queens of Indian squash

They are rivals; they are friends. They are young and beautiful and are already the queens in Indian squash. They are from Chennai but are already on their way to becoming the country’s next sporting icons. Meet Joshna Chinappa and Dipika Pallikal as they talk about life, sport and everything they love in this all-girl talk for The Times of India.

On life in Chennai
Joshna: I got my graduation certificate just three days ago and everyone’s been asking me only thing: which college is crazy enough to give me a degree (laughs aloud). I simply tell them: ‘now I'm beauty and brains put together' (smiles). Since I'm hardly home, I call friends over. I love spending time with my family, especially with my younger brother (Gaurav).



Dipika: I'm in Chennai till the 19th of this month and all that I plan to do is chill out with friends. Maybe, do a few modelling assignments.
On family:
Joshna: My parents struggled a lot initially to find sponsors. Whatever resources they had were all spent towards my squash dreams. My brother was a compromised child that way. But now, he's the priority. And, he orders me around and gets whatever he wants when I'm traveling abroad. (smiles). He's the big bully. He's got a very sharp tongue. He's the only one who can put me in my place. Unlike my dad, my mom doesn't follow squash. And just then, Mrs Chinnappa walks into the tastefully done living room and interrupts the conversation: ‘You are playing some Liverpool tournament next, right Josh?' That's enough to invite a roar of laughter from everybody in the room. 'I'll tell Nicole (World No. 1 Nicole David of Malaysia) that my mom called the British Open -- which is like tennis’ Wimbledon – a Liverpool tournament! How could you say something like that mom?' (giggles all around).
Dipika: Being the youngest of three sisters, I'm the pampered kid in the family. We get along like a house on fire. Divya (the eldest one) and Dia are both into their books while I'm the sporty one.



On education:
Joshna: My mother always saw to it that my education never suffered. ‘What if you get injured and cannot play? You will need education to support yourself,’ was something she always told me. But I've always lived on the edge as far as education is concerned. I've never been the kind who'd prepare for weeks before exams. I always studied eight hours before the paper because I loved the thrill of finishing X lessons in Y amount of time. Also, I studied only 60% of the lessons and whatever I studied would invariably come in the exams. People may think I'm arrogant but that's how I am. Getting A+ is not my priority. Squash is. Even though I'm an English Literature graduate from Ethiraj College, I don't claim that my English is super.
Dipika: Since Josh and Sourav (Ghoshal) studied in the same school (Lady Andal), they were aware of our training schedules. They've been very supportive all throughout. I have my XII board exams coming up in October.
On the WISPA tour:
Joshna: Oh, I think I was born to play this game. (Adds after a pause)... the girls are friendly and I get along with most of them. Nicole and I get along really well because we travel for the Asian events together. However, there are a few girls who don't play the game in the true spirit. They block you, abuse you on the court but I never give it back to them. I simply approach the referee. I can be really mean, trust me (stares you in the eye) but I don't wanna be. There have been times when I've had bruises on my body after a match and then the same opponent has tried to be friendly off-court. I don't relate to that because I think a lot of what you are reflects on the court. You can't be so vastly different on and off it. So, that way I'm a little selective about who I hang out with on the circuit. And, I never party when I'm abroad, even if my friends do.
Dipika: There have been instances when players have blocked me during a match but I haven't encountered sledging on court so far.
On training:
Joshna: Oh, I've become more disciplined after moving into my grandparent's house (giggles). It's closer to the ICL academy where I train, so it's convenient. At home, my parents don't tell me anything, I do whatever I want. But at my grandparent's place, I have my meals on time and am punctual for my practice too. I visit my parents during weekends and spoil myself crazy. No training on weekends (giggles aloud). It's all about hanging out with friends and indulging in all kinds of food, including chocolates.
Dipika: I’m based in Kuwait now and training with former pro Amir Wagih. He's like a father figure to me there. There have been a lot of controversies around me in recent times and he's stood by me through thick and thin.
On being fashion conscious:
Joshna: I’m into high-end designer wear. I swear by Abercrombie (pointing to her tee), Topshop, Tommy Hilfiger, Diesel, Mango. I shopped like crazy when I was in States last year. LA, NY have a great range of clothes. I like to wear all colours from orange to pink. I do wear Indian clothes on special occasions like festivals and weddings, but I’m home in my denims. I think I’m gonna get married in jeans because the only time I wore a sari, I ended up looking like Chameli (laughs out loud, adding) as it was red and blue. I'm not too much of a jewellery person though.
Dipika: I'm very conscious of what I wear on court. I love (Maria) Sharapova and Ana (Ivanovic). For me, it's important that I look good on court because I don't feel comfortable otherwise. I swear by Forever 21. I love to shop in America and Australia. People say Paris has great stuff but I didn't quite like anything there. Maybe, I went to the wrong places.
You can see I love jewellery (pointing to the four studs on the top of her ear and the beautiful green jadau danglers which she picked from Ajmer). ‘Hey you forgot about the anklet,’ adds Joshna teasingly. I love wearing Indian clothes.
On the craziest thing they've done:
Joshna: I got my belly pierced after I lost a match. I wanted to feel some pain and so got it done. Once I got my eyebrow pierced too. I also got the Smoking Devil tattoo on my back.
Dipika: At the moment everything around me is pink. I've painted my room pink. I'm picking up only pink outfits these days. And, I recently bought this really expensive camera just because it was pink.
On themselves:
Joshna: I like to think I'm good at whatever I do (giggles). Even though I took up squash, I was pretty good at tennis and badminton too. After a tennis match with a friend, I’m like ‘don't you think I'm too good’ (adds giggling) and he has no choice but to say ‘yes Josh’ (laughs even more). I’m very vivacious and chirpy, unlike my girlie gang.



Dipika: I just love shopping (giggles). Now that I have my own credit card, I think I’ve become worse. (Joshna interrupts, saying) ...she would marry any guy who would take care of her credit card bills and mobile expenses... (laughs aloud, before asking Dipika) ‘so, how much was the mobile bill this time, babe?’ ‘Don't' even ask’ is all Dipika says before bursting into peels of laughter.
On Movies Joshna: I can watch anything from English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. The last two with sub-titles though. Actually, I watch English flicks with sub-titles too (giggles). Dipika: I like Grey's Anatomy, One Tree Hill, Heroes. I watched OC but it got very boring in the fourth season. On Music Joshna: I like a lot of house music and old English numbers of the 80s. Dipika: My best friend is part of a band called Substance. They are into rock music and although they are all my age, they seem to be doing pretty well. I like their work.



On
modeling/ acting offers Joshna: I did a couple of shoots for my sponsors but otherwise movies and modelling is a strict no no. Dipika: I got an offer to act in a Malayalam film but I turned it down. I also got an offer to star opposite Madhavan. I really wanted to do the film, but my dad refused. But if I get a chance to work with Aamir Khan or Hrithik Roshan I'd love to do it (giggles).

Super Advani wins Asian crown

Bangalore: Pankaj Advani once again proved he was meant for great success, capturing the Asian billiards title in stunning fashion in Myanmar on Saturday. The amiable Bangalorean scored over compatriot Rupesh Shah 5-4 in the title round.

The Bangalore lad is the first Indian to claim the title twice. This title could not have come at a better time. An early pointer to his form came in the qualifying competition in
Siliguri last month. In less than six months, Advani has claimed virtually every billiards title up for grabs. The National title, the World title (point format) and now the Asian crown.

The 22-year-old’s success story is a reflection of his courage to be himself, and his single-minded focus on his craft. State government accolades and appreciations have been few and far between for this Khel Ratna awardee, but that has hardly bogged him down. At a time when the country is almost completely focussed on cricket, Advani has made India proud again.

He has an intense manner around the table, which often leaves spectators spell bound. He lurks around the table with one hand in the pocket and the other holding his cue. Under the caterpillar eyebrows, it is hard for the opponent to see where Pankaj is looking. And once the match his won, he walks off with the a smile and composure seen only among veterans.

Even before his 15th birthday, he had proved that he was a player to watch on the cuesports circuit. Having hit the first sweet spot in a neighborhood snooker parlour at the age of 10. At just 22 years of age he has both world snooker and billiards titles to his credit. The Bangalore boy, known for his composure and maturity has joined the league of legends like Wilson Jones and Geet Sethi as one of the best billiards players ever produced by the country.

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Pankaj Advani is a professional snooker player from India. He won his maiden IBSF

World Billiards Championship in 2005 when he defeated compatriot Devendra Joshi at Qawra, Malta.

The win, after his 2003 IBSF World Snooker Championship title in China, made him only the second cueist after Malta's Paul Mifsud to have won both the billiards and snooker amateur world titles. Coached by former World number four Arvind Savur for almost a decade at Bangalore he is B.Com student of Jain College, Bangalore.



He has been conferred with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, India's highest sporting honour for the year 2005-2006

Station the Olympics

Tiny Tibet’s shadow looms large over the Beijing Olympics. Though an outright boycott by any major participant remains, as yet, a remote possibility, the atmosphere is already vitiated. Whatever the reasons, it is not a happy development for any sports lover.

The Olympics have a history of being used like a ping-pong ball in the game of diplomacy. In the post-World War II era at the 1948 London games, former foes Germany and Japan were not invited, and curiously the Soviet Union abstained. China boycotted the games for 24 years subsequent to Taiwan’s inclusion in the 1956 Olympics. Then, 30 African countries boycotted the 1976 games held in Montreal to protest against New Zealand’s inclusion despite its rugby team having toured South Africa, then a pariah thanks to apartheid. The 1980 Moscow Olympics were boycotted by over 60 countries to protest against the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

The communist bloc returned the compliment in 1984 at the Los Angeles games. Whether one likes it or not, the sad truth is that any ongoing international conflict could spell doom for the games if politics were allowed to interfere. All round participation could then only be ensured in a conflict-free world. But the Olympics are not supposed to celebrate the realisation of world peace. They are an instrument to achieve that ideal.

But how to insulate the world’s biggest sporting extravaganza from the vagaries of world politics? Well, one way is to make a country like Switzerland, with its history of neutrality, the permanent Olympic venue. But the alpine country is small and may not be willing to take such a huge burden upon itself. So, the next best solution is to give this honour to India. India’s record in the promotion of world peace needs no elaboration. Its Olympic record is even more sparkling.

Having participated uninterruptedly since 1928 without many medals, India perfectly exemplifies the Olympic spirit, which found echo in Pierre de Coubertin’s famous words, “The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part”. India, with its size, climate and growing economy fits the bill perfectly as a permanent home for the games. As for the country itself, this proposal would not only bring economic benefits but also establish it as a soft superpower. One is not even talking of the fillip that sports here would get.