Chandigarh, February 23
Dr A.R. Kidwai, The Haryana governor Dr AR Kidwai inaugurated the 10th annual conference of the Indian Society of Cardiovascular Thoracic Anaesthesiologists (IACTA) being hosted by the department of anaesthesia and intensive care, PGI, Chandigarh, here today.

More than 400 delegates from all around the world attended the conference .

Dr Cheng and Dr Jones from Canada dealt with anaesthesia during beating heart and robotic surgery. Dr Prabhu from UK and Dr Chaney discussed about circulatory support while Dr Pawar from AIIMS and Dr Russell of Australia talked on minimally invasive lung surgery and single lung ventilation.

Dr Fingleton from USA and Dr Usha Kiran from Delhi, Dr Klienberg (Australia) and Dr Prasad (Hyderabad), Dr Nunnally (USA) also spoke on the occasion.

Chandigarh, February 23
It was sheer passion for the martial art that compelled this Orissa based civil engineer to take up kickboxing.

“Kickboxing is the most advanced and fastest growing martial art of the 21st century world wide. In considering its popularity and technical value, this sport is catching up in our country. I worked as a civil engineer with state government for ten years but left the job in 1997, only to be committed to promote this sport,” expressed the Indian Association of kickboxing organisations working president S.S. Harichandan.

In town, to conduct kickboxing clinic organised and conducted by the Chandigarh Kickboxing Association at the IS Dev Samaj School in Sector 21 C here.

Harichandan explained the rules and regulations of this fascinating game. Giving demonstration of kickboxing actions, Harichandan also explained the awarding of plus and minus points for a particular action.

Introduced in 1993 in India, as many as 19 National tournaments have been conducted so far in almost all zones of the country.

As many as 35 coaches from different Sports disciplines and physical education teachers attended the clinic. “I have been associated with martial arts for the last 30 years and through my experience in India and abroad, I can say that this game should be understood properly. It is less of martial art and more of a fitness concern sport. There is no age bar for its learners be it male or female”, said Harichandan, who is 7th Dan in this sport.

Addressing the coaches and physical education teachers, Harichandan, said that the juniors can take this as a competitive sport while others can adopt kickboxing for physical fitness and 
self-defence.

Regarding the participation of India in International competitions, Harichandan said that "the IAKO would be fielding Indian squad in the World Championships in Szeged (Hungary) from May 10 to 13 and Belgrade (Serbia) from September 14 to 18) and Portugal from November 21 to 25.

India will also compete in the Indoor Asian Games in Maccau in October 2007.

However, video clippings of World Champions in musical forms and aero kickboxing were shown to the coaches and physical education teachers. Explaining the events of World Association of kickboxing organisations, Harichandan, who was the chief coach of Wushu at Salt Lake in Kolkata in 1999, said, competitions were conducted in semi-conduct, low kick, musical forms and light contact, KI styles - ex Thai kickboxing, aero kickboxing and full contact.

The IAKO working president was confident that kickboxing would become more popular in the Country. The School Games Federation of India has already included kickboxing in their annual Sports calendar.

Among those present on the occasion were principal IS Dev Samaj Senior Secondary School Dr Sumiti Kanwar, former secretary general of School Games Federation of India B.D. Gandhi, Chandigarh Kickboxing Association treasurer Gurcharan Singh and Manavpreet Singh of Kotak Mahindra Bank.

Earlier, assistant vice-president Kotak Mahindra Bank Shamsher Sandhu inaugurated the clinic. 

Chandigarh, February 23
The team of the Department of Evening Studies, Panjab University, has won the PU Inter-College Table Tennis (evening and education colleges) tournament for 2006-07 by defeating DAV College of Education, Abohar. The meet was held at the PU grounds here today.

Results:

Deptartment of Evening Studies b DAV College of Education, Abohar, 3-2. Vijay b Robin 3-0 (11-7, 11-5, 11-6); Umesh b Parveen 3-0 (11-6, 11-4, 11-6); Anand lost to Pawan Kumar 3-0 (4-11, 7-11, 9-11); Umesh lost to Robin

3-0 (6-11, 10-12, 6-11); Vijay b Parveen 3-0 ( 11-6, 11-7, 11-5)

Basketball: Department of Evening Studies, PU, beat SCD Government Evening College, Ludhiana, 50-25 in the PU Inter-College Basketball Meet held on the PU campus on Friday. Bhupinder 19, Arun 13, Om Bahadur 10 contributed chiefly for the PU team while Prabhjot 10, Puneet 8 scored for the SCD team.

Other results:

DAV College of Education, Abohar, b BCM College of Education, Ludhiana, 22-12

GHG Khalsa College of Education, Gurusar Sudhar, b DAV College of Education, Abohar, 42-10.

Hockey: Department of Evening Studies, PU, team in a one-side affair defeated BCM College of Education, Ludhiana, 6-0 in the semifinal of the PU Inter-College Hockey Tournament played at the PU grounds on Friday. Lalit Kumar scored three field goals in the 20th, 32nd and 42nd minutes, Lakhwinder Singh two in the 1st and 4th minutes and Mahesh a lone goal in the 20th minute.

Cricket: A fine knock of 91 enabled GGDSD College, Sector 32, beat Government College, Muktsar, by 232 runs in the PU Inter-College Cricket (Men) Tournament at the PU grounds on Friday.

The SD team won the toss and elected to bat first. They scored 325 for 9 in 45 overs. Vishwas Bhalla scored a valuable 58 runs. Naresh Goggina claimed 4 wickets for 14 runs while Karanveer claimed 3 for 5 runs. In reply, Government College, Muktsar, was bundled out for 93 in 25.4 overs.

In another match DAV College, Sector 10, Chandigarh, registered an 8 wicket win over SCD Government College, Ludhiana. The SCD team won the toss and elected to bat first. They scored 199 runs in 47.4 overs while DAV scored 203 for the loss of 2 wickets in 30.3 overs. 

Patiala, February 23
Sandeep Sharma won the 100m race in the girls section at the annual athletics meet of Government Mohindra College, which concluded on the college campus here today.

The meet was inaugurated by Ravinder Singh, vice-chancellor of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences. College principal D.I.S Brar along with other dignitaries was present on the occasion.

Results: 100m (girls): Sandeep Sharma-1, Saroj Yadav-2, Prabh Kamal Virk-3; 400m (boys): Amandeep Singh-1, Parminder Singh-2, Gurpal Singh-3; 400m (girls): Saroj Yadav-1, Sharandeep Kaur-2, Prabh Kamal Virk-3; discus throw (boys): Antejot Singh-1, Atinder Singh-2, Gurvinder Singh-3; discus throw (girls): Prabh Kamal Virk-1, Sharandeep Kaur-2, Sandeep Sharma-3; shotput (girls): Prabh Kamal Virk-1, Sharandeep Kaur-2, Saroj -3; 400m (girls): Saroj Yadav-1, Balwinder Kaur-2, Sharandeep Kaur-3; triple jump (boys): Gurwinder Singh-1, Devinder Singh-2, Dilraj Singh-3; high jump (girls): Saroj Yadav-1, Sandeep Sharma-2, Sharandeep Kaur-3; 5000m (boys): Inderjit Singh-1, Gurpal Singh-2, Parveen-3.

Chandigarh, February 23
Siti Cable will telecast live the final one-day cricket match of the Airtel-Chandigarh Press Club Inter-Media Cricket Trophy to be held at Punjab Cricket Association Stadium on February 25.

This information was given by the sports committee of the Chandigarh Press Club. The match between The Indian Express and Amar Ujala will begin at 9.30 am. — TNS