Still some time for cue sports to make cut for Olympics: Sethi

In the city to participate in city's biggest ever snooker meet, Kolkata Open Invitational Championship, the veteran said, "It's still a long way to go. But we have made a confederation of all the bodies for this purpose of taking the sport to the Olympics."

Sethi also felt sad on the news that cuesport has been dropped from the next Asian Games to be held in Incheon in 2014.

The veteran cueist was of the view that India had been a dominant force in cuesport.

"India's is doing pretty good in cuesport. Four five days ago, Aditya Mehta and Pankaj Advani finished 1-2 at the Asian Snooker Championship in Doha. We are well off here," he said referring to Mehta's win over Advani in the final.

"India have no dearth of talent in cuesports. There is a seamless transformation from one generation to other. We are lucky that way," he said hoping that the championship would revive the youth's interest in this part.

President of the Billiards and Snooker Federation of India Capt P V K Mohan meanwhile said they were soon bringing an international pro-snooker championship for the first time in India.

"We are yet to decide on the venue. It can be Kolkata as well. But it will be a first of its kind in India," he said.

Inaugurating the event, sports minister Madan Mitra said he would bring an international-level tournament by the month of December.

The tournament will be played in two categories -- main draw with 12 teams in four groups and the Pro-Am with 12 teams in four groups with each team comprising a professional and an amateur player.

The winner in the main draw will be richer by INR 1 lakh.