Father-son team

Father-son team"I like to play an attacking game,” says 10-year-old Arzan Var­achawala of Surat who reached the final in the Open Gujarat Major Ranking table tennis tournament in May 2004. Top spinning his way over the last few years, Arzan is currently seeded No 2 in the Boys Cadet (under 12) category, both for South Gujarat and Open Gujarat table tennis tournaments, says his father and coach Viraf, who obtained his NIS (National Institute of Sports) certification from the Sports Authority of India, standing second in his course, as per his sports profile. Arzan was also selected to play for Gujarat at the nationals and made it to the last 16 in the under 12 category, adds his father with pride.

Chosen the best player under 12 in South Gujarat table tennis tournaments for two successive years (2002 and 2003), Arzan has achieved prizes in nearly 15 finals, states his bio data. He has also performed creditably, despite being much young­er, in the under 14 sub junior category, declares Viraf who has been coach at the St Xavier’s School in Surat for the past 18 years. Twenty of his trainees have reached national level, he asserts, with two boys picking up gold and silver medals as well.

With progress depending substantially on facilities available, The Times of India, Ahmedabad of August 2, 2002 re­ported from Surat: "Local lad Arzan Varachawala did not sweat much to get past his city mate S. M. Dadawala... in a sub junior boys first round match at the third Open Gujarat Major Ranking table tennis tournament which got going at the multi-purpose hall of St Xavier’s High School... which accommodates six new Stag international tables and has excellent white lighting... The players, coaches and parents have all expressed their happiness over the playing conditions at the venue... and hoped it would be made a permanent location for state ranking tournaments in the future.” Arzan is a sixth standard student at the School who keeps up well with his studies, says his father, despite the two-four hours’ practice required, particularly at tournament time.

Viraf (above) and Arzan Varachawala: table tennis talents

Viraf also works as table tennis coach and sports-in-charge in the institutions run by the Surat Parsi Panchayat — Sir J. J. English and Gujarati medium schools and the Bai P. M. Patel Siganporwala English School. There is as yet no other Parsi youngster who has reached a substantial level, observes Viraf, though he is trying hard to develop the sport. Arzan’s budding talent has been recognized by the St Xavier’s School, Lions Club of Surat, the Surat Parsi Panchayat and the Surat Tennis Club.

Arzan has been lucky to have received training from well-known Indian coach Jayant Kumar Pusilal, states his father who spares no opportunity for his protégé’s "game improvement” in places like Bombay where Arzan has been twice selected "most promising young­ster” at the All-Parsis table tennis tournaments conducted in the city by the Federation of Zoroastrian Associations for Welfare and Culture (FOZAWAC). Sometimes opportunities are missed outside Surat, says Viraf, as work commitments preclude him from accompanying the youngster and the boy is too young to be sent alone. He will definitely play several more nationals, says Viraf, as Arzan voices his determination to continue with table tennis training.

Compiled by Hilla P. Guzder