Once known as an exclusive sport for athletes from the Services, the game of squash has slowly become the preserve of civilians.

Keeping the Indian flag flying in this discipline are Saurav Ghosal and Dipika Pallikal, arguably the best in the business right now.

Even though it is game that requires supreme fitness and skill, it is not as popular as tennis in this country. Yet, it has been good enough to attract the best talent.

The Indian squash scenario looks bright thanks to players such as Ghosal, Harinder Pal Sandhu, Siddharth Suchde, Mahesh Mangaonkar and Ravi Dixit, to name a few.

There are some pretty good women players too — Joshna Chinappa, Aparajitha Balamurukan and Anaka Alankamony, apart from Dipika herself. There were some great names that dominated the sport in India. Ten-time National champion R.K. Narpat Singh, Anil Nayyar, Major Raj Manchanda, Meherwan Daruwala, Adrian Ezra, and Ritwik Bhattacharya (and now Ghosal), are some of the prominent ones.

Among the ladies, there have been many champions starting with S.D. Bilimoria in 1945, but no one dominated it as thoroughly as 16-time National champion Bhuvneshwari Kumari.

Others who were in limelight include Misha Grewal, Mekhala Subedar and now Joshna Chinappa, aiming to win her 11th National crown at the Calcutta Racket Club here.

The squash scene in Bengal is mostly recreational in nature. The city that has produced a player of the calibre of Ghosal, has a few more players such as Ramit and Rishi Tandon, and Vivek Dinodia.

Squash was mostly confined to the domestic circuit but it was Ritwik Bhattacharya who gave meaning and substance to the sport after he became a successful professional. His forays outside India popularised the sport further in India.

Ghosal took it a step further by shifting base to Leeds in England to train with world-renowned coach Malcolm Willstrope. The Kolkata lad is currently ranked 21st in the world and has beaten some of the top 20 players.

The advent of ICL Squash Academy, which is now known as Indian Squash Academy, in Chennai, proved to be the catalyst to many budding players. Under coach Major S. Maniam, the academy became the first grooming centre for promising Indians. A non-Olympic sport, squash’s growth has been remarkable in India.

If just one academy in Chennai can change the profile of the sport, Ghosal thinks at least three more in other metros will certainly help the talent in that region grow.

> saba.nayakan@thehindu.co.in

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