Over 200 national basketball players, yet Panipat's Ahar village awaits indoor court

Ahar village in the Israna constituency has earned a special reputation as a nursery of basketball. The village, located around 32 km from the district headquarters, has produced more than 200 national-level players, including around 20 girls. These players have brought laurels to the village through their sporting talent, while more than 60 of them have also secured government jobs on the basis of their performance in basketball.

Players nurtured on the village soil have represented India at national and international levels. The passion for basketball runs deep among the residents. As evening falls, children and adults head to the courts to play the game. Residents say basketball has not only brought recognition to the village but has also helped many families earn their livelihood.

Ahar has a special identity in the field of sports. Hundreds of national and international-level players from the village have made its residents proud. The village is known not only for basketball but also for kabaddi, including circle kabaddi, and Greco-Roman wrestling. While boys from the village have brought glory through basketball and kabaddi, its girls have also made their mark at national and international levels in handball and basketball.

Players from Ahar have showcased their talent at national and international competitions. They have also brought recognition to the village through their achievements in education and government service.

“Basketball began in our village in 1968. Sewa Ram, a Physical Training Instructor (PTI) from Popra village in Karnal district, was posted at the village school. He started the game on the school ground. Later, PTI Mangat Ram from Alupur village joined in 1970 and looked after the ground and players for around two decades,” said Deepak Sharma, a basketball coach and resident of Ahar.

Jaipal Singh was the village’s first national-level player. He developed his skills while practising on the ‘kachha’ ground. Attar Singh played in eight national games, while Ved Prakash represented the state and country in seven national games.

Sharma said several senior players also secured government jobs through the sports quota. Ved Prakash became a Sports Authority of India (SAI) coach and was attached to the Raj Rifles on deputation as a high-performance coach. Dalip Singh joined the BSF and recently retired as an inspector. He now coaches girls in basketball in the village.

Chand Ram joined the SSB and retired as an Assistant Sub-Inspector. Ranjeet Kataria played in 12 national tournaments and was selected for the SSB. He recently retired as an inspector. Ram Chander joined the Delhi Police on the basis of his basketball achievements and retired as an inspector.

“Basketball was at its peak in the village and across the state from 1972 onwards. However, the period between 1998 and 2008 was difficult. The game began to decline after PTI Mangat Ram retired, as there was no one to look after the ground and train the players,” Sharma said.

“But in 2005, Khushwinder Khainchi, alias Masta Khainchi, a university medallist, and Anoop Khainchi, who was then only in Class XI, revived the ground in the village. I also joined them in 2008 and started learning the game from Masta and Anoop. Their contribution to reviving basketball in the village will always be remembered,” he said.

Masta later joined the Indian Army, while Anoop moved to Australia in 2008 on the basis of his sporting achievements, Sharma said.

Meanwhile, Sewa Singh and Vijay also secured government jobs through basketball. Ahar was declared the Overall State Champion in School Games in 2013. In 2016, Deepak Khainchi of the village represented India at an international junior-level competition in Iran. He also played in national-level tournaments 18 times.

Sahil Taya, the nephew of a village family, later emerged as another prominent player. He played in around 30 national tournaments and became captain of the India Youth Team at a tournament in Dhaka, Bangladesh. He was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) at the Youth India National Games held in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, in 2019. The Indian Army Red team won the gold medal in the tournament, with Taya being named MVP. He is currently playing for the senior Indian team.

In 2022, Lavish Khainchi represented India seven times and captained the country four times in international-level tournaments. He won three gold medals. His batchmate Ankush Khainchi represented India three times and also won a gold medal.

“More than 200 youngsters, including 20 girls, from the village have played in national-level tournaments. More than 60 of them have won medals. Sahil Taya, Lavish Khainchi, Ankush Khainchi, Deepak Khainchi, Vikas, Sawan, Sahil, Tanuj Khainchi, Meeru Malik, Kafi Malik, Sandeep Khainchi and Vijeta Jaglan have also attended India camps,” Sharma said.

Despite the village’s achievements in basketball, players still lack an indoor court. Villagers, senior players and other residents have repeatedly raised the demand for an indoor stadium, but the demand has remained unfulfilled, Sharma said.

He said all the players had studied at Rishikul Public School and practised on its ground. The Sports Department has been running a basketball nursery at Rishikul Public School since 2019.

Dalip Singh, a former player from the village and president of the Khel Avm Shiksha Sudhar Samiti, Ahar, said seven basketball courts were currently being used in the village. Two are located at the Government Senior Secondary School, one at the village stadium, two at Rishikul School, one at Aryan Public School and one at Divyakulam Public School.

“All these are open grounds. The main and long-pending demand of the players is an indoor court,” he said. Dalip said the village had less land than its neighbouring villages and basketball had supported many families in earning a livelihood and providing for their children.

“After the Lakhan Majra incident, we removed the basketball pole from the school ground and kept it on one side because it had become badly rusted,” he said.

“We have raised the demand for an indoor basketball court several times, but it has not been fulfilled so far. Once the players get an indoor court, they will be able to showcase their talent more effectively at national and international tournaments,” Dalip said.