The Hindu Business Line : Indian Gymkhana (Matunga) celebrates Platinum Jubilee

Mumbai, July 27 If you thought it was only the social and cultural life that attracted South Indians in Mumbai to the honeycomb called Matunga, think again. A little realised aspect of Matunga (known as the city’s Little Madras) is that it is also the sports centre for many.

When you talk of sports and South Indians in Mumbai, the only institution that readily comes to mind is the venerable Indian Gymkhana located at the heart of Matunga.

A sprawling 12,000 sq metres fenced area with a jogging track around the periphery as also floodlit basketball and lawn tennis courts greet visitors.

History

Indian Gymkhana (Matunga) Ltd has a glorious history spanning 75 years which makes it one of the oldest sporting institutions in the country. It is a one-stop, multi-resource sports complex with provision for a variety of sports and recreation facilities including cricket, lawn tennis, basketball, volleyball as also indoor games such as badminton, table tennis, chess and carrom.

Although cosmopolitan, the institution has traditionally had a large South Indian membership. The last seven decades and more have seen the gymkhana grow from strength to strength, expand facilities and become more socially relevant.

Memories

Interestingly, several leading artistes from the South (including M.K. Thyagaraja Bagawathar in 1945 and Kum Vaijayantimala) had performed for fund raising programmes of the gymkhana.

For this correspondent, the memories of the popular basketball tournament (Ramu Memorial) in the early 1970s that attracted talent from far and wide are still fresh. The floodlights, the crowds and the general cacophony around the ground still reverberate nostalgically.

Future plans

Indian Gymkhana is celebrating its Platinum Jubilee; by any reckoning a remarkable achievement for an institution. Talking to Business Line, the Gymkhana President, Mr Jayant Lapsia, said ambitious plans have been chalked out for th e future. These include building health club, swimming pool, a modern indoor gymnasium, billiards room and squash court.

Indian Gymkhana advances its social responsibility by helping conduct national paraplegic sports and supporting highly talented but financially needy young sportspersons,he said.

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