November 2023, Chennai: HCL, a leading global conglomerate, today announced the successful completion of the HCL 79th National Squash Championship, a seven-star national circuit tournament. Anahat Singh from Delhi defeated Tanvi Khanna from Delhi (Scores: 9-11, 11-4, ret) in the women’s category. Velavan Senthil Kumar from Tamil Nadu defeated Abhay Singh from Tamil Nadu in the men’s category (Scores: 12-10, 11-3,12-10). This is Velavan’s first national title.
The men’s category had 174 participants, while the women’s category featured 63 competitors, all vying for a total prize purse of INR 8.8 Lakhs. The top players from the Championship will also receive ranking points and will be included in the National ranking list in the relevant age group.
The Championship, which kick-started on November 17, was held at the Indian Squash & Triathlon Academy in Chennai. The HCL 79th National Squash Championship was held under the aegis of the Squash Rackets Federation of India (SRFI). It witnessed participation from 417 players from 26 states, competing across 11 categories (men, women, pro-coach, and masters in the age group of 35 to 70 years).
The Championship was played in a knock-out format across all categories. The details of the winners and runner-up are as follows:
| Category | DETAILS |
| Men over 70 | Runner- up: Kishan Lal from Maharashtra; Winner: Rajiv Reddy from Tamil Nadu (6thnational title) |
| Men over 65 | Runner -up: V Laxman from Tamil NaduWinner: Vijay Jaini from Haryana (it is his 4thnational title) |
| Men over 60 | Runner-up: Arun Rabindranath from KarnatakaWinner: Deepak Moolani from Maharashtra |
| Men over 55 | Runner-up: Inderjeet Singh from MaharashtraWinner: Saurabh Deokuliar from Karnataka (2ndnational title) |
| Men over 50 | Runner-up: Dalip Tripathi from West BengalWinner: Sanjay Rajpal from Karnataka |
| Men over 45 | Runner-up: Hemant Nadkarni from MaharashtraWinner: Stephane Galifi from Maharashtra |
| Men over 40 | Runner- up: Sanjay Pawar from MaharashtraWinner: Paul Ipe from Karnataka |
| Men over 35 | Runner-up: Arjun Agnihotri from Services Sports Control BoardWinner: Siddharth Suchde from Maharashtra |
| Pro-coach category | Runner-up: Dinesh from Tamil NaduWinner: Saurabh Kumar from Uttar Pradesh |
Sundar Mahalingam, President of Strategy at HCL Corporation and Shiv Nadar Foundation said, “I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all the players today. At HCL, Squash is making remarkable strides. Medals have been earned, and as we eagerly anticipate the 2028 Olympics, HCL is thrilled to be part of this journey, supporting the maximization of human potential. There’s truly no better way to showcase one’s talent than through such avenues. I’m excitedly looking forward to witnessing numerous upcoming squash matches, each a testament to the incredible talent within our sport.”
Cyrus Poncha, Secretary General, SRFI said, “We extend our heartiest congratulations to our new champions. Their outstandingdisplay of sportsmanship and skill exemplifies the pinnacle of squash talent. HCL has supported us over the past seven years for which we are very grateful. We are looking at HCL to continue their support, which will help further cultivate our country’s talented squash players.”
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