Dalwinder Singh became the first Punjab-based tennis player to win the Indian Men’s National Tennis Championship, a trainee of Harvest Tennis Academy in village Jassowal-Kular, Ludhiana, Punjab, which is funded and run by Indo-Canadian Businessman Harvey Saran.
By R. Paul Dhillon
SURREY – Dalwinder Singh became the first Punjab-based tennis player to win the Indian Men’s National Tennis Championship, a trainee of Harvest Tennis Academy in village Jassowal-Kular, Ludhiana, Punjab, which is funded and run by Indo-Canadian Businessman Harvey Saran.
Dalwinder is the product of Saran’s Harvest Tennis Academy and trains with Coach Milos Pavlovic at Harvest Tennis Academy, Jassowal Ludhiana.
Harvest Campus is the brain child of Edmonton-based businessman Saran, who hails from this village. Saran runs this professional Junior Development and Advanced Programs for 100 boys and girls between the age group of 6-18 years in this world class tennis academy in the lush green environs of village Jassowal-Kular, Ludhiana, Punjab. The academy is the sole property of Saran who hails from this village and has given back to his hometown from his success in Canada.
“It is a struggle everyday for each one of these athletes who look for support from their family, society and the government. Lack of proper training facilities, coaches, gear and equipment add on to their malady even further. There is a whole lot of talent in Indian Villages. We need to tap into this resource, spot and develop these talents,” Saran said
Saran’s desire is that players from villages come up and are noticed in the international arena and win laurels for India.
Saran has invested more than $10 million in this academy, a venture which started with 3 clay courts for the children of the village who are given everything free, including the training, shoes, kit, rackets, education, tournament travel, as also diet.
There are total of about 50 number of children that are playing in the village and more are enrolling. The entire expenditure for this period is borne by the Academy.
Harvest Tennis academy has emerged as one of the finest tennis Academy in Asia and currently trains more than 90 from all over the world. It is only Academy in India which boasts of 3 foreign coaches in addition to very fine the domestic contingent of coaches, fitness trainers, and a physiotherapist.
Commenting on the results of Dalwinder Singh and Suraj Prabodh, Harshita Nagar, Director, Harvest Campus said that it is a matter of pride for the young Harvest Campus that one of the local talents, who was alien to the game of tennis till 2006 is the National Champion for the country.
Dalwinder, 21, born in Jassowal village never dreamt of playing tennis until Saran opened up Harvest Tennis Academy in the heart of Jassowal village in the year 2006. Dalwinder ranked 791 in world and 17 in India.
Players from this academy have shown excellent results, many of them are top ranked in India in various age groups. The academy is committed to polish these uncut diamonds of today into the tennis champions of tomorrow.
“We cannot expect good results until we provide players with the same kind of facilities as their counterparts across the globe get” says Saran.
Playing tennis since the age of 10, Dalwinder who is also former Fenesta Nationals U-18 Runner up, and is training under Milos Pavlovic, Director Tennis, with Gitesh Awasthi and Jaspinder Singh assisting Dalwinder in his hitting sessions. Dalwinder also helped Punjab to qualify for the National Games last year and won a hat-trick of AITA Men’s 50K, 1 Lakh and 2.5 Lakh in Banglore, Jassowal and Gawalior earlier this year.
All his tennis expenses which including training, travelling and equipment are borne by Saran, President of Harvest Tennis Academy. He has been supporting Dalwinder benevolently since his childhood and Dalwinder has capitalized on the blessings he has received. He is very passionate about tennis and is dedicated to follow the long road ahead which includes persistence and perseverance.
In the men’s final, Dalwinder Singh was razor sharp with his big game, that won repeated rounds of applause. Suraj Prabodh, who also trains with the same coach from Serbia, Milos Pavlovic, at the Harvest Academy in Jassowal, counter punched nicely, but conceded that he lacked the rhythm for a better fight. Men’s champion received Rs.300,000 while the runner-up were presented Rs.200,000.
Incidentally, it was a lot of joy for coach Milos Pavlovic of Serbia as both Dalwinder and Suraj train with him at the Harvest Academy in Jassowal. Two contrasting players making the centre in Ludhiana proud.
