Squash for Underprivileged at “Mind, Body & Game Connection”

Ms Satinder Bajwa, Mr Surinder Bajwa & their Coach with Squash-aspirants at Squash Court in Village Attawa, Chandigarh.

Jorawer Singh, Chandigarh, August 11, 2009: Khelshala, a non-profit squash coaching centre has brought shine in the tiny eyes of about two dozen underprivileged children of the city. Selected from Village Attawa & Bapudham Colony, these children will understand the intricacies of Squash, from none other than Satinder Pal Bajwa, manager and mentor of eight time world squash champion Jansher Khan and current director and head coach of squash at Harvard University.

Back to the roots after being 42 years away, today, Satinder, an NRI, was content to see operational, two state-of-the-art squash courts and a gymnasium carved out of a basement and first floor of a building at Attawa, using about INR 10 million. “This was all I had saved in my last 30 years”  adds Bajwa shyly.

“Khelshala would enable kids to develop by using what these sports offer in terms of educational and career opportunities, hoping to transform the lives of disadvantaged children, starting with one village a time” explains Bajwa, himself a squash entrepreneur with over twenty five years of experience as a player, coach and promoter of the game. As he may not be available full time for this project, his wife Surinder Bajwa will be managing “Mind Body & Game Connection” – the Khelshala.

Surinder Bajwa , a graduated with a degree in Psychology, after playing a key role in the success of Kidsquash Boston, USA, is all set to replicate a similar model at Chandigarh. “The response was awesome, with 100 children getting registered on the very first day” beamed Surinder with joy. Anish and Raman are part of the 7 people core team volunteering for popularizing Squash, a game expected to get Olympic recognition as early as August 13, when the International Olympic Committee meets to discuss the same.

Sharing her experiences of nineties she says “When over 25 of the participants at our Squash clinic in Mumbai, otherwise average students academically, got chance in international universities for having demonstrated good Squash-ability, we were both surprised as well as motivated to carry on ‘the mission-Squash’.”  With the two coaches, Rahul and Porus, on her side, Surinder is all excited about transforming the lives of disadvantaged children.