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Mammoth contingent for SAF Games

India will send a strong contingent of 235 sportspersons, including 75 women, to participate in the eighth South Asian Federation (SAF) Games in Kathmandu from September 25 to October 4.

Talking to press persons in New Delhi today, Indian Olympic Association secretary general Raja Randhir Singh declared that India will participate in all 12 disciplines.

Athletes Jyotirmoyee Sikdar, Neelam J Singh, Rachita Mistry, Paramjit Singh; boxer N G Dingko Singh; kabadi players Ashan Kumar and Biswajit Palit; shooters Roopa Unnikrishnan and Manvjit Singh; swimmer Bhanu Sachdeva and wrestlers Kaka Pawar and Rohtas Singh Dahiya will all be vying for medals with the best athletes of the south Asian region during the ten-day event, which is being held in the capital of the Himalayan kingdom for the second time.

Asked about the strained relationship between India and Pakistan, two leading members of the SAF community, Randhir Singh said, "The Games were being organised by Nepal, a third country, and there should not be any problem."

India have won the most medals ever since the SAF Games were inaugurated at Kathmandu in 1984. At the last Games, in Madras 1995, India bagged 183 medals, including 105 gold.

Indian women will take part in seven events, including athletics, karate-do, shooting, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo and volleyball. The other disciplines are boxing, football, kabaddi, weightlifting and wrestling. Tennis has been dropped from the Games this time.

Asked why hockey hasn't been included in Games, Randhir Singh said it would be decided by the Games organising committee.

Chef-de-mission K N Kapoor, who was also present at the press meet, said India will be sending its best team and hoped to carry home the highest number of medals again.

Preparatory coaching camps for different disciplines are being held at Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai, Patiala and Jaipur, according the facilities available.

The first contingent comprising athletes and football players will leave on September 23, followed by the shooting, table tennis, boxing, kabaddi, swimming, karate-do and weightlifting teams, on September 24. The third, the wrestling and volleyball teams, and fourth, the taekwondo players, will leave on September 26 and 30 respectively.

The IOA secretary general said that since the deadline for sending the official entry is August 25, the national sports federations have been advised to submit their teams by August 16.

UNI