Lucknow ex-engineer set to ‘cross the bridge’ at Asiad

LUCKNOW:Retired chief engineer Arun Kumar Sinha, 67, is set to represent India in bridge competition in the August-September Asian Games in Jakarta (Indonesia).

Sinha, who retired from the public works department (PWD) in 2010, had expressed confidence of making it to the Asian Games while playing in the 3rd Asia Cup Bridge Championship in Goa earlier this month.

He will be a part of the 24-member Indian squad at Asian Games and Rita Choksi of Mumbai will be his partner in the mixed category. Six sets of medals will be at stake in the event.

“I started playing bridge seriously only after retirement as I hardly had time to enjoy my favourite game while in service. Since it is a mind game, it helped me a lot in planning my engineering work. Playing bridge is the best form of mental exercise and I enjoy it a lot,” Sinha said.

He said he learnt playing bridge from his father at a tender age of 8 in Arrah district of Bihar.

Though Sinha has been engaged by an organisation as a consultant, he manages to focus on the game.

“Even today, I hardly get time to practice. I read about it online and even play it online whenever I get time,” said Sinha

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I believe in an attacking game which is the secret of my success. I am looking for a podium finish and will try to ensure that the tricolour flies high at the Games ARUN KUMAR SINHA

while sitting in his office in Gomti Nagar area of Lucknow.

“It’s true that my wife never liked bridge but now she is happy that I will be playing for my country. One of my two sons loves playing bridge and I am happy that somebody in my family is carrying the legacy forward,” he said.

Sinha won the pairs event at an international tournament organised by HCL Technologies in 2016 in New Delhi. He finished runners-up in the national championship at Vishakapatnam in 2017. Prior to this, he won the title at an international tournament in Dubai in 2015 and secured high position in many events in a 12-day bridge tournament in France in 2016.

He said players from Japan, China and Pakistan would be tough challengers in the Jakarta Games and added that in mind games everything depends on the player’s state of mind.

“I believe in an attacking game which is the secret of my success. I am looking for a podium finish and will try to ensure that the tricolour flies high at the Games,” said Sinha.

He, however, added that atmosphere was not conducive for the sport to grow in the state as big events were not organised here.

“There is a lot of potential in the state and I believe more youngsters should take up the sport. The game has been introduced in the Asian Games after so many years and I hope it would be included in Olympics in future,” he added.