Dipika Pallikal can well throw her squash racquet into the bin and pursue a career in films and modelling. The Sweet 16 lass from Chennai has what it takes to be a ‘role model’, but the British Open junior champion has decided to stick to squash - her first love - and dedicate her next few years to the sport - if the moribund and stinking sports system in the country allows here to do it.
After her return from the UK recently, where she won the prestigious Under-17 title --- equivalent to the world championship crown --- she finds herself being trashed by the Squash Racquet Federation of India (SRFI) and its Dronacharya Awardee coach Cyrus Poncha, who proclaims he taught her how to hold the racquet!
The petite girl has been ejected from the team for the Asian Championships is Kuwait from Feb 13 to 21, 2008 and with the SRFI not giving her the proper feedback, she flew off to Cairo to train with the Egyptian national coach.
All those who follow squash would know that the SRFI only wants players from Tamil Nadu - more specifically the Indian Cement Limited Academy wards - to prosper. Rest all can go for a walk.
What happens to players like Pallikal in that case? The most talented squash player to come out of the system would probably be consumed by the system. Some other day, another Dronacharya Awardee will commit the cardinal mistake, and the cycle will go on….
Have all these Dronacharyas of sport forgotten the tenets the great Drona preached and stood for hundreds of years back?
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