Raman pulls out

CHENNAI, JULY 29. Former national champion and currently India number three, S. Raman has pulled out of the East Zone table tennis championship, starting in Kolkata on Tuesday, the seasons first major fixture and the National Inter-Institution championship thereafter following a bereavement in the family.

A manager in IOC, Raman, was to leave for Kolkata tonight but then came the news of the death of his elder brother in a car accident in U.S. Raman has informed the TTFI General Secretary, Mr. M.C. Chouhan of his inability to be away from his parents at this hour and also for some time to come. ``In all probability I will be out of action for the next one or two months. I will decide my future plans thereafter'', he said.

A versatile left-hander, Raman, who lost in the semi final in the last national, has been a distinguished member of the Indian national team for some years now but may not serve the country this time in the forthcoming SAF games, slated in Islamabad in October-November.

Raman, who is bound to lose lot of points by not competing in the various zonals and open tournaments to come, is however confident that he would be able to make a come back at a later date.

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Section  : Sport
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