SWAT calendar released in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: The Sports Writers Association of Telangana (SWAT) 2018 calendar was released by Prof K Ranga Rao, President, Olympic Association of Telangana (OAT) and SR Prem Raj, Secretary, at the Telangana Athletic Association office, Lal Bahadur Stadium here on Wednesday.

The six-page multi-colour almanac has some dates highlighted in each month with a ‘Nostalgia’ section alongside explaining their significance. They chronicle the births, deaths or achievements of Olympians and international sportspersons from the hitherto undivided state of Andhra Pradesh.

Major milestones include VVS Laxman’s 281 against Australia (March 15, 2001), Karnam Malleswari becoming the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal in the Sydney Games (September 19, 2000) and Mohd Azharuddin’s debut (December 31, 1984) that led to a record-breaking three consecutive centuries.

Famous luminaries from State are Mohd Zulfakaruddin (February 7, 1936), youngest member of the Indian football team that finished fourth in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, who shares his birthday with Kidambi Srikanth from Ravulapalem, the fourth shuttler ever to win four super series titles in a year (2017).

Shiv Prakash (SP) Misra, member of the national squad that first reached the Davis Cup final against Australia in 1966 was born on February 24, 1942, while India’s first ever ‘super sub’ Y. Venugopal Rao arrived two days later in 1982. Triple Olympian N Mukesh Kumar was born on April 16, 1970 while India’s former basketball captain Mohd. Rizwan was born on April 23.

London Olympics bronze medallist Gagan Narang was born on May 6, badminton star Pusarla Venkata Sindhu (September 5, 1995), Syed Abid Ali (September 9, 1941) and All England badminton champion Pullela Gopichand (November 16, 1973).