|
Maharashtra
Hockey Association
The Pune hockey league is now a vibrant one,
it starts in November and ends in March. Enthusiasm
for the game in the city can be gauged by the
fact that though it has only one polygrass stadium,
it has more than 40 clubs. The city may lack the
infrastructure to play the game, but many of its
youngsters dream of becoming the Pillais of tomorrow.
Pune has produced one of the most prolific forwards
of the game, Dhanraj Pillai. Pillai played his
early games in Khadki, a suburb of Pune. Today
he has encouraged and helped a new young generation
of players to join the game.
SPORTING
SPORTS
Akhadas
 Wrestling
is undoubtedly one of India's oldest sports.Making
a valiant effort to keep this thrilling sport
alive are the 'akhadas' or 'Talims'. Pune has
long been associated with these traditional gymnasiums.
With the Swadeshi movement, the Talims aimed to
make Pune's young men strong and fit. The city
has a number of Akhadas. The oldest is more than
a hundred years old and is situated in Navi Peth,
off Tilak Road. The coaches (Vastads) in the Akhadas
are renowned and accomplished wrestlers. However,
in keeping with the times, Akhadas today are adopting
modern methods of physical fitness, and the existence
of the Akhadas is proof that traditions do not
die easily. Thank God for that! After all, one
can get a kick out of watching a bout of wrestling.
Horsing Around
 The
racing season brings in its wake a lot of excitement
for the die-hard racing enthusiasts. It is also
a brilliant social occasion to make a fashion
statement. Racing enthusiasts, including race
horse owners, trainers as well as jockeys (some
from as far as England) make a beeline to Pune
during the racing season. The Royal Western India
Turf Club has striven hard to promote the sport
and has regaled members with 'live' closed circuit
TV relays of races from Mumbai to Pune and vice
versa. The club has also worked relentlessly at
getting noted corporates to sponsor some of the
major racing events to enable the racing fraternity
to witness some spectacular races.
Pune also boasts of an all-weather track which
ensures uninterrupted racing during the entire
season. The champion stud farm in the country
is undoubtedly the city-based Poonawalla Stud
Farms, which have bred over 200 classic winners.
Horse racing held at the RWITC from July to October
every year is a great social leveller, with the
elite and the man on the street all in it together.
A sporting game indeed!
Water
Polo
Not many cities offer facilities for Water Polo.
The Deccan Gymkhana Club is the only club that
offers the game. The Tilak tank is the swimming
pool managed by this club. Water Polo teams consist
of a total of 13 players. At a time, only 7 play,
while the rest are substitutes. The club has a
pretty big roster of about 20 players who are
full time Deccan Gymkhana players.
|
