Mumbaikars are known for offering help to others who are trapped at different places due to natural calamities, such as floods, traffic jams , rail closure etc. In such situations, we often find area wise groups of volunteers  coming forward to offer help to people who are trapped . There are also some religious places, which are known for offering shelter to those helpless people trapped at different places in the city of Mumbai.

On Wednesday  5^th September Mumbai once again faced severe flood situation , forcing busses , railway and other transport services coming to standstill. Biggest trouble faced was by schoolchildren who were on their way back home in their school bus at Veera Desai Road, Andheri West. Their bus could not move further due to increase in water level on the roads.

Flood situation in the area

In this situation, the management of Sri Krishna temple located in this area offered all the help to these children trapped in floods. Not only good care of these children was taken by providing them food and water, but their parents were also informed about their safety. This was just one place, but even at many other places shelter was provided to all those trapped in floods, including places like Siddhivinayak temple which is also managed by a trust. Thanks to M.S.Krishnan for forwarding the photographs of flood situation in that area and Sri Krishna temple premises which offered shelter  to these helpless school children.

With this fine gesture, they have shown the way to others. There is no point in blaming the administration during such natural calamities. Time has come to help others who need your help.

Next week end the 2^nd Veterans State Ranking  table tennis tournament begins at MIG Cricket Club , Bandra.  And the organising secretary Mr. Suhas Dandekar is busy making arrangements for this much awaited tournament. As the 2 day Veterans tournament to be held under the auspices of MSTTA concludes on Sunday 14^th evening, the very next day i.e. Monday 15^th he has organised back to back 3 Star TT Tournament under the auspices of Mumbai Suburban District Table Tennis Association. This second tournament will be held for 3 days and will be open to Mumbai Suburban District players only belonging to Midget Boys/Girls, Cadet Boys/ Girls, Sub Jr. Boys/Girls, Jr. Boys/ Girls, Youth Boys/ Girls, Men/ Women groups.

Suhas Dandekar

“It is a big challenge organising back- to- back TT Tournaments, as both the tournaments have to be managed in just five days. But, with the help of efficient team of umpires and referees we managed it well last year. So, we are confident that this year too we will do our best, ” said Suhas Dandekar while speaking to magzmumbai on behalf of MIG Cricket Club.

According to Suhas Dandekar, now days there has been overwhelming response for State ranking veterans TT tournaments. Besides different individual events of Men’s and Women’s age groups, there is good response in the team events and about 50 to 60 teams coming from different parts of Maharashtra take part in this most competitive  team championship event. And this clearly shows the passion of veteran players towards this popular game.Top players like Anagha Joshi, Suhasini Bakre, Prakash kelkar, Suhas Kulkarni, Dr. Nitin Toshniwal are participating in this Veterans’ tournament.

This time in the Veterans team event, a new format has been introduced, where instead of two minimum players, every team will have to compulsorily play minimum three players, with each player getting a chance to play two matches each in case all five matches are played.

The order of play will be :

1)      A vs X

2)      B vs Y

3)      Doubles B C vs  X Z

4)      Reverse  A vs Y

5)      Reverse C vs Z

So, in all everybody will play 2 matches.

The last date for giving the entries for the 2^nd State Ranking Veterans TT Tournament is Sunday 7^th October 2018 till 9 pm and that of  MIG 2 Star MSD TT Tournament is 10^th October  2018 before  5 pm. All the  participants will have to submit their entries for team and individual events online only , by visiting the site mstta.org.

Your progressing age should not come in your way to set another goal or see a new dream. 56 year old Prakash Punjabi believes in this philosophy. A former national level Table Tennis player, Prakash began playing at the competitive level  as a junior when he was 13 years old. With his variety of services, consistent heavy top spin attack and forehand flat kills, he invited all the attention of spectators during the matches. Prakash not only represented the Maharashtra State but also won titles of many major ranking tournaments. Partnering with his close friend  and then top seed  Naresh Mohanani, he has also won many doubles titles.

Prakash Punjabi

Today, after 42 years Prakash still plays with the same enthusiasm and passion,  he used to play the game as a junior. The secret of his success is his fitness  and more than that his commitment, especially while playing the team event. In the recently concluded Annual Inter Club Table Tennis league organised by MCDTTA, Prakash represented his Club – Cricket Club of India ( CCI) ‘A’ team. While playing in the III rd division, Prakash won all his matches except one, to take his team into finals. His best performance was against MLWB team, against whom he won his both crucial matches. The only match he lost was to Veer Asher of Student YMCA and that too in a well contested five games battle, losing the deciding game very narrowly. This was certainly a creditable performance while playing against some of the opponents who were less than half his age.  In the Veterans event, Prakash has also been doing very well in the 50+ group and has won many medals at the state and national level.

Prakash ( 3rd from left) with his Century Warriors team members and co owner Sandeep Katiyar

Besides being active on the table, this stylish left hander also sponsors his own team Century Warriors  with his partner Sandeep katiyar in the State ranking Veteran’s team events, as well as in the MSL  TT League every year. His team Century Warriors  has won many titles in the Veterans’ events. And that makes his partner happy, who also sponsors his team. “Whether it is practice time or match, I am equally serious about my game and I pay more attention on committing less mistakes,” he says.  Prakash has also plans to start his coaching academy in the city as well as in suburbs. “ Let me give something back to this  game,” he concludes.

Western Railway has offered a surprise Gift to their regular commuters on Christmas day. At 10.30 am in the morning the First A.C. Train on western railway began its journey from Borivali to Churchgate at 10.30 am, when BJP leaders Vinod Tawde, Ashish Shelar and Kirit Somaiya were present. Though this fast train took halt at stations like Andheri, Bandra, dadar and Mumbai Central, there were no clear instructions about issue of ticket rates at some stations.

When a traveler inquired at Mumbai central Station for issue of local AC train ticket to Borivali , the  clerk at the counter was not sure about the cost. So, after confirming about the cost over phone, he issued a Single ticket of Rs. 165/- for travel between Mumbai Central to Borivali, which is little more than the first Class ticket of Rs. 140/- for the same journey. When the First class Monthly pass for Churchgate- Borivali travel costs Rs. 745/- per month, this AC train pass will cost Rs.1640/- which is very much on the higher side.

On the first day travel on this route, there was no checking of tickets and many commuters took a free ride, as there were no proper announcements made on Public address system at Mumbai Central Station, where the voice of the announcer was cracking.  There is not much difference between the recently introduced new local trains and this train, except for AC , broad windows and automatic door opening and closing and few devices introduced during emergency. But, the cost is very much on the higher side, compared to the cost of ticket of metro and Mono rail. Now, it remains to be seen how the commuters  would respond to this service, which is limited to 3 up and 3 down trains that too during non peak hours.

With Just few days left, for the start of Mumbai Super League Table Tennis tourney, the 10 team owners of this league, are facing criticism from some players, who feel that some deserving players with good form, were  ignored by them, during the auction. Prominent among these players,  is Dinkar Selarka, popularly known as Pappu  in Table Tennis circle. Selarka who is 50+ top player from Mumbai , has expressed his displeasure to his near and dear ones, for being ignored by the owners of all the ten teams. “I don’t know the reason, why I was ignored by all the 10 team owners, as I have beaten almost all these ten veteran players selected , in some tournament or the other, in the past.I feel deeply hurt, as I was practising very hard to play this event,” said Selarka, when contacted over phone.

Dinkar( Pappu) Selarka

Actually, there were ten places for Veterans, one each in all the 10 teams; but surprisingly, none of them preferred Selarka.  Last year, when this League was played on a trial basis, Selarka  was very much part of this League and had won most of  his matches, except for losing one match.  This year, there are additional teams, but still, Selaka couldn’t find his entry into this league.

Incidentally, Selarka was the member of 50+ Veterans team from Maharashtra, along with Sunil Babras and others;  in the  National Championship held earlier this year, which won the team event. His individual performance was also good. Being a regular swimmer, he is fit and most reliable player. Working in Central Railway, he has always helped all the Mumbai players, going out of his way, to get their reservations for train journey. Above all, he is in good form and should have been there in one of the teams, as a veteran player, according to his well wishers and friends.

Dinkar Selarka with his medals won at the Veterans National Championship, earlier this year.

Selarka’s non inclusion in the MSL, has also invited mixed reactions from TT players on social networking sites like Whatsapp & FB , where there was  a debate on this issue. Some feel that it was nothing in the hands of Organisers, as it was not a state selection process, to go strictly on merits. One veteran player has admitted that it was an error of judgment by owners of the team, during the auction. Moreover, it was at the discretion of  every team owner, to select their players . Mumbaikar did speak to some active players, who felt that there was a possibility that the team owners opted for players, whom they felt, were good for them, to fit into their budget  or personally known to them. Others felt that it was their prerogative and hence there should not be any dispute over the  auction of players and selection thereafter. After all, they were spending their money on the players of their choice. One veteran player said that  when there is such a good response from veterans, attracting maximum entries, there should be separate MSL for them.

By the way, Selarka is not only the aggrieved player.  There are few more players like him, who actually deserved to be part of this league in other categories, if the team owners, really wanted to have a balanced team. But, in such League matches, where there is auction for selecting the players, such controversies are bound to happen. Few  TT players, who spoke to Mumbaikar, feel that , next time, there should  be short listing done by organisers, with only the best and ranked players offered for auction , as per merit, to make this MSL more competitive.  A former international badminton player, while offering his views over this auction, did appreciate the efforts taken by organisers to host such a big event; but, felt that it was too early to include the cadet group into this format of the game. “Instead they should have given chance to Youth Boys and Girls, who need better exposure,” he added.

When Mumbaikar  spoke to few team owners, to know about the process of auction, they said that they had followed the rules of this League format and hence they selected the players from different categories, as per their requirement. “When you are given a choice from the list of players, some players will be left out. So, it should not be considered as injustice,” said one of the Group owners  of a team.

Hope the organisers take into account any such lapses, where best players are deprived of their chance to be part of this prestigious MSL.  Perhaps, they could limit the list of best shortlisted players in each category to ten best players only and keep some players in reserve.  If possible, let there be qualifying matches for the shortlisted players, to be eligible for auction.  And, let the entries for the same be invited through proper press release. We want the growth of the game of Table Tennis , with maximum participation. At the same time, we would like to see the best competition in each match. Therefore, such controversies can be avoided.

This big tournament begins from  7th July 2016 at NSCI, Mumbai at 4 pm, with grand inauguration, followed by two league matches. So, be there to watch some exciting TT matches. Sanil Shetty silver medallist in the recently concluded Sr. North Zone TT championship,  is back and will be seen in action, along with other national level players. Wishing the organisers and participants all the best. Hope the organisers take into account some of these above suggestions, for next year’s event.