Asian Games: Matter of pride

Five members of Artillery Water Sports Association (AWSA) will represent India in the Guangzhou Asian Games scheduled next month

It will be a matter of pride for the Artillery Water Sports Association (AWSA) that five of its members will represent India in the Guangzhou Asian Games scheduled next month in the Chinese metropolis.

Three of them will be competing in rowing, viz, Satish Joshi, Manjit Singh and James Boy and Prakash in kayaking.

Set up in 2002 to popularise water sports such as rowing, kayaking, canoeing, the AWSA has grown by leaps and bounds, thanks to full backing by senior officers of the Artillery Centre, Golconda.

To name a few, Brig. Rohit Kalia, Major Utpal More, former Secretary, Major Mayank Kulshreshta, the current team comprising President, Commandant Brig. Prakash S. Nair, its Vice President, Col. Mohan Babu and Secretary, Major K. Sagar Panigrahy, a Marine Commando (MARCOS), have done yeoman service for the cause.

If achievement is the yardstick for the success of a scheme, its sportsmen have brought the AWSA a whopping 120 national and 20 international medals in its eight-year existence, which could well be the envy of other such projects.

It has also become home for sporting titans such as Arjuna Awardee Satish Joshi and Olympian Manjit Singh besides other stalwarts.

Besides the AWSA's active involvement in the Save the Lake (Hussain Sagar) movement, it has embarked on a programme that has thrown open its doors to all enthusiasts, which will include an introduction to sailing, rowing, kayaking and canoeing, basics in water sports, fun and adventure sailing and advanced training for those aspiring for medals at the state, national and international levels.

Applications are invited especially from students and ex-servicemen for sailing and life memberships. More details may be obtained from Major K.S. Panigrahy at kspanigrahy@yahoo.com or on 9391621916.

“An afternoon of water sports can not only help one unwind but could do wonders for the heart as well,” says Col. Mohan Babu.

Major Panigrahy is indebted to C.P. Singh Deo, President, Rowing Federation of India, M.J. Akbar, Special Officer on Duty with the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority's Budhapurnima Project, M.K. Meena, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director, Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh and A.K. Parida, Principal Secretary, Sports and Youth Affairs.

At the AWSA, the endeavours are constant, the day starting at 4.30 A.M., the primary aim being today's performance must outshine yesterday's.

The enthusiasm shown for cleaning the area on an off-day must be seen to be believed. To the AWSA's sportsmen, the Husain Sagar is the playground and its water, their very life!