14th All India Federation Cup Tournament

- Organised by the AICF

Arif Naqvi/SK Sharma (September 25, 2006):

The AICF conducted the 14th All India Federation Cup Carrom Tournament from 20th to 23rd September 2006 at Indore, Madhya Pradesh. In all 34 teams participated in this Tournament. It is a Ranking Tournament and is held every year. Four men players and four women players were invited from each unit. 230 men and women players, 40 umpires and about 50 managers & coaches participated in the tournament, making a total of 320 participants. They were provided free hospitality for 5 days i.e. high quality food, furnished hotel accommodation and local transport. All the participants enjoyed musical evening on 21st September 2006.

In all 345 matches were played. Competitions were very tough. Current women world champion, S. Appoorva lost to a girl from Manipur in the initial rounds. Indian No.1, Ravinder Goud, India No.3, Shashidharan and
India No.4, Dilesh Khedekar could not make it to the Quarter finals. Most of the matches, from pre-quarter
finals till finals were extended to three games.  Total 21 Slams were scored including one by a lady
player, Sangeeta Chandorkar. The women final between P. Nirmala and Rashmi Kumari proved to be a big
thriller and full of excitement. The match was extended to three games and the last board was played
when the score was tied up at 24-24. The men final also gave some exciting moments. In the 2nd game of
the final, played between M. Nataraj and D. Kubendra Babu, M. Nataraj pocketed 8 white c/m and queen and
missed the last c/m and the white slam but D. Kubendra Babu scored a black slam by pocketing all his black
c/m but could win only by one point, a rare thing.

The media coverage was wonderful. Many newspapers gave 2/3rd and half page coverage on the federation cup giving news, interviews of different players, photos and other information on the game. The event was also covered by many satellite channels.

Results:

Men Singles : 1st - M. Nataraj 2nd - D. Kubendra Babu 3rd - C. Bharati Dasan 4th- S. Shaktivel 5th -
Yogesh Pardeshi 6th - R. Arokiaraj 7th - R.M. Shankara 8th - E. Sunderavinayakam

Women Singles : 1st - P. Nirmala 2nd - Rashmi Kumari 3rd - I. Ilavazhaki 4th - Anuraju 5th - Sangeeta
Chandorkar 6th - Anupama Kedar 7th - V. Nagajyothi 8th - M. Parimala Devi.

Men Doubles : 1st - M. Nataraj & R.M. Shankara 2nd - B. Radhakrishnan & Shaktivel 3rd - D. Kubendra Babu &
C. Bharatidasan 4th - Dilesh Khedekar & Shashidharan

Women Doubles : Ayesha Mohd. & Preeti Bhatankar 2nd -Rashmi Kumari & Guriya Rani Singh 3rd - Anupama Kedar & Netra Chunekar 4th - Ch. Srenica & V. Nagajyothi

The prizes were given by Ministers of the Madhya Pradesh Government.