On December 1, Brig. Raj Manchanda, known as the “Old Fox” of Indian squash, died in Delhi. He was eighty. At Brar Square, Manchanda was cremated with military honors while in Delhi for a wedding. An Arjuna Awardee and six-time National champion, Manchanda was recognized for his extraordinary ability to outlast opponents and his unwavering perseverance. When he retired, he started coaching. One of his international achievements was placing fourth in the Jordanian Asian Championships in 1984.
“He was a dream father, but more of a friend.” “He never hurt anyone and enjoyed sharing his knowledge with young squash players,” said his daughter, Shibani, who competed at the national level alongside her younger brother, Anshul.
Manchanda worked as a consultant for Exhibition Industries in Delhi after leaving squash. Suneeta, his spouse, said: “It is a matter of pride for the family that two courts have been named after him at the National Defence Academy and Indian Military Academy.”
Manchanda was a prominent person known for his singing and composing abilities, as well as his kindness. “As a teenager, he once took his collection of trophies and requested the sports shop owner to sell them and use the money to help squash players,” Shibani recounted.
