`Billiards and snooker may attain Olympic status’

Q: How many hours do you practice?
A: I used to practice for 8 to 12 hours a day. Now I don’t find that muchtime due to other commitments but still manage to squeeze in a few hours.

Q: How many hours of practice do you suggest for buddingyoungsters?>
A: (spontaneously shoots back) All their waking hours. (smiles)
Q: Your opinion about the future of the game in India.
A: Thanks to the marketing and commercialisation of the game, the popularityof the game rose many folds in the last few years. The mushrooming poolparlours in every city are a boon to the game. At least, ten percent ofthese pool players, go on to take-up billiards and snooker.

Q: Future of the game in its march towards Olympic status.
A: It was included in the Asian Games and was supposed to be a demonstrationsport at Sydney Olympics. However, despite lobbying by Asian and Europeancountries, cue sport was dropped. IOC has to take a decision and since morethan 70 countries play the green baize game, may be, by 2008 it will attainOlympic status.

Q: How do you plan to promote the game?
A: The game has given me so much, besides the joy and pleasure. Now we havenew space available: the internet. Its a very good medium to give backsomething to the sport and so along with Chirag (former player) and anotherfriend Baskaran, we have started kheladi.com, a complete sports portal.

Q: How do you envision kheladi.com’s role in the promotion of thegame?
A: The site is in an infant stage. Not even one month old. We have taken upthe title-sponsoring of this World under-21 Snooker Championship. Besidesevent management we would also promote players by providing coaching andsponsorship in the future.

Q: You have voiced concern regarding the poor administrative ways andlack of incentives for the players. Any other plans for the players?
A: Soon we will be starting a Kheladi Fund. We have a lot of incentives forthe browsers who register and in a few years even if half of our memberscontribute a rupee each, the fund will be able to sponsor and promote needyplayers.

Q: Finally, can you pick any talented youngster?
A: Pankaj Advani is only a teenager but he has enormous talent. If mouldedproperly for the next few years, he will go places.