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A decision to this effect was taken and players can now contribute through a bank account especially created for the purpose, a press release issued by the Maharashtra Olympic Association on Saturday said.

MP Suresh Kalmadi, also chairman of the CYG organising committee, had been receiving requests from former Olympians, Arjuna awardees, Shiv Chhatrapati, Dhanchand and Padmashree recipients to include their contribution in installing the statue. These players and various sports associations in the state had conducted a meeting in this regard and submitted their request to Kalmadi and so a committee, under the chairmanship of the MP was formed.

A special account for collection of this contribution has been opened with the Bank of Maharashtra and willing players can deposit their contribution in Shri Shiv Chhatrapati Statue Committee, Sports city, Pune, account no 60008771966 at any BOM branch across the country.

Sporting greats from the state, including Harishchandra Birajdar, Padmashree Gopalrao Phadke, shooter Anjali Vedpathak, former Olympian Kamlesh Mehta, Dhyanchand awardee Smita shirole-Yadav, Shiv Chhatrapati awardee Manisha Ghate, Gurbans Kaur, Nita Talavlikar among others will be contributing for the cause, added the communiqué.

The stadium was constructed in 1994 and named after Shivaji, however, the stadium never had any indicative structure after his name. In view of the same, it was decided to install a statue of Shivaji at the backdrop of the Commonwealth Youth Games (CYG) to be conducted at the stadium in October.

The realisation dawned that PCMC never had a sports policy at the first meeting of the newly constituted sports committee held last week where the members expressed their annoyance and called for urgent steps to create basic sports infrastructure and improve the existing facilities. "The committee has directed the administration to submit a draft of the sports policy," said civic sports committee chairman Ghanshyam Khedekar. "Once they submit the draft, we will make necessary changes after due deliberations with all concerned," he said.

According to committee member Babu Nair, PCMC holds only one major tournament -- the Mayor's Trophy. "We have been shocked by the raw deal given to sports in the town. That exactly is the reason why not many sports persons come to limelight from Pimpri-Chinchwad," he said.

Nair, also a Congress leader, said that it was a matter of concern that PCMC is not even thinking along the lines of schools like Jnana Prabhodhini that were sending children to foreign shores to train for Olympics. "It is important that a concrete sports policy be put in place so that in the next 10 years we could see children from Pimpri-Chinchwad shining at international level," Nair said.

However, PCMC sports in-charge, Vishnu Jadhav, said that PCMC has a sports policy that keeps changing every year. "As per the new committee and new chairman, the policy keeps changing. We hold one Mayor's Trophy tournament, and 52 State Government-directed events for school children throughout the year," he said, adding that he will be submitting the year's planning before the committee.

But Nair disagrees. "By sports policy, we don't mean holding matches and tournaments. Sports policy means promoting younger generations who could represent the country and become everyone's pride," he said.

The committee, he said, is looking at a policy that is all-encompassing. "Our policy should be aimed at identifying and encouraging sports talent, bringing about drastic improvement in existing facilities, increase the basic infrastructure across the town. It is also important that facilities match the atmosphere of a particular suburb."

For instance, he said, Bhosari is a hub for wrestlers. "So it is important that better wrestling facilities are put in place there. And in Pradhikaran you will find, badminton enthusiasts in large numbers. So there should more badminton courts in Pradhikaran," Nair said, adding that increased budget layout is also required to shore up the sports scenario in town.

Uday Bhalchandra, vice-president of the Pune District Table Tennis Association, points out that a large number of table tennis enthusiasts from Pimpri-Chinchwad regularly come to Pune to participate in matches and tournaments.

"Pimpri-Chinchwad lacks decent facilities for table tennis compared to Pune as there are only two major clubs and a few halls. Besides, there is need for coaching. Expert services should be roped in to train youngsters. If proper infrastructure is provided, the youth can undoubtedly make it big," said Bhalchandra.

At present, the PCMC spends Rs 25 lakh a year on sports related activity. It has two stadiums and eight grounds.

The championship would showcase the top-class sports facilities available in India to the rest of the world, said BAI Chief V K Verma at a media conference here.

The tournament, which will be held at the Shiv Chhatrapati Sports complex at Balewadi, will be supervised by about 150 officials, according to tournament director Girish Natu.

This is the first time the world juniors is being held in the country, which has played host to quite a few Senior Grand Prix events.

Badminton, incidentally, is one of the nine disciplines of the Commonwealth Youth Games to be held here in October prior to the world juniors.

Indian Olympic Assoction chief Suresh Kalmadi, who is the organising committee chairman of the 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games and the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, said following the world juniors some other events, including the World Railway Games and some international athletic meets, are expected to be held at the Balewadi complex here.

Lack of suitable land for the project was depriving the city of this much-needed facility. With the number of state, national and international events that take place here throughout the year, its absence felt strongly.

The PMC, along with various sports officials have zeroed in on the state-owned Baburao Sanas sports ground at Swargate. For the past three budgets, the PMC has been keeping aside funds for the purpose, but unavailability of space left the decision pending.

Pralhad Sawant, secretary of the Athletics Federation of India, Balasaheb Landge, secretary, Maharashtra Olympic Association and Raj Gulati, secretary of the Indian Weightlifting Federation, met PMC commissioner Pravinsinh Pardeshi last week and presented the matter before him. Pardeshi spoke to Nitin Kareer, divisional commissioner, since the ground is with the commisionerate, and after his approval, Pardeshi sanctioned the proposal.

On Friday, the Editors Guild of India and the Sports Journalists Federation of India both wrote scathing letters to BCCI chief Sharad Pawar, assailing the accreditation norms for the league and bluntly stating that the guidelines were ``unacceptable''.

Editors Guild president Alok Mehta told TOI, ``The media has been given freedom to cover and communicate things to the public. We have written to BCCI but they are yet to get back to us.'' The guild letter said: ``With deep regret and dismay, we are forced to point out that there are prohibitive conditions in the terms and conditions attached to the form, specifically paras (d) and (e), which deal with conditions of accreditation for print media and photographers. These are unprecedented and unacceptable.''

Discounting the crucial role the media play in highlighting the game, the IPL governing body has refused to grant accreditation to websites for the event, and claimed sole copyright over all news photographs clicked by newspapers and agencies during the games.

IPL says it can use these images for free and without restriction, and has also asked media organizations to upload all their original photographs on the IPL website within 24 hours. It has also restricted web portals' access to images without prior permission.

With all newspapers having online editions, this means media organizations have been barred from uploading their own images online, a ridiculous demand which now threatens a media boycott of the muchhyped event unless BCCI does a rethink on its petty commercial agenda.

`BCCI's demands are ridiculous'

Speaking to TOI on Thursday, Raju Misal, chairman of the PCMC sports committee, said the ground was being prepared and actual construction would start next week. The PCMC has joined hands with noted batsman and chairman of the selection committee Dilip Vengsarkar to set up the academy.

PCMC's Cricket Academy is being developed on 2.56 hectares of land at survey no 9 and 38 in Thergaon village. The PCMC general body approved the terms and conditions of the project on July 27, 2007 and an MOU was signed on November 2, 2007.

A PCMC engineering department official said that the construction is estimated to cost Rs 2 crore. It will be a twostoried building with a small pavilion, changing rooms, office, coach room, umpire room, storage room and kitchen on the ground floor. The first floor will have a bigger pavilion, restaurant, living room and dining room. The plans for the building were prepared a few days ago and Garg Constructions has bagged the construction contract.

The ground will be completed in a month's time. The pitch area will measure 100 m x 120 m and as many as 10 pitches will be made in the area. Vengsarkar has been visiting the Thergaon site once a month, Misal stated.

Subhash Machare, assistant commissioner and head of the land and estates department, PCMC, said that the cricket academy was being developed on the land reserved for a playground. Vengsarkar Foundation, as per the MOU, has agreed to provide international standard coaching to selected players. It will select a maximum of 50 players every year out of which 15 will be from the PCMC limits. Selection trials will be conducted in October. Selection will be the sole responsibility of the foundation.

Wings Of Desire
COST OF CESSNA 172: RS 40 lakh

OPERATING COST: RS 2,000/hour

PARKING CHARGES Rs 2,000-3,000/month

MAINTENANCE CHARGES RS 70,000-1 lakh/month

Kolkata-based Aerotech Aerospace Services is selling this dream. Says managing director Partha Pratim Datta Majumdat: "Those who think aircraft cost the earth and sky and thus, keep them out of their list of aspirations, should think again."

According to Majum- dar, a second-hand US-made Cessna 172 would cost as little as Rs 40 lakh. About 50 of these airplanes are already in operation in India currently, he says, adding, "In . the US, many doctors use these aircraft"

What about operating ' costs? Avgas, the highoctane aviation fuel that these aircraft (and racing cars) use, costs Rs 80 a litre, and could get cheaper post-budget. Parking charges, in Kolkata, are between Rs 2,000 and Rs 3,000 a month. Third party main- tenance is relatively expensive at Rs 70,000 to Rs 1 lakh a month - still insignificant before the snob value planes offer And you can obtain a private pilot's licence in several cities if you fulfil requirements.

Majumdar has already sold no fewer than 16 aircraft over the past five years, and is about to sell at least one plane and two helicopters in Kolkata this year.

He says, "If aircraft aren't selling by the dozen, it is only because of the lack of awareness." He is now planning a seminar with high net worth individuals to spread the lure of the sky

According to highly placed sources, BCCI has followed up on its promise of contributing to the development of other sports by deciding to fund 50% of the training costs of elite Indian athletes who are medal prospects in the 2010 Commonwealth Games to be held in New Delhi.

BCCI had earlier set aside Rs 50 crore to finance training of sportspersons from other disciplines. According to sources, the decision to share training costs of Commonwealth Games athletes might incur, at least, another Rs 50 crore, taking the cricket board's monetary commitment for development of other sports to no less than Rs 100 crore.

The decision was taken on Saturday. BCCI president Sharad Pawar has already met Union sports minister Mani Shankar Aiyar in this regard, sources said.

Cricket Stadium at World Architecture News

From the website:

Hopkins Architects have been selected to design a 55,000-seater stadium in Pune, India for the Maharashtra Cricket Association.

It is intended that the MCA Pune International Cricket Centre (MPIC) will be able to host matches for the ICC Cricket World Cup to be held in India and Sri Lanka in 2011. The practice already has landmark work at London's Lord's and Hampshire County Cricket grounds in its portfolio and has recently strengthened its sports offering with the National Tennis Centre at Roehampton (completed February 2007) and its recent Olympic Velodrome win.

The MPIC project will include: A main 15 wicket match ground with adjacent practice ground for nets and smaller matches; spectator seating for 55,000 grouped into 4 stands including a Members' Pavilion and a Media Stand; additional facilities for 5,000 members including squash, badminton, swimming, spa, restaurants and bars; 80 corporate hospitality boxes; a "state of the art" Indoor Cricket Academy with residential accommodation for youth training schemes; parking for almost 4,000 cars and 10,000 two-wheelers.

Even as the Sydney cricket test and its fallout continue to grip the imagination of the nation, a quiet revolution may be sweeping the Indian football grounds. While English Premier League (EPL) majors like Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea are testing waters in India, clearly as part of their strategy to tap the huge revenue potential here, Indian corporate houses are slowly beginning to see the wisdom in looking beyond cricket.

Leading this band is the Ashok Piramal Group (APG), that had only last month sold its stake in Piramyd Retail for over Rs 200 crore. The Piramals have gone the whole hog and recruited Stewart Hall, head coach of Birmingham City Football Academy for eight years and of late an instructor of coaches in the English FA, as the main coach for its team.

The group has chosen Pune as the home for the club Pune Football Club (PFC) that'll be unveiled on January 14 and it's been given a direct entry into the second division of National Football League.

"As a group we have been involved in Pune through our various business and therefore it seemed to be a logical choice. It has over 100 football clubs. In addition, the city has a large number of colleges and premier institutes that have a large football fan base. Our research also showed that football enjoys the number one spot in sports in Pune," says Rajeev Piramal, executive vice-chairman, Peninsula Land Limited (an Ashok Piramal Group company).

"The recent interest in the sport could be from the fact that FIFA and the All India Football Federation is now focusing on India and on Indian football because of the demographic size and our population. AIFF is focusing on changing the way football is being managed and is looking at infusing it with a professional outlook. They also un derstand that for professionalism to enter football you need corporates to be involved," he adds.

Clearly, Piramal is willing to put money where his words are and match the Rs 4-5 crore annual budget of a NFL-level club from day one. In the longterm, PFC is also looking to build its own stadium.

The meeting, held at the cantonment office, was presided over by Brig. V.K. Bhatt, president of the KCB.

U.S. Marathe, an Aurangabad-based architect, has designed the complex. He made a presentation at the meeting about the shopping complex, which will be developed at the site of the existing vegetable market in Khadki Bazaar.

The number of shops currently on the ground floor will remain the same, and there will be separate markets for vegetables, mutton, beef and fish and other commodities here.

Two floors will be added on top of the existing complex. The first floor will be for parking of vehicles, and the second floor will house shops to be leased out by the KCB.

The board is estimated to incur a cost of Rs 18.86 crore for the concept, and will earn Rs 40 crore from it over the next 15 years.

Many of my colleagues ran the 10 KM run and there were inadequate pitstops.  The roads obvioulsy looked dirty as ever.  At many places, the runners were stopped to let the traffic go.  What a pity!

The website for the marathon is also not upto proper standards.  There is no update on it to post the results.  Lets hope the next running of the Marathon would be better.

IOA President Suresh Kalmadi said India withdrew its proposal to bid for the 2016 Olympic Games following its failed 2014 Asian Games bid last week but would be in race for the 2020 edition.

This was BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla, asking the Patangrao Kadam family in Pune to emulate BCCI president Sharad Pawar's interest in cricket and thus take steps to promote football in Maharashtra.

Shukla, who was here last week to inaugurate the fourth annual Abhijeet Kadam memorial football tournament, lauded the efforts of minister Patangrao Kadam's son, Vishwajeet, to promote football. The BCCI has decided to help promote sports other than cricket, said Shukla, inviting funds proposals from other sports bodies.

Vishwajeet Kadam (extreme left) and others at the inauguration of the Abhijeet Kadam memorial football tournament at the Bharati Vidyapeeth sports ground recently

In Pune, the 26-year-old Vishwajeet has been credited with giving football a new respectability, resulting in top clubs of the country coming to play in the city.

Till last year, the Poona District Football Association (PDFA), with an assortment of 112 registered clubs and thousands of professionals, did not even have its own office. Hardly any of the local tournaments over the years in Pune were held on an 110x90-metre ground in accordance with the rules of the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA).

Now, the PDFA has a fully functional office of its own and plans to be proactive in the sports arena.