Young turks off to US

Twenty-nine budding athletes from around the country were awarded IMG Reliance scholarships by Nita Ambani on Saturday at the Dhirubhai Ambani International School. Children with potential in tennis, basketball and football were chosen for the programme.

Five tennis players, eight basketball players and 16 footballers made the cut after trials and will be coached at Bradenton, Florida, for a year. Maharashtra will have one representative in Nandini Das. The 11-year old was awarded a tennis scholarship. The chosen students will be leaving for Florida on the 16th of this month.

Scholarship winners

Football: A Singh, G Singh, H Singh, M Singh (All Punjab), A Deory (Assam), A Kaithara (Kerala), HJ Nellikkavil (Kerala), JS Maibam (Chandigarh), Lalrammuana (Mizoram), MS Dhot (Chandigarh), MS Mendes (Goa), N Jyal (Uttarkhand), S Mukhi (Uttarkhand), S Bhattacharjee (WB), U Rai (Delhi), Vanlalduatsanga (Mizoram); Basketball: A Jain (MP), B Sonkar (UP), DK Mishra, K Akula, P Ambastha, S Kumar (All Chattisgarh), SS Bhamara (Punjab), Soumya Babbar (Delhi); Tennis: B Khuma, O Singh, RS Bisht (All Delhi), N Das (Maharashtra),  S Sangwan (Chandigarh)