Key Highlights: IC India (2019-21)
1. Domestic Tour
– A total of 5 weekend events were conducted in Delhi, Allahabad (Prayagraj), Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore.
– Participation of over a 100 IC members and local players.
2. Felicitation of former and current tennis players
– Jasjit Singh, former India Davis Cup player, achieved career high world ranking of 89 in 1974.
– Ramanathan Krishnan, former India Davis Cup player. Career high world ranking of 6 in amateur rankings. Led India to the Davis Cup finals in 1966 against Australia. Non-playing captain of the 1974 Davis Cup team that reached the finals against South Africa.
– Jaidip Mukerjea, former India Davis Cup player, achieved career high world ranking of 120 in 1974. Part of the team which reached the Davis Cup final for the first time in 1966. Played 97 Davis Cup matches for India.
– Rohan Bopanna, India Davis Cup player, achieved career high world doubles ranking of 3 in 2013. Member of India Davis Cup team since 2002. Winner of the 2017 French Open mixed-doubles title with Gabriela Dabrowski becoming the fourth Indian player to win a Grand Slam title.
3. Supporting top ranked juniors
– Sent a team to Hong Kong of top 2 Indian Under 16 ranked girls and boys with a Manager/Coach for the Asia / Oceania IC Junior Challenge in July 2019.
– Tennis clinics to promote tennis conducted in Prayagraj, Mumbai and Bangalore.
– Support to Sagar Kumar, a top 25 ranked junior from a low income background during his travel for the nationals.
4. Philanthropy
– Supporting Delhi based initiative, EduTennis www.edutennis.in of teaching life skills through tennis to government school children.
– Equipment and monetary donations made by several members.
– Site visits by Executive Committee members.
5. Online engagement
– Member participation in the longest rally challenge to celebrate and support EduTennis’ celebrations of April 6, UN Day for Sport Development and Peace. Members recorded their videos of doing a self rally and uploaded it on social media.
– President and Regional Vice President. North participated as speakers in EduTennis’ first year virtual celebrations on ZOOM.
Visit of Singapore IC Feb 20-23, 2014
Yogesh Prasad
Vice President
Chandigarh (Punjab), 23rd-24th November 2013
KOLKATA, FEBRUARY 1st & 2nd 2014
The British High Commission, New Delhi, 9th February 2014
Inter Club Centenary Tennis Gala at The Delhi Gymkhana Club, 1st & 2nd of March 2014
Austria – Vienna
Hungary – Budapest
1. Mr. Amar Khosla
2. Mr. Gaurav Kumar with his spouse Neha
3. Mr. Vineet Aggarwal with his spouse Amita
4. Mr. Vikas Singh with his spouse Minu
5. Mr. Sanjeev Manchanda with his spouse Bindu
6. Ms. Sohini Kumari
7. Mr. Ravi Inder Singh
8. Mrs. Meera Chowla
Budapest
Our team drove down from Vienna to Budapest in a minivan and reached Budapest on the 10th afternoon. As in Budapest, the Hungarian IC had organized for us to stay in homes, the various members in whose homes we were to stay were waiting for us at the hotel. The Hungarian IC members then welcomed the ladies with flowers and took each one of us to their respective homes for a three day stay in Budapest. Each IC member who hosted us in his home took great pain to ensure that our trip was memorable. We played Tennis at their beautiful Club in Budapest followed by dinner. Each one of us got back with great memories of the trip and especially the warmth shown by our hosts at their respective homes. The President with his wife Minu, Mr. Sanjeev Manchanda and Mr. R.I. Singh flew together from Austria to Washington DC where we were joined by Somnath Bose with his wife Sharmila, Sanjeev Kassal, Rohit Sharma, Rajveer Ranawat and Dinky Misra.
USA Washington D.C. 15 & 16th June 2014
Sanjeev Kassal (Honorary Secretary)
Merrion Cricket Club, Philadelphia, 17th June 2014
Sanjeev Kassal (Honorary Secretary)
60th Anniversary: IC World-Wide Men’s Tennis Team Championships
IC India celebrated its 60th anniversary with teams from USA, UK, SA, Mexico, Germany, Switzerland and India (with four teams) participating. There were several Players ranked in the top 50 of the ITF rankings. The round robin format of one singles and two doubles had a good mix across several generations. All in all great camaraderie and close encounters (on the court!). UK narrowly edged out the young Mexican Turks in a thriller.
Sanjeev Kassal (Honorary Secretary)
Report on the IC World-Wide 16 and Under Junior Challenge Finals held in New Delhi from the 12th-17th of December 2010
This event was hosted by the International Club of India in partnership with the All India Tennis Association (AITA). There were six teams that participated in this round robin format event.
USA
GREAT BRITAIN
GERMANY
NEW ZEALAND
INDIA ‘A’
INDIA ‘B’
Unfortunately, Brazil could not make it for some unforeseen reasons, and hence India ‘B’ filled in as an alternative.
On the 12th there was a spectacular inauguration with the Army Band welcoming the players followed by a folk dance performance by Tsunami survivors. This was followed by a wheel chair doubles event. In the audience we had 75 children from the DCCW (The Delhi Council for Child welfare) an adoption agency in the capital along with 250 children from The Sriram School.
The event was inaugurated by the Honorable Chief Minister of Haryana, Mr. Bhupinder Singh Hooda, a keen tennis player himself. Also in attendance were Mr. Barry Weatherill and Mr. Julian Tatum of the World IC Council. Sanjeev Kassal, the Tournament Director welcomed the players and Barry spoke some encouraging words along with Daljit Wallia, the President of IC India and Mr. Anil Khanna, the Head of the All India Tennis Association.
There were some very well fought matches throughout the five days of play. On the final day some spectacular matches were witnessed. In a nail biting finish, and after several match points traded, India ‘A’ beat Germany in a super tie breaker 18-16! This enabled India to enter into the ‘final three’ along with Germany and Great Britain. Lots were drawn and India once again had to play Germany, while GB went straight into the finals.
This time around Germany got the better of their host country in another close encounter 12-10.
In the decider, the GB mixed doubles team of Tommy Bennett and Alannah Griffin played exceptionally well to edge out Hendriik Bertrams and Noemi Hemmerich of Germany 10-6.
Great Britain won the event, with Germany as the Runners up and India ‘A’ coming in third.
It was a wonderful few days and an enriching experience for all the players, captains and the hosts. The matches were played in the right spirit with all the teams displaying a very high level of sportsmanship.
The Chief Guest on the final day was the Speaker of the Lok Sabha (India’s Parliament), Ms Meira Kumar. She gave away the prizes along with Daljit Wallia and Vikas Singh of IC India. Mr. Julian Tatum gave away two sportsmanship awards to Tommy Bennett (boys) and Natasha Palha (girls). Julian and Daljit thanked the participants and organisers for a super few days of tennis.