Veteran Table Tennis Player Ulhas Shirke has been conferred with Sportsnasha’s ‘Khel Seva’ award this year, for his contribution to the game of table tennis and overall service to sports. Sportsnasha is a website exclusively for the promotion of sports in Mumbai, began operation last year, with the initiative taken by enthusiastic people like Rajesh Deo, Shirish Deshpande & Chhaya Pawar. It was launched in a big way by former India Hockey Captain Dhanraj Pillay, who had himself contributed to the awards given to Young Sportspersons.
Veteran TT player Ulhas Shirke holding his award poses with Chhaya Pawar( director Sportsnasha), Rtn. Prafull Sharma( Rotary Dist. Governor), Shirish Deshpande(Director Sportsnasha) & Prof.Rajesh Deo( Director Sportsnasha) .Rtn.Nitin Vichare & Former test Cricketer Yajuvendra Singh standing behind.
Last week end Sportsnasha celebrated their first anniversary in a big way, with the support of Rotary Club of Mumbai, Parleshwar at the Prabodhankar Thackeray Sports Complex, Vile Parle, East. The two day Sports Carnival suitably titled ‘KhelDarpan’ comprised of lectures organized by well known speakers like Dr Manoj Bhatawdekar, Dr Sarita Davare, Shri Mahesh Vichare, Dr Tapan & on different subjects like Sports Psychology, Sports Nutrition, , Sports Journalism, Physiotherapy and other related topics to educate the young sportspersons and their parents.
Some exhibition matches were also arranged in table tennis, Shooting & carom , which also included the fine display of strokes by young TT Player Om Lotlikar, who plays with only one arm. Om had recently represented India at the Paralympics in China and is now in search of a job. He was also felicitated after his exhibition match with Mandar Hardikar. Om is a graduate and presently studying law.
Om Lotlikar
All the six awards were presented during the inaugural session. After the chief guest Rtn. Prafull Sharma District Governor(RI. Dist, 3141) presented the young sportsperson awards to Jyoti Dafle( Kabaddi), Mandar Hardikar( table tennis), Om Kubal( Shooting),Ojas Jadhav( Carrom) & Eshita Rewale( Gymnastics). The Khel Seva award was presented by directors of Sportsnasha Rajesh Deo, Shirish Deshpande & Chhaya Pawar to Ulhas Shirke, former national level Table Tennis Player, who made his successful comeback into competitive TT in the Veterans’ section last year.
KhelSeva Awardee Ulhas Shirke( centre) with recipients of Young Sportspersons award Om Kubal, Eshita Revale,Jyoti Dafale, Ojas Jadhav, & Mandar Hardikar along with Shirish(Aju) Deshpande,Rtn. Nitin Vichare,Rtn.Prafull Sharma( Chief Guest),Yajuvendra Singh ( Former test Cricketer), Chhaya Pawar & Prof. Rajesh Deo( Standing behind) .
The award was presented to him, in presence of Rtn.Prafull Sharma District Governor(RI. Dist, 3141), Mr. Ashok Panvalkar,Editor, Maharashtra Times, Mr. Yuajuvendra Singh , former India Test Cricketer & Mr. Nitin Vichare Prsident Rotary Club of Parleshwar, Mumbai. RJ Pankaj Athavale anchored the programmes in the Sports carnival, including the award ceremony. It was a display of good team work from Sportsnasha Volunteers.
Ulhas Shirke has not only excelled in the game of table tennis, but has also written a book ‘Fitness & Beyond’, online edition of which will be released soon. Being a certified fitness trainer, he has also done certification courses in Sports Medicine & Sports Nutrition n Supplements. Having trained several youngsters in fitness and TT , he has also offered his services as a Sports Commentator in different sports for DD-Sports and DD-Sahyadri channel in the past. At present, he is a freelance Journalist contributing on sports and entertainment .