CLTA selects six rural `gems’

CHANDIGARH, April 27: The Chandigarh Lawn Tennis Association has finally spotted six `raw gems' out of 200 from the rural areas of Punjab fo...

CHANDIGARH, April 27: The Chandigarh Lawn Tennis Association has finally spotted six `raw gems’ out of 200 from the rural areas of Punjab for training under its `Rural Tennis Scheme.’ The final selection trials in the age group of 9 to 12 concluded at the CLTA Complex in Sector 10 here last night.

CLTA chairman Rajan Kashyap said that the selected boys had been directed to join the Rural Tennis Academy in Chandigarh on May 11. The budding players hail from Bathinda, Patiala, Jalandhar and Mansa. Kashyap said that the boys

were selected on the basis of the physical fitness test conducted by an expert team at Chandigarh, Mansa and and Jalandhar.

Nine budding players were spotted after the trials at Mansa on April 10 for the final selection. Trials were also conducted at Jalandhar on April 3 and 11 boys were selected. Thirty four players were shortlisted after trials at three places and the final trials were conducted yesterday.

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The Selection Committee, headed by Ram Shekhar, observed remarkable differences in income levels and social background of the faimilies of the selected talents. Resham Singh and Jasbir Singh, from Talwandi Saboo, Dilbagh Rao from village Kukar Pind (Jalandahr) are sons of agricultural labourers whose month income ranges from Rs 1200 to 1500. Paras Thakur of Ludhiana is son of an assistant administrative officer and Navjot Singh Dhot of Patiala is son of working parents. The sixth boys Gursher Singh is the son of an advocate of Mansa. Free board and lodging, education, tennis training and kits would be given to the selected boys. A merit list of 30 boys has be prepared. In case any boy drops out, the next in the merit list will be included in the `elite class’. Any player showing not improvement will also be sent back to his home.

Final six: Resham Singh (10-3-87), Paras Thakur (12-2-87), Navjot Singh Dhot (27-2-87), Dilbagh Rai (30-4-87), Jasbir Singh (13-5-88) and Gursher Singh (20-10-88).

Those selected for the final trials were: After Chandigarh trials held on April 25: Paras Thakur, Parvinder Singh, Gaurav Mahajan, Gursewak Singh, Raj Sekhar Singh, Hardip Singh, Sukhjinder Randhawa, Navjot Singh Dhot, Karan Chaudhry, Maninder Pal Singh Bawa, Amandeep Singh, Amrinder, Vivek Sinha and Lakhwinder Singh.

Mansa trials held on April 10: Resham Singh, Jasbir Singh, Gursher Singh, Ravinder Pal Singh, Lakhwinder Singh, Yadvinder Singh, Ajij Khan, Harpreet Singh and Hardeep Singh.

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Jalandhar trials held on April 3: Pritam Singh, Jatinder Singh, Sandeep Kumar, Dilbagh Rai, Surjeet Singh, Sadar Gulam Soni, Kuldip Singh, Kuldip Kumar, Girwinder Singh, Harpreet Singh and Manav Khullar.