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Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Making room for squash in a sleepy village
The blaze from the unforgiving afternoon sun bounces off the slick glass squash court, where a bunch of children are walking barefoot, their shoes in their hands. A low, thin wall sits between the modern court — the kind erected in a posh Mumbai club for an international tournament — and a row of concrete houses only recently upgraded from their kutcha status. A group of girls stands under the shade for a mid-day catch up. Bijali Darwada joins them. The 25-year-old has spent a large part of her teenage years across that little wall, hoping to become a national level squash player. Last year, she flew to Sri Lanka for an international tournament. The day after her return, as former squash pro Ritwik Bhattacharya vividly remembers, she sat by the lake, washing clothes. This is not usual for a squash player. Then again, nothing about this squash academy is usual. Nestled in a tiny corner of Maharashtra ringed by the Western Ghats, this countryside is now being swept by a largely urban sport. Kalote Mokashi, a village in Raigad district about two hours from suburban Mumbai, has waterfalls, camps by the lake and getaway farmhouses. It also has a sporting ecosystem that provides local children access to basic infrastructure, means to play sport, and a development path through a game they didn't know existed until 2017. That's when the Squash Temple and Rhythm Training (Start) academy sprung to life in this sleepy village, with Bhattacharya, India's former top-ranked pro and holder of nine Professional Squash Association (PSA) world tour titles, making Kalote Mokashi his home. Calling this academy their home are around 80 kids from this village of less than 500 people. From here, 46 alumni are ranked nationally and eight flaunt a PSA ranking. No one has won a championship yet, but pursuing a life that pulls them away from the norm of picking up odd jobs to make a living is transformative. 'Out of 100 kids, even if 10 go on to excel in squash, the other 90 have been upgraded with exposure,' Bhattacharya said, cutting through the sound of squash balls hitting the wall. 'It has required patience, but there's a social change element that has come out of this journey.' Start of the journey Over the past two decades, India has made steady strides in squash, with stars such as Saurav Ghosal, Dipika Pallikal, Joshna Chinappa, and Bhattacharya breaking into the global elite levels in the sport. In the 2023 Asian Games, the Indian contingent won five medals. But squash has usually been a game for the privileged. The idea of Start started germinating soon after Bhattacharya retired in 2010. Having turned to coaching and running a few programmes in Mumbai, Bhattacharya was at the mercy of kids' free time and clubs' court availability. 'I'd train them for one hour in the morning and evening. In the city, I felt like I was just sitting and waiting. Plus, I was a little tired of coaching just one segment of society,' he said. Squash is a sport brimming with players of affluent backgrounds, with scholarships in American colleges a lucrative bypass. Why, then, think of taking it rural? 'Because the talent is here,' Bhattacharya said. 'We have to take the institution to their doorstep and bridge this urban-rural divide, by not expecting them to go to Mumbai or Pune for training.' On one of his weekend trips, Bhattacharya found himself in Kalote Mokashi, where his friend and eventual co-founder of the academy Munish Makhija lived. Makhija showed Bhattacharya the vacant two-acre plot of land, which the squash star acquired in 2011. For a few years thereafter, Bhattacharya would visit Kalote Mokashi frequently to spend days playing football and weekends trekking with the village kids. It helped break the ice. In 2015, the thought of building a squash court was planted, which bore fruit two years later with an all-black indoor court. 'We built all the infrastructure employing people from the village,' Bhattacharya said. The academy was up and running, so was the kids' enthusiasm to learn something new. It was was set up with the help of co-founders Munish Makhija and Sridhar Gorthi. In the years since, much of their funding came from private companies' CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility). It helped them add a glass court in 2023. 'Before this, we would spend our days just attending school and roaming around the forest,' said Krushna Darwada, 21. Luxman Pokale, 23, faced a common demand from his family after finishing school: 'Ab bade ho gaye ho, kuch kama lo (now that you're old enough, start earning)'. He'd pick up odd jobs to bring home some money. 'Ritwik sir told me to come and play here. Whatever you're earning there I will pay you',' he said. Live, breathe squash None of these kids had even heard of squash. Bhattacharya began by showing videos and then teaching them to hold a racquet. 'Then he taught us how to serve, how points are won, and so on,' said Bijali. 'I enjoyed it so much that I would be here the whole day after school.' That's essentially what Bhattacharya yearned for — a place where kids can live, breathe and eat squash and sports. The 45-year-old resides in the village. So does Karan Sharma, a fitness trainer. The kids have a fitness session in the morning and two squash sessions a day, the second largely involving matches. The glass court came up in 2023, and both courts are open 24x7. Sharma has seen kids ghosting (practicing court movement without a ball) even past midnight at times. Eight are now ranked on the PSA tour, and 74 have participated in junior and senior nationals over the years. From being confined to Kalote Mokashi, they've gone to Mumbai, Pune, Jaipur, Ajmer, Chennai, Delhi to compete. Add Sri Lanka to Bijali's travel diaries, at an age when most girls in her village are married. 'It was such a different experience,' Bijali, ranked 352 in the PSA charts, said. They also get to interact with players from other backgrounds who often visit. Akanksha Salunkhe, the world No.72 who Bhattacharya coaches, often stays at the academy. Current India women's No.1 and fast-rising Anahat Singh has also been here. Young talents Nirupama Dubey and Gurveer Singh, as well as former Italian pro turned coach Stephane Galifi, are frequent occupiers of the four rooms at the academy reserved for visitors. Brush with pros The Delhi-based Gurveer was in Kalote Mokashi for a two-week training block in April. The 17-year-old has made periodic visits since 2021, when he felt his game style needed reinvention. His training under Bhattacharya is a lot more specific, which the village kids get to see. They've also realised what squash's inclusion for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics means, with the LA 2028 logo painted on the tin of the glass court. 'They get the excitement around it,' Bhattacharya said. ' Akanksha is training here for that, so are the likes of Gurveer and Nirupama. They're seeing and understanding how much I'm pushing them.' Village kids are assigned to take the city trainees for treks; a physical test they are inbuilt to ace (Bhattacharya said they can climb a nearby mountain in 20 minutes). In turn, from the pros, they pick up squash's technical nuances. 'I observe how they train, their technique, how they keep their mind relaxed between games,' said Sadashiv Shingwa, 23. Village upliftment All of the academy's employees are from the village. 'Out of the 80 families here, at least 40 are directly involved with us,' Bhattacharya said. The academy has Wifi and washrooms that villagers have access to. Trainees can have meals at the academy, and eggs await any village kid at 5pm. 'There's still some malnutrition. But they're stronger, taller, fitter now,' Bhattacharya said. Bijali, richer for the taste of outside life, also sees the change. 'The village is a lot cleaner. Anyone who throws plastic now, we pick it up,' she said. 'With squash,' 21-year-old Raju Shingwa added, 'people in our village are getting a glimpse of how life is outside.' Inside this little ecosystem, the chain reaction is already in motion. The academy's first batch players have started to teach the younger children, who come in as early as six. Most trainees also bring their brothers and sisters along. 'I've also gone to nearby villages asking them to come here,' Bijali said. Beyond their personal growth and the village's development, Bhattacharya reckons it's a matter of time that someone from Kalote Mokashi takes the step up in elite squash. 'Our goal is to scout four guys and girls to join the PSA tour,' he said. 'I really believe that in 2-3 years, we'll have eight players ranked in the top 100 from this village.'
RNZ News
7 hours ago
- General
- RNZ News
PSA criticises members who leak info to media
politics employment about 1 hour ago The Public Service Association has come out criticising members who leak information to the media, while also criticising Ministers who seek cherry picked advice on key policies. PSA national secretary spoke to Corin Dann.
RNZ News
9 hours ago
- General
- RNZ News
'Chilling effect': Union raises concerns over ministers' interference after leaks
Public service organisations have been urged to "take every possible action" to shut down leaking. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone Stronger whistleblowing laws and more emphasis on free and frank advice are needed to balance out a crackdown on leaks, the Public Service Association (PSA) union says. The campaign against leaks was exposed in a leaked email from a department boss to staff, after Commissioner Sir Brian Roche urged chief executives to "take every possible action" to shut down leaking, including sacking those found responsible where appropriate. PSA national secretary Fleur Fitzsimons said such dismissals would require fair process. "We don't condone leaking, but we cannot see a blanket rule that public servants are dismissed when leaks occur. New Zealand law requires a full and fair investigation process, and employers have to enter that process with an open mind," she said. "Public servants must not leak. But there is a legal duty to provide free and frank advice to the government of the day, and we'd like to see the government also reiterating those expectations alongside these messages about leaking." Pointing to an academic article by Massey's Richard Shaw and Victoria University of Wellington's Chris Eichbaum from 2023, she said there had been a chilling effect on the provision of free and frank advice over multiple governments. "Our members have reported to us that they have been advised not to provide certain commentary in advice or to only do so via phone and that there is direct ministerial involvement in matters that would usually sit within departments," she said. "We saw this with the approach taken to the survey of public servants recently. The chilling effect of this is exacerbated in an environment of constant cuts and job losses." She said Associate Health Minister Casey Costello making accusations in November about a public servant for internal communications about heated tobacco products was another case. PSA national secretary Fleur Fitzsimons Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone The PSA at the time wrote to Sir Brian saying that would have a chilling effect, made worse by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's comments that "appear to conflate this case with a separate issue from last month". Fitzsimons urged the government to look at strengthening New Zealand's whistleblowing law, the Protected Disclosures (Protection of Whistleblowers) Act 2022. "The current whistleblowing laws in New Zealand put a very high threshold on serious wrongdoing. We would call on government to review those laws, but at the end of the day public servants shouldn't leak, it's not professional to do so, and we advise against it." The Act limits whistleblowing to exposing "serious wrongdoing", which includes posing a serious risk to health, safety, or the maintenance of law, corrupt or irregular use of public funds or resources, or breaking the law. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said that when leaks happened it undermined the public service as a whole. "They do the public service a big disservice frankly and the public's trust in the public service is a problem and that's why I think it's pretty unfair because we've got some great public servants in New Zealand, we're very well served by some awesome people. "We've always had leaking in different governments but it's ultimately up to individuals are trusted to serve the government of the day and to do so in a politically neutral way." ACT leader David Seymour said those found leaking should "absolutely" face repercussions. He had this message for public servants: "Your career as a public servant is a part of your life. For all of your life you're going to be invested in this country working and you have no right to undermine the constitutional setup and framework that has made this country a success, that you've benefited from. "Some of the people who are the people leaking would really struggle to get a job outside the cocoon of the public service, because in the private sector honesty and integrity are highly valued." He said the public service was "far too large" and "if we want to start reducing it maybe we need to leak out a few leakers". Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Business Times
16 hours ago
- Health
- Business Times
PSA Corp, FairPrice Foundation among winners at AIC's Friends of Community Care Awards
[SINGAPORE] As Singapore heads towards becoming a super-aged society by 2026, the number of seniors living alone is expected to increase also – from 76,000 in 2023 to 122,000 in 2030, said Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung on Wednesday (May 28). The number of seniors with chronic illnesses could grow from 375,000 to 500,000 in just five years, he added. Ong said: 'The major change is to become a lot more proactive, helping those who are healthy to stay healthy, and those with chronic diseases to manage them optimally. This is what we mean when we say the centre of gravity of care will shift from hospitals to communities.' This is where corporates are stepping up their efforts in the community, to make greater social impact in eldercare. He was speaking as the guest of honour at the Agency for Integrated Care's (AIC) Friends of Community Care (FOCC) Awards, where 13 recipients were recognised. Port operator PSA Corp bagged one of the awards in the corporate (large enterprise) category, due to its PSA Health@Home (H@H) programme. Its current partners include St Luke's ElderCare, HCA Hospice and Lions Befrienders. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 2 pm Lifestyle Our picks of the latest dining, travel and leisure options to treat yourself. Sign Up Sign Up The H@H programme started with just under 100 volunteers, but has since grown to more than 800 volunteers – including employees who have retired. Ong Chiew Suan, head of corporate communications and commercial for South-east Asia at PSA Corp, said: 'Since the programme began 10 years ago, PSA has organised over 700 related activities for our volunteers, including volunteering sessions, training workshops and talks. Some of the volunteering activities involve centre-based engagements such as craftwork, festive celebrations and outings.' Besides grocery shopping at supermarkets, volunteers have taken beneficiaries to Gardens by the Bay, the zoo and the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum. 'The beneficiaries generally look forward to outings as these give them a chance to go out and enjoy experiences beyond their regular activities at the centre,' she added. In addition to volunteering, PSA helps to raise funds for community care organisations. For example, H@H raised close to S$70,000 for Lions Befrienders' Our Kampung app, which helps seniors stay digitally connected. Ong added: 'With Singapore's rapidly ageing population and ongoing manpower challenges, PSA believes that encouraging active volunteerism among our staff is a meaningful way to support capacity-building in Singapore's healthcare sector.' Health and nutritional needs Another recipient was FairPrice Foundation, which won under the non-profit organisation category. As FairPrice Group's philanthropic arm, it focuses on three strategic areas: food and nutrition for lower-income households, community engagement, and worker welfare. Jean Khong, general manager of FairPrice Foundation, said: 'Our purpose as FairPrice Group is to keep daily essentials within reach for all of Singapore.' The foundation runs several programmes, such as the Cheers Breakfast Club which provides breakfast bundles to students undertaking their Primary School Leaving Examination, as well as A Full Plate, Singapore's largest food donation drive. 'Last year, we raised more than S$1.6 million (for A Full Plate), of which the foundation funded S$1 million, and we were so encouraged that the community came together to donate S$600,000,' she noted. One of its most recent programmes is Protein Pledge. The FairPrice Foundation has committed S$1 million over the next five years to provide various proteins to vulnerable communities. It also supports NTUC Health's programmes to benefit seniors, such as by donating to the Health for Life Fund, which aims to improve mental and physical well-being. Since 2019, the FairPrice Foundation has supported SPD's Transition to Employment programme. This has equipped more than 300 persons with disabilities with the skills and confidence to join the workforce. Khong said the foundation is currently working on programmes to roll out to the elderly, to help them maintain their health. 'By 2026, we're going to be a hyper-aged society. One in four is going to be above the age of 65, and they're going to have more nutritional needs. What FairPrice can do is make sure that they have access to healthy choices on the shelves.' Launched in 2020, the FOCC Awards recognise organisations that have made significant contributions in the community care sector. Gerard Ee, chairman of AIC, said: 'With Singapore's rapidly ageing population, the community care sector will only become more integral to our healthcare system, empowering seniors to live well and stay healthy throughout their lives.' AIC aims to deepen partnerships within the broader healthcare system to address this.
The South African
16 hours ago
- Health
- The South African
EXCLUSIVE: Elon Musk's father reveals life-saving prostate cancer operation
As former US President Joe Biden battles prostate cancer, Elon Musk's father has revealed for the first time his own secret diagnosis and operation – and has launched a personal mission to help men live longer by getting tested to see if they have a genetic predisposition for the disease. South African businessman Errol Musk, 79, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in early 2024 and had to have an urgent operation to have his prostate removed. The news comes on the heels of former US President Joe Biden revealing in May that he is fighting an aggressive and advanced form of prostate cancer. According to research 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. In May 2013, Hollywoord actress Angelina Jolie revealed that she had undergone a preventative double mastectomy after testing positive for a BRCA1 gene mutation, known to dramatically increase a woman's chance for developing breast and ovarian cancers. In an exclusive video interview with fellow South African entrepreneur and friend Avi Lasarow, Musk said he only found out in early 2024 after a regular check-up following open-heart surgery that had taken place years earlier. Musk speaking to South African entrepreneur Avi Lasarow. Image: Supplied In the interview, which took place before the announcement about Biden's health, Musk – who celebrated his 79th birthday on Sunday – said: 'A few years ago, I went for a medical and the flying medical doctor sort of rushed me to a cardiologist, and I had an open-heart operation as a result of that. 'I keep going back for checkups and so on. I'm all right, I had a valve repair, replacement and in my heart. 'But when I went for my checkup at the beginning of last year, they said to me, with the many blood tests they do, that I had a raised PSA [Prostate-Specific Antigen ]. Not particularly raised, but it was raised. 'I was advised to go to a urologist and have that looked at. I went to urologist and he asked me to come back, which brings me to a rather sort of comical aspect. 'I always thought when you go into see a doctor and he's going to tell you that you have cancer, that he first tells you to sit down, and maybe offers you a cup of tea and asks you, if you're comfortable, if you'd like a cushion? 'They don't do that. You've barely sat down on a hard bench chair, and they've said: 'You have cancer!' And so, after seeing the urologist, he said to me I have cancer of the prostate. 'I said: 'Well, what now, you know?' He said: 'Well, we can remove the prostate, and then we have to see what's left' 'So, I agreed and I went for this operation and they removed my prostate and also all the lymph nodes on the right side, they cleared that all out as well. 'The biopsy showed that the prostate was carcinomas. It wasn't a question of leaving it. So, it was definitely the right decision in terms of maintaining my life. They didn't suggest to me that there was an alternative. They said you must have this removed. 'And as I've been going back, I don't seem to have a problem at this point.' Musk cancelled a planned overseas trip and had the operation in July 2024, around the time then-presidential hopeful Donald Trump faced an assassination attempt and his son Elon first endorsed him. Musk admits he didn't know much about cancer. He added: 'I must say, even though I was 77 at the time, I'd really little knowledge of cancer. 'I really didn't know what cancer was. And even though I thought I did through the years, you know, picking it up, I think we sort of avoid it, avoid learning about it. And then when I started learning about it, then I started to realise 'Oh, it's simply the body shutting down certain organs with cells that do not function. 'I'm glad that I was advised to go for the checkup. In fact, I didn't have to. I was advised by the cardiologist to go and see a urologist. And I did. 'There are many times, perhaps in the past, when I think possibly, I've been advised to go and see somebody about something. But people don't do it. 'But these days, it's easier to have tests and checkups than it's been for a long time.' Errol is now encouraging men to get a DNA test early to see if they have a genetic pre-disposition to developing prostate cancer, which can then lead to getting a Prostate-Specific Antigen test to identify if they do have it. DNA testing for prostate cancer can be either germline testing (looking for inherited mutations) or tumour testing (examining changes within the cancer cells). Prostate cancers are linked to inherited genetic mutations, and testing can help determine if an individual has an increased risk due to a family history of prostate cancer or other related cancers. DNA testing can help identify individuals at high risk of prostate cancer, guide treatment decisions and provide information to relatives who may also be at risk. Some examples of genetic tests used in prostate cancer include those that analyse mutations in genes like BRCA1 and BRCA2. BRCA1 is the gene Angelina Jolie tested, which led to her decision to have a double mastectomy. Lasarow asked Musk in the interview: 'If you had known earlier that a simple DNA test could give you an indication of your pre-disposition to prostate cancer, would that encourage you to test?' Musk replied: 'Of course, absolutely. In fact, I would have preferred not to lose my prostate. I would have preferred to have had a DNA test. And the DNA test would have led me to see a doctor earlier who would have said 'let's do this, this and this', and that would have been the end of any potential cancer of the prostate. 'That would be far, far better for me, because there are quite a few downs having lost your prostate. Very few people would even be aware that there's a possibility of having these DNA tests. And my last experience with DNA tests is they cost $100 so. It's so inexpensive now that not to have a DNA test is just plain silly.' Musk said his sons took the news of his cancer calmly whilst his daughters were more upset. He said: 'So with your sons, you'd be: 'Listen, I just need to tell you, I have been diagnosed with cancer of such and such an organ.' They'd reply: 'Okay, how bad is it? I'd say: 'Well, they say, I have to have the organ removed. 'Okay,' they say. 'Do you need any money? You say: 'No' and they say: 'Okay, keep us informed.' They presume that I would tell them if it's not looking too good, you know? 'So, it's a man thing. You know, the type of communication. 'People often ask me, you know, how often do I speak to Elon, for example, and I speak to him, but it's on WhatsApp or email, and sometimes by voice. 'If I were to phone Elon and say: 'I'm just calling to ask you how your week was,' you know, Elon would say to me 'Okay, dad, so you're telling me the cancers come back.' Men are different.' 'You tell your daughters by way of a slow introduction, over about three days. You sort of talk about the subject until they finally say: 'Why are you telling us this? Have you got something wrong?' 'You say, no, no, no, no, no. And then slowly, you know, by the third day you say 'Look, I have actually got to have a part of me removed' at which point you can't continue the conversation.' Errol Musk says he felt better three months after the operation to remove his prostate. Image: Supplied He added: 'For the first six weeks, I actually felt pretty awful. You feel no strength. Your body feels weak, your legs weak, you just feel old, and you don't feel very good. 'The doctor said to me it would take 12 months after the operation before I felt all right. 'But I started to feel ok after three months I'm much better now, and I'm looking forward to getting to the 12 months.' Musk now wants to help people live longer and fuller lives. 'I would imagine that it's not far away that we will start getting breakthroughs that will tell people that under certain correct circumstances, you could exceed 100 years, and in due course, the average lifespan might be 120 years. 'Bear in mind that before the First World War, the average lifespan of a European woman was 39 years. It's now nearly 85 years. So that's double and it's possible, with the improvements that are available, the discoveries that are being made and DNA testing, people will be able to live much longer and more productive lives,' Musk said. Musk has launched – where he plans to launch a future research project and a proactive testing system that focuses on longevity and screening for genetic predisposition to illnesses and conditions. 'I feel lucky to be alive and feel fortunate my tumour was caught early, while it was still treatable – but there are so many men who are not so fortunate. 'With one in eight men set to develop prostate cancer in their lifetime, it's vital we catch it early and get them the urgent treatment they need. 'I urge all Governments to introduce national screening programs so we can ensure men get diagnosed faster and catch the cancer before it develops,' Musk said. Errol was interviewed by Avi Lasarow, a UK-based South African entrepreneur, philanthropist and campaigner who has dedicated his life to improving the health and wellness of millions of people. Avi launched life sciences diagnostic firm DNAFit and became chief executive EMEA of Prenetics, which helped to provide Covid screening during the pandemic. According to Prostate Cancer UK, in the UK: Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men More than 50 000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year More than 12 000 men die from prostate cancer every year 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime Around 510 000 men are living with or after prostate cancer According to the American Cancer Society: Prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death in American men, behind only lung cancer. About 1 in 44 men will die of prostate cancer About 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime. But each man's risk of prostate cancer can vary, based on his age, race/ethnicity, and other factors Prostate cancer is more likely to develop in older men. About 6 in 10 prostate cancers are diagnosed in men who are 65 or older, and it is rare in men under 40. The average age of men when they are first diagnosed is about 67 Prostate cancer risk is also higher in African American men and in Caribbean men of African ancestry than in men of other races The American Cancer Society's estimates for prostate cancer in the United States for 2025 are: About 313 780 new cases of prostate cancer About 35 770 deaths from prostate cancer Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
