Pune to host 67th National School Games Squash Championships from January 9th 2024

Pune, January 8 2023: A total of 391 squash players from 17 states will be seen in action at the 67th National School Games Squash Championships which will be played on All Glass courts at the Maharashtra Squash Academy, from January 9-13.

Players from Maharashtra, Assam, Tamilnadu, CBSC Board, IB Board, Vidya Bharti, Chandigarh, Jharkhand, Andhra, Delhi, Goa, Chhattisgarh, Manipur, Telangana, IPSC, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat will be participating in the U-14, U-17 and U-19 Boys & Girls categories

Mr Pradeep Khandre, President of Maharashtra Squash Association said. “The event will see many firsts. This is the first time school-level nationals will be held in Pune. The event will see a record 391 participants. For the first time, a school-level national event will be played on all-glass courts . ” Maharashtra Squash Academy in Undri is the first facility in India with an all-glass court set-up with three courts and the second such facility in Asia after Hangzhou, China,” added Khandre.

“Squash has been included in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and will be played on an all-glass court. Our vision is to provide the best infrastructure to athletes from a young age so that they can improve their performances and reach the Olympics,” Khandre further added.

The tournament, which is sponsored by the Indian Oil, will also see 50 officials and volunteers each. Each State/UT/Unit can send a team with a maximum of 36 members – 10 players in each age group (five boys and girls respectively) and three coaches and managers. The tournament draw will be made on January 9.

The tournament will be inaugurated on January 10 at 5 pm by Dr. Rajesh Deshmukh, District Collector, Pune, who is also president of the Organising Committee of the tournament and Arjuna-awardee wrestler Kaka Pawar.

Also present will be Mr.Dayanand Kumar, Joint Secretary of MOA, Mr.Mahadev Kasgawde, District Sports Officer, Mr.Anand Lahoti, Secretary, Poona District Squash Association; Mr.Kalidas Magar, Mr. Shivaji Koli, Satish Potdar, Nakul Chavan; Sandeep Parekh; Surendra Karwa; and Hrishikesh Bajaj to name a few.