BHUBANESWAR 20-Nov-2013 142
Cueists of Odisha have done the state proud by winning three titles and finishing runner-up six times in National billiards and snooker championships so far, but the State government has never thought is necessary to provide any support for the promotion of the sport, let alone rewarding the achievers.
Ashutosh Padhy became the state`s first ever National champion in cue sports by winning the sub-junior billiards title in 2010 and then went on to claim the sub-junior National snooker title twice in 2011 and 2013.
Whenever a sportsperson from the state achieves something notable at the national or international level, it is the Chief Minister, who first felicitates him/her with a memento. But in case of school boy Ashutosh, neither the CM has boosted his morale with few encouraging words, nor the BJD government has given him any incentive. It is the reason that the promising talent happens to be the son of former minister from BJP?
Similarly, the achievements of former National ladies` billiards runner-up Amrita Mohapatra, former junior National billiards runner-up Kunal Agarwal and his sister as well as former sub-junior and junior National billiards runner-up Priyanka Agarwal have gone unnoticed by the government.
The sport in which Odisha hosted the World championship in 1996, is now languishing due to lack of basic infrastructure facility and sponsorship. ``We have good talents but there is no support to enable them prove their mettle at the national or international arena. We appeal to the state government and corporate sector to be sportive towards the green baize game,`` said former state champion Siddharth Sen at a media conference here today.
Originally meant to announce the staging of the 20th Falcon State Billiards & Snooker Championship here at Cue Sport Academy from November 22 to December 1, the press conference turned out to be platform for cueists to express their plight and seek government support.
They, however, they thanked Billiards & Snooker Association of Odisha for keeping the sport going against several odds. ``Despite funds crunch, BSAO is conducting state championships every year and sending state squad for the Nationals,`` said Subrat Das, the reigning state senior billiards champion.
``It is a heartening sign that cue sport is gaining popularity in the state notwithstanding lack of facilities. The proof of it lies in the fact that a record 20 entries have been received for the sub-junior snooker category of the ensuing state championship,`` pointed out Ashutosh.
According to Nishant Biswal, the reigning state senior snooker champion, altogether 65 cueists have confirmed their entries for the state championship. ``Cue Sport Academy is the best venue BSAO has arranged for the state meet. The champion and runner-up in sub-junior, junior and senior billiards and snooker events will be eligible to represent Odisha in the National championship to be held at Lucknow in January next year,`` he elaborated.
``CSA is happy to have been chosen as the venue for the state championship. We have a spacious air-conditioned hall with three billiards and two pool tables. Two of the match tables were used in the World championship,`` said Satyadeep Das, a leading cueist and co-owner of the new academy.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOTO: Leading cueists at a press conference in Bhubaneswar on November 20, 2013.
