{image-carrom tournament jpg_15122007.jpg news.oneindia.in}
Kolkata, Dec 15: The 15th All India Federation Cup Carrom Tournament, 2007-08, will be held at Hooghly district in West Bengal from December 25.

Carrom Association of Bengal general secretary Md Abul Hasnat, in a release issued here today, stated that more than 450 competitors from 29 states and 16 instituions, including Banks, Railways and Air India, were expected to participate in both the singles and doubles categories of the men's and women's tournaments to be held at the Hooghly Institute of Technology in Pipulpati.

He added that International level players, including Arjuna Awardee Antony Maria Irudayam, Radhakrishnan, R Arokiaraj, R M Shankara, M Natraj, Yogesh Pardesi, D Kubendra Babu, Dilesh Kedekar, M Madhop Singh, Rashmi Kumari, S Apoorva, P Nirmala, Ayesha Mohammad and I Illavazghi, will participate in both the doubles and singles competitions.

Presently, the Maharastra and Tamil Nadu players dominate in the Indian team, but they are likely to face tough compeltition from the local competitors in the tournament, which has been organised for the first time in a district of West Bengal.

The winners of the tournament will get the opportunity to represent India at the World cup to be held in France next year.

Altogeter 70 Umpires, including 35 from other states, will preside over the competitions, the general secretary said.

The total budget for organising the championship had been earmarked at around Rs 11 lakh, Mr Hasnat stated.

UNI