Young star Shirodkar on horizon

Pune, Dec 5 (UNI) The 12-year-old cueist Shree Shirodkar, of PYC Juniors became the toast of cueists participating in the PYC-ATC Snooker Challenge 2006, now in progress at the PYC (Hindu) Gymkhana hall.

The youngster, who took up to the game barely six months back under the guidance of Satish Amarnath, caused quite a flutter when accounting for Sagar Shelar of Deccan Gymkhana A' in the penultimate league match over night. Though PYC C' the round 2-1, Shree' became the toast of the crowd The only son of a captain in the merchant navy, Shree, a Class eighth student of Karnataka High School (now Shamrao Kalmadi High School) won the first game on a pink and finished the match with a flourish potting a black ball with confidence into the sixth pocket.

In the presence of his delighted father, the chubby youngster said, ''I intend to pursue my studies and snooker quite seriously.'' And why not with a dotting mother and a 19-year-old sister to support him, during most of the time, when his father was away on high seas.

UNI IS SRS VP0046