Kolkata, August 21: The sheer domination of Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB) paddlers in institutional events has been a long, old story told and retold several times. Nothing has changed in the past several years in spite of many other aspirants trying to challenge their domination. There is unlikely to be any change this year as the 42nd edition of the All-India Inter-Institutional Championships get underway at the Khudiram Indoor Stadium here from tomorrow.

Undoubtedly, PSPB players will go for yet another shot at the team titles in all the sections-men, women, Youth boys and Youth girls-where they have been given the pride of place. The three-day team events will see several others from institutions like the Railways and Airports Authority of India, Dena Bank, Air India, LIC, Audit and BSNL looking to unsettle the champions, if not unseat them.

But what will make the championships most intriguing is the contest that will brew between stalwart Achanta Sharath Kamal and reigning national champion Anthony Amalraj. For, the latter has not only been in the best form of his life throughout last season, but had also managed to puncture the pride of Sharath to a large extent.

First Amalraj wrested the institutional crown in the last edition at Burnpur and in a span of four months snatched the national title from Sharath. As if this was not enough, Amalraj defeated Sharath at the Olympic Qualifiers in Hong Kong earlier this year, making it three-in-a-row-the last defeat quelling a hat-trick of Olympic chances for Sharath, a rare honour that he was looking add to his resume.  

All these losses must be rankling in his mind and Sharath would want to avenge them. Moreover, with his world ranking at 73-he is the only Indian to be among top 100-Sharath possesses all the tricks in his bag to forget the past and look ahead despite the fact that Amalraj, who is ranked 152, has emerged as a constant threat in recent times.

Nevertheless, it won’t be easy for either of the two players who will be under immense pressure to overcome the degrees of difficulties one attempting to regain the crown, while the other trying to retain it. But both would be aware of the challenges coming from former national champions like Soumyadeep Roy, Subhajit Saha and youngsters G. Sathiyan and Olympian Soumyajit Ghosh, who will look cash in on his London Olympic experience.  

On the women’s side, it will be a big task for Manika Batra, the reigning champion, to repeat the performance of Burnpur. The national champion Poulami Ghatak will not only to want to add another title to her name but first and foremost avenge the loss she suffered her Manika’s hands. Then there are the likes of Kumaresan Shamini, Mouma Das, Madhurika Patkar and Olympian Ankita Das who will always be breathing down their necks.

With prize money coming into play in the singles event-men’s winner gets Rs. 75000 and women’s winner Rs 58,000-the singles battles will always be bitter.