● 417 players participated in the Championship
● Anahat Singh from Delhi emerged as the winner and Tanvi Khanna from Delhi was the runner-up in the women’s category
● Velavan Senthil Kumar from Tamil Nadu emerged as the winner and Abhay Singh from Tamil Nadu was the runner-up in the men’s category
November 23, 2023, Chennai: HCL, a leading global conglomerate, today announced the successful completion of the HCL 79th National Squash Championship, a seven-star national circuit tournament. Anahat Singh from Delhi defeated Tanvi Khanna from Delhi (Scores: 9-11, 11-4, ret) in the women’s category. Velavan Senthil Kumar from Tamil Nadu defeated Abhay Singh from Tamil Nadu in the men’s category (Scores: 12-10, 11-3, 12-10). This is Velavan’s first national title.
The men’s category had 174 participants, while the women’s category featured 63 competitors, all vying for a total prize purse of INR 8.8 Lakhs. The top players from the Championship will also receive ranking points and will be included in the National ranking list in the relevant age group.
The Championship, which kick-started on November 17, was held at the Indian Squash & Triathlon Academy in Chennai. The HCL 79th National Squash Championship was held under the aegis of the Squash Rackets Federation of India (SRFI). It witnessed participation from 417 players from 26 states, competing across 11 categories (men, women, pro-coach, and masters in the age group of 35 to 70 years).
The Championship was played in a knock-out format across all categories. The details of the winners and runner-up are as follows:
Category
DETAILS
Men over 70
Runner- up: Kishan Lal from Maharashtra;
Winner: Rajiv Reddy from Tamil Nadu (6th national title)
Men over 65
Runner -up: V Laxman from Tamil Nadu
Winner: Vijay Jaini from Haryana (it is his 4th national title)
Men over 60
Runner-up: Arun Rabindranath from Karnataka
Winner: Deepak Moolani from Maharashtra
Men over 55
Runner-up: Inderjeet Singh from Maharashtra
Winner: Saurabh Deokuliar from Karnataka (2nd national title)
Men over 50
Runner-up: Dalip Tripathi from West Bengal
Winner: Sanjay Rajpal from Karnataka
Men over 45
Runner-up: Hemant Nadkarni from Maharashtra
Winner: Stephane Galifi from Maharashtra
Men over 40
Runner- up: Sanjay Pawar from Maharashtra
Winner: Paul Ipe from Karnataka
Men over 35
Runner-up: Arjun Agnihotri from Services Sports Control Board
Winner: Siddharth Suchde from Maharashtra
Pro-coach category
Runner-up: Dinesh from Tamil Nadu
Winner: Saurabh Kumar from Uttar Pradesh
Sundar Mahalingam, President of Strategy at HCL Corporation and Shiv Nadar Foundation said, “I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all the players today. At HCL, Squash is making remarkable strides. Medals have been earned, and as we eagerly anticipate the 2028 Olympics, HCL is thrilled to be part of this journey, supporting the maximization of human potential. There’s truly no better way to showcase one’s talent than through such avenues. I’m excitedly looking forward to witnessing numerous upcoming squash matches, each a testament to the incredible talent within our sport.”
Cyrus Poncha, Secretary General, SRFI said, “We extend our heartiest congratulations to our new champions. Their outstanding display of sportsmanship and skill exemplifies the pinnacle of squash talent. HCL has supported us over the past seven years for which we are very grateful. We are looking at HCL to continue their support, which will help further cultivate our country’s talented squash players.”
About HCL
Founded in 1976 as one of India’s original IT garage start-ups, HCL is a pioneer of modern computing with many firsts to its credit, including the introduction of the 8-bit microprocessor-based computer in 1978 well before its global peers. Today, the HCL enterprise has a presence across varied sectors that include technology, healthcare and talent management solutions and comprises three companies – HCL Infosystems, HCL Technologies and HCL Healthcare. The enterprise generates annual revenues of over US$12.9 billion with over 220,000 employees operating across 56 countries. For further information, visit www.hcl.com
About SRFI
The Squash Rackets Federation of India (SRFI) was formed to oversee the promotion and development of the sport in India. The SRFI has more than 24 state associations and affiliated units with its headquarters in Chennai. The federation is affiliated to World Squash Federation / Asian Squash Federation, Indian Olympic Association & recognized by Government of India. SRFI has been forging ahead with dynamic plans ensuring promotion, development, and performance of the sport at all levels.
