Agra, Sep 15 - World Champion Pankaj Advani is the star attraction in the 76th National snooker and billiards championship that got underway here Monday.

Advani, Geet Sethi, Yasin Merchant, Aditya Mehta and Ashok Shandilya are among the more than 500 cueists participating in the tournament, the organisers said.

'Advani's presence will give a big boost for the game and it will add some excitement to the tournament,' Organising secretary Vivek Agarwal told IANS.

P.V.K. Mohan, president of Billiards and Snooker Federation of India (BSFI), said the sport is becoming increasingly popular in the country and corporates were coming forward in a big way to promote the game.

'There are two academies coming up in Hyderabad and Bangalore and those will be the world's first fully-equipped facilities.'

The federation is planning a cue masters' tournament on the lines of Indian Premier League, combining billiards, snooker and pool features.

The tournament will conclude Oct 4.