Mumbai to host 2014 `Indian Open` snooker in October

After a successful inaugural season last year, India will continue to host the `Indian Open`, one of the annual ranking snooker event, this year in Mumbai between October 13-17, the Billiards and Snooker Federation of India (BSFI) announced today.

New Delhi: After a successful inaugural season last year, India will continue to host the `Indian Open`, one of the annual ranking snooker event, this year in Mumbai between October 13-17, the Billiards and Snooker Federation of India (BSFI) announced on Wednesday.

The event was hosted in the national capital with Chinese sensation Ding Junhui outplaying national hope Aditya Mehta in the title clash at the Le Meridien. On a day when a new set of office bearers were elected for the next four years with President Capt. CVK Mohan at the helm, it was also decided that the India`s only ranking snooker event will continue till at least 2018. The Indian Open will be followed by the IBSF World Snooker Championship in Bangalore between November 19-30. It is also an election year for the International Billiards and Snooker Federation (IBSF) and the polls will be held in Bangalore itself. Newly elected vice-president`s - Bholu Mehta, Rajan Khinvasra, K Ranjan and Kush Bhargava, secretary general - S Balasubramaniam and honorary treasurer MC Uthappa have chalked out big plans to make India a `cue sport` powerhouse of he world. The elected team also raised hopes of restoring the sanctity of traditional billiards in the country that has seen many greats like Michael Ferreira, Geet Sethi and current star Pankaj Advani. BSFI is also banking on national coach Manoj Kothari for nurturing new and upcoming talent and a national league is also ready to be launched for making cue sport a popular Indian game.