Ramesh recalls his association from early age

Pune, Oct 27 (UNI) Former Davis Cup ace Ramesh Krishnan, who was the guest of honour at the glittering 'Centenary Celebration' function of the famed Deccan Gymkhana Club recalled his association from an early age which was instrumental in shaping his tennis career.

After releasing the centenary souvenir and felicitating 40 leading 'Arjuna' and 'Shiv Chhatrapati' award winners in various sports diciplines of the club, he went down the memory lane recalling India's exploits in the 1987 Davis Cup tie which India forefeited against South Africa who was then ursuing the apartheid policy.

The former Davis Cupper Ramesh narrated as to how from the brink, India turned tables on Argentina in the opening round and followed it up by defeating Isreal rather easily and the formidable Australia in the semi-finals, enroute to the finals.

Prominent among those who were felicitated on the occasion included former tennis players and Davis Cuppers Sandeep Kirtane, Nandan Bal, Nitin Kirtane, former women's national champion Radhika (Tulpule) Kanitkarher, and her father Anand Tulpule, a former general secretary of the club. The father-daughter duo has set a history of the sorts for being recepients of the Shiv Chhatrapati Awards.

Waterpolo players Sanjay Karandikar, Jay Apte, Abhay Dadhe, basketballers Shantanu Pawar, Sharad Kulkarni, Chaitrali Shingote, Bhushan Thakur, international volleyball referee and judge Hanumanth Kulkarni, Padmshri and Droonacharya awardee Gopal Phadke and several others were also felicitated.

Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA) honorary secretary Mr Sharad Kanamwar and Athletic Federation of India (AFI) Joint Honorary secretary Pralhad Sawantwere, were the two non club members who were felicitated for their meritorious services. Earlier, the club honorary secretary Mr Vishwas Lokhare conferred honorary membership to Ramesh Krishnan and in the process, invited him to join other luminaries like former world billiards and snooker champions Geet Sethi, Pankaj Advani, Tennis ace Leander Paes, tennis sensation Sania Mirza and 'Mr World' title holder Premchand Dogra.

Rame's father, Ramanathan Krishnan, known as the 'touch artist', was among the first to have received the honour.

Mr Lokhare, while painting a vivid picture of the glorious history of the club, recalled the visit of the father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi in 1923, the exhibition match played by great tennis ace Bill Tildon, the clash between Ramanathan Krishnan and the wimbledon champion Roy Ermerson of Australia and four Davis Cup ties played at the club lawns against Japan, Pakistan, USSR and West Germany.

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