Lucknow :

Her curly hair swayed and sari fluttered in the air as she rode down Hazratganj, on a bright green Vespa scooter, back in the 1960s. This is the picturesque memory of ace badminton player Meena Shah several Lucknowites shared on Tuesday, after she breathed her last, early morning following a cardiac arrest at a city hospital. She had just celebrated her 78th birthday on January 31. At a time women could not move out of the four walls of the house, Meena flicked her wrist effortlessly with a badminton racket in hand. Unmarried, the Muslim woman taught the game to three generations of her friends and their families.

An Arjuna awardee and Padma Shri recipient, Shah ruled the badminton circle for several years. Winner of the singles title in the Senior National Badminton Championships for seven years in a row (1959-1965), Meena was among the first Indian women in sports. She had also won the women’s doubles title thrice and the mixed double’s crown twice. Shah had also been conferred with the prestigious Uttar Pradesh Laxman Award.

“Meena and I have been friends since 1960 and since 1979 and I had been taking care of Baby as I used to call her fondly,” said Mauveen Shaw, who had been her support at their home in Qaiserbagh, recalling how Shah would help any stray animal. “I remember we saw an injured horse lying on the pavement around Parivartan Chowk area. Everyday both of us took grass from La Matiniere Girls College, where I taught and we fed the horse. For the next few days, every time the horse heard the scooter horn, it would neigh in response,” shared Meena’s closest friend. There were times Meena would forget to refuel the scooter and stranded till the next fueling station, they would drag the vehicle to the horse, added Shaw.

“We used to play gulli danda together at the Lalbagh grounds, even before we were coached by T N Seth for badminton around the same time,” said Shah’s childhood friend Ann Marie Kalra, adding, “With one agile movement of her wrist, she would make her opponent run across the entire court, running and gasping for breath, while she stood there smiling triumphantly.” Ann’s daughter Jaya Kalra said, “The scooter was called ‘Chhappan battees’ by everyone in the social circle, and she would always take along more than three people on it at a time. I remember the times when because of her illness in the later years, she would tie the shuttle to a thread on the clothes line and keep hitting at it. She could not walk without support at that time, but her love for the game was phenomenal. She taught everyone and children she loved most.”

Recalling the first time he saw Shah playing at the Asian Badminton Championship held in Lucknow, retired officer K K Bali said, “She was playing there with the likes of Nandu Natekar, Suresh Goel and if I remember correctly, Prakash Padukone. Her heavy frame never came in the way of her game. She had racy movement and fast reflexes.”

Mohammad Haider, head, legal and regulatory affairs in a private telecom major said, “I remember being taught by her in the badminton court outside her house. Her turns and technique were sharp.”

An admirer Rana Safvi recalled, “I had met her in school when I was in class VII. She was an icon, not just for budding badminton players, but for all women of that time.”

‘Loss for entire baddie frat’

President of the Badminton Association of India (BAI) Akhilesh Das Gupta condoled death of Padma Shri Meena Shah on March 10. Gupta said it was a loss not just for Lucknow but for the Indian badminton fraternity. General secretary Vijai Sinha informed that two minutes of silence were observed at BBD Uttar Pradesh Badminton Academy, as a tribute to the seven times senior national badminton champion.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Lucknow / by Yusra Husain, TNN / March 11th, 2015

Lucknow:

Old wisdom suggests dogs are man’s best friend, but ask Lt Col Faiz Siddiqui (35), one of the youngest national-level polo players in the country and he will give you a different answer.

After spending more than eight years with his favorite 12-year-old half-bred bay colored horse ‘Awesome’, he believes horses are one of the most loyal, interactive and steadfast companions one can ever have.

An accomplished polo player, Lt Col Faiz Siddiqui is just back from England after playing a Polo tournament. He is in the city competing for the Awadh Polo Sunshine Cup at Surya Parisar ground. Representing Torpedos (the Army Service Corps team from Bangalore) Faiz has been one of the top scorers in all the league matches but for every achievement on the ground, the players gives credit to Awesome.

Despite knowing that Awesome, being an Army horse, can never be permanently owned by him, Faiz has developed a very special bond with him. He makes sure even after the training session he spends quality time with Awesome, understanding his needs, mood swings and treating him with his favourite food, jaggery.

Recalling his first encounter with Awesome, Faiz, said Awesome was one of the naughtiest polo ponies he had ever come across and to tame him was one of the most tedious tasks for him. But for Faiz, the initial one and a half years of the training period during which he got to know Awesome is one of the most cherished periods of his life.

“Awesome is equally dear to my family. He is especially attached to my six-year-old daughter who loves to ride on him. Each time Awesome makes her sit on him he takes immense care truly acting as a responsible elder brother,” he added.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / Times of India / Home> City> Lucknow / by Uzma Talha, TNN / December 13th, 2014

Lucknow:

It was once again a moment of immense pride for Lucknowites to be part of the third edition and most awaited tournament, ‘Awadh Polo Week’ where the spectators were presented with an excellent opportunity to witness deft horse riding skills displaying an unmatchable coordination between the horse and the rider. Organized under the aegis of Central Command at Surya Khel Parisar(old Butchery ground) the second league match commenced on Tuesday with fervor and elan. Amid the five pan India teams which have arrived for the historic event, the second league match was played between Lancer’s (Indian Military Academy Team from Dehradun) and Cavalier’s (61 Cavalry Team from Jaipur).The game which was divided into four chukkars(rounds) of 7 and a half minutes each, team Cavaliers’ won the match with the final score 4-3 after an exciting and challenging round.

To bring this event back to Lucknow after nearly a century, Central Command for the first time took the initiative in 2012 when it got prepared a new Polo ground for the event with multiple objectives of bringing the game to the city, motivating the youth to take on the adventure activities.

“It gives me immense happiness that people here are taking interest in promoting sports and efforts are being made to make Lucknow a centre for Polo and equestrian excellence,” said Lt General AK Mishra, Commandant Artillery Centre, present at the occasion also a Polo enthusiast.

Fast paced with national level players the audience was enthralled with the spectacular match.

“The speed, the hurl and the instantly changing scene as either of the team players seize the fleeting chance and sight of gallant, well bred horses is indeed a wonderful experience,” said Mohammad Haider, sitting in the audience.

“The initiative to revive and popularize the sport in the city which has the unique distinction of being the first city to host the Polo Association Cup (Indian Open) in 1912 is commendable,” he added.

Prior to this there was also a Cycle Polo exhibition match played between Team A (representatives of the five Pan India teams which had come for Horse Polo) and Team B( representatives of Central Command stationed in Lucknow). After a thrilling match Horse Polo team which won the match with the final score 6-0.

It was an equally entertaining event even for those in the audience not too well versed with the game. “Though cycle polo is not that common but the players made the game so interesting that till the last minute everyone’s eyes remained glued to the ground.” said, Pratichi R Bartarya, a first timer at a cycle polo match.

The Army musical band led by Subedar Major Chandan Singh Rana (Jaat regiment) added flavor in the event.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Lucknow / by Uzma Talha, TNN / December 10th, 2014

Lucknow :

The ailing Gomti will have a healthy flow at least for next four days, thanks to the national junior rowing championship which began in the city on Wednesday.

To maintain a suitable water level for the sporting event, the state irrigation department has released additional 100 cusecs water into the river. The current level of the river, which varies from eight to nine feet between right and left banks, has considerably gone up after release of 100 cusecs water. It will also reduce pollution in the river water.

The rowing competition could not have taken place unless extra water was pumped into the river, which has only 40% of its ecological flow.

Officials said 100 cusecs water is more than sufficient to maintain the water level for the four-day national event which will conclude on Saturday. “We will ensure that the level is maintained throughout the event,” said executive engineer, Sharda canal, Roop Singh Yadav.

“The volume means not only will the river sufficiently regain its ecological flow but will also have extra level of water needed for the sport,” said assistant professor, school for environmental sciences, Baba Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Venkatesh Dutta.

Officials in UP Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) said a healthy river should have Dissolved Oxygen (DO) not less than 4 mg/litre. The Gomti, at several points between Gaughat and Gomti barrage, has no or very low level of DO. “100 cusecs mean the level of DO will increase by an average 1 mg/litre,” said regional officer, UPPCB, Kuldeep Mishra.

A healthy river should not have more than 3mg/litre of Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD). High count of bacteria in the Gomti water sucks more oxygen and that increases BOD in the river water to 18 to 20 mg/litre at several points, mainly in downstream.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Lucknow / TNN / November 13th, 2014