with Ashraf and praises for the changes he has brought to their game.

In February 2017, Debendranath Sarangi was elected as the vice-president of the Asia Squash Federation with two-third majority at the 37th ASF Annual General Meeting. Sarangi is the second Indian to become the vice-president of the ASF.

In July 2017, SRFI President Debendranath Sarangi was elected as a member of the World Squash Federation's ethics committee.

References

  1. ↑ Cyrus Poncha blog
  2. ↑ http://wmt2007.com/press.htm
  3. ↑ Shobha Warrier (2005-09-03). "SRFI rally behind Poncha".
  4. ↑ Sambuddha Dutt (2008-02-05). "Justice eludes squash player Dipika Pallikal". NDTV.
  5. ↑ SRFI website

See also

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