BHUBANESWAR 25-Jul-2007 81
Cue sports in general and snooker in particular is alive and kicking again in Orissa thanks to enthusiasm shown by a bunch of young players. After making an impressive mark by hosting National and World billiards championships in late 90s, Orissa has been struggling to make its presence felt in the green-baize game.
But youngsters have revived the dwindling interest by organising a few domestic tournaments. Thanks to the Q-Ball All-Orissa Snooker Tournament, which concluded here yesterday, around 40 cueists found an opportunity to hon thier skill. Taking the cue, Mahavir Institute of Engineering & Technology is gearing up to conduct the Twin-City Snooker Challenger Trophy Tournament at Q-Ball from August 2.
Around 50 cueists are expected to vie for honours in the event, which offers a total cash prize of Rs 36,000. The winner will get Rs 18,000 and the runner-up Rs 9,000,`` MIET chairman Gandharba Chandra Nayak said.
This tournament is scheduled to be followed by the State championship in November-December. Apart from organising domestic tournaments, the enthusiastic young cueists are also keen to improve their standard by receiving coaching from experts. The first of such a move is set to commence at Cuttack Club, Cuttack, from July 27.
``We have invited former World billiards champion Manoj Kothari to supervise the camp. It`s a great opportunity for our cueists to improve their standard,`` disclosed camp convenor Siddharth Sen.
``Around 15 players have confirmed their participation in the week-long camp, which will involve an expense of about Rs 60,000,`` added Sen, himself a top-ranking cueist.
The youngsters seemed equally interested to make Orissa known as a force at the National level. ``Kunal Agarwal has already proved it by emerging runner-up in last Sub-junior National Billiards Championship at Bangalore. Around a dozen other teenagers are gearing up to prove their mettle in coming Nationals,`` said Subrat Das, a committed cueist.
But the bunch of youngsters sought support from the State Governemnt to realise their goals. ``We need three things to be specific. They are: infrastructure facility, regular coaching and adequate opportunity play tournaments to gain exposure and experience,`` explained Kunal.
``We are compromising with our academic demands to prove a point in sports. Give us a chance. Provide us a place to play, tournaments to play and coaching to be successful in our mission,``, concluded 19-year-old Sarthak Das.
