Not much khel at Khelo India for some

By Rahul Banerji, Camp Pune

For the last 10 days, this writer has been parked in Pune, Maharashtra’s cultural and tech hub, on assignment for the Khelo India youth sports extravaganza.

Six thousand-plus athletes, 1,800 support staff and close to a thousand technical officials have descended on the city for the two-week event that ends this Sunday and it has been a hectic 11 days here.

Golf, however, continues undisturbed with two legs of the Mercedes Trophy held at the nearby Oxford Golf Resort, the Professional Golf Tour of India’s qualifying tournament is in its final stage and the Women’s Golf Association of India’s tour is on just down the road at the Poona Club’s golf course.

Elsewhere, the PGA Tour’s first event of 2019 in Hawaii saw Matt Kuchar win his second tournament in three starts and the European Tour has just got rolling in Abu Dhabi with the HSBC Championship where Shane Lowry blasted 10 birdies in an error-free round on the first day.

Be that as it may, part attention has been on Khelo India and its happenings sice the first day. Presented here is a selection of dispatches mainly on the scenes behind the scenes, on the people who are never seen, but without whom no event worth its name can succeed.

But, golf for me, at the moment? Nada. Zip. Zilch!

Kitchens create happy campers and satisfied champs

As the Games roll on, kitchen staff have been working at breakneck speed and almost around the clock at the three dedicated locations to make sure the athletes and the hundreds of officials and guests who have descended on Mahlunge-Balewadi are well fed and happy.

To keep this mammoth exercise rolling smoothly, 60 chefs, 200 kitchen helpers and over 200 catering staff have been toiling away. “Things have settled down now, but by and large it has gone very smoothly,” said Gautam Chheda, the man responsible for getting fresh, nutritious food to the athletes, and on time, said.

Finding talent is key component of SAI’s plans at Khelo India

Ever since the Games were flagged off, teams of talent spotters have been at work at the various venues. They have been brought in by the Sports Authority of India in relays to track performances in their assigned events and present a short list of those found worthy of following on a long terms basis.

One of the stated aims of the programme is to use the Youth Games as a resource base. With the government having set up the Target Olympics scheme, the Youth Games are being looked at as a feeder for the larger pool that is looking at the Tokyo Games and beyond.

Says A.K. Bansal, head of the Sports Authority of India’s talent identification programme and the man in charge of the spotters at work here, “Our target is to find 495 prospects from these Games.”

They keep the Games wheels in motion

The task of making sure 6,000-plus athletes and more than a couple of thousand officials and volunteers get from widespread accommodation clusters on time to and from the various KIYG 2019 venues in Mhalunge-Balewadi, Khadakvasla, Mundhwa and others is one that can test the coolest head.

Add to the mix over 280 vehicles, 300-plus drivers and almost 500 support staff to keep this enterprise running, and you realize that Vijay Santan, in normal times the District Sports Officer of Pune, has his hands full 24/7.

Not that it is apparent as Santan downplays the size of his task with a wave of his hand. “We had been preparing for the Games for some time so there were quite a few systems in place by the end of last week itself. Of course, it would have helped if the decision to base the Games here in Pune had been taken a bit earlier, but we are managing well enough,” he explains.

And now, back to the golf!

Bhullar best Indian on opening day

Gaganjeet Bhullar was the best Indian on show on day one of the $3 million Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship at with a two-under 70 even as Irishman Lowry carded a course-record equaling 62 to take a three-shot lead.

Bhullar, back on the European Tour with after his win at the Fiji International, had five birdies against three bogeys for shared 38^th place, eight behind Lowry. Shubhankar Sharma had a level par 72, with two birdies and two bogeys for tied 79^th place.

Two-time Indian Open winner S,S.P. Chawrasia went three-over 75 and will need a good second day to stay on for the weekend.

Lowry takes a three-shot lead into the second round after becoming the first man to match Henrik Stenson’s 13-year old record after firing ten birdies and no bogeys at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club.

Louis Oosthuizen, Richard Sterne and Mike Lorenzo-Vera were tied for second with Pablo Larrazábal alongside them on seven under par after the Spaniard hit a stunning eagle, six birdies and one bogey in his first round.

Also read: DSport to telecast marquee European Tour events in India