Cue sports promotion in Om Agarwal''s memory

Mumbai, Feb 14 (PTI) In the memory of former IBSF worldsnooker champion Om Agarwal, who died young, his youngerbrother Arun has started an initiative to take cue sports toevery nook and corner of Maharashtra with the launch of the OB Agarwal Billiards and Snooker Promotional Series.

Organised by CueCircuit, under the supervision of theBilliards and Snooker Association of Maharashtra headed byformer world billiards champion Michael Ferreira, the serieswill see 18 tournaments being held for the second rung playersin Mumbai and Pune over the next one year.

The first series is all set to held at the BombayGymkhana from February 22-March 1 featuring 20 players,including a woman representative Arantxa Sanchis and a junior,it was announced at a media conference here.

At the end of 18 tournaments, the top 28 ranked playerswould get an opportunity to play with eight top Indianplayers, including Asian Games billiards gold medallist PankajAdvani, in February 2012.

"Each gymkhana/club conducting the various tournaments inthe series would also contribute Rs 50,000," said Arun.

Ferreira said the Maharashtra body would forward thedetails of the series to the national billiards and snookerassociation for them to carry the idea forward.

CueCircuit, a body of cue sports enthusiasts includesArun, former Asian Games gold medal winner Ashok Shandilya,Ferreira, Subash Agrawal, Yasin Merchant and Devendra Joshi.

"The body has also decided to encourage billiards andsnooker among school children also," said Arun.

"We would conduct coaching clinics for schools and forother players," he added.