12th Jan 2005: Mumbai team could not have a better name than what they got now – Marata Warriors. About 300 years before it’s Maratas, known for their valour, of Macedonian proportions, dare devilry and, significantly, guile war tactics, who conquered vast swathe of sprawling India. Historians assign the reasons for the fall of mighty Mughals, a Central Asian kingdom ruling India for about a century, to the rise of Maratas, whose energy and enterprise were symbolished singularly in the heroics of Shivaji Maharaj. Down south in Thanjavur to Gwalior in North, the Pune based Marata Kingdoms and Peshwa clans ruled the roost. Invincible in traditional warfare, they lost their might only to the British who were adept at modern warfare.

Maratas might well refer to a particular social group in the State of Maharashtra, whose province’s capital is Mumbai, but nevertheless once the question of fighting spirit in hockey comes, Mumbai stands head and shoulders above the rest. Like the Shivajian warfare methods, Mumbai teams are known for their tactical and technical advancements in sportsfields. Not just with players, it’s also with sports journalism. Historian Melvelle D’Mellow’s classic book ‘Portrait of Indian Sports’ gives the details how the first sport page in India was made in a news daily in Mumbai.

The likes of Balkrishan and his ilk may have run away with the pioneering status insofar as ‘Total Hockey’ is concerned, but its Mumbai based teams who have practiced — and continued to do so — total hockey to perfection. Mumbai won the Nationals in Gwalior adopting the same technique, under the tutelage of Cedri D’Souza in 1990. Teams of fame like Tata Sports Club, Air India and Mahindra and Mahindra played a flowing but controlled hockey and had won many followers wherever they played, irrespective of winning or losing. Unlike some Punjab teams, Mumbai teams are known for discipline, and character on and off the field.

Mumbai’s contribution to Sports in India is significant. Imagine Mumbai produced India’s first IOC member, Dorabjit Tata and consider the fact that India its representation in the IOC as early as 1920s, nearly 30 years before China and Korea entered the IOC area. Very fittingly, Dorabji’s one of the descendent Naval H. Tata ruled the IHF for 11 years starting from 1947. Half a dozen players from Mumbai were in the 1948 Olympic team which successfully retained the Olympics title for the fourth time in a row. Such has been the strength of hockey talent in the Commercial Capital of India. Bombay tournaments, Aga Khan and Bombay Gold Cups were in those days actual trail tournaments for the aspiring India prospects. 1964 Olympic captain would not have played Rome Olympics at all but for his heroics in the Aga Khan Gold Cup in 1960.

Being a business magnate and known for their philanthropic activities, hockey teams survived many financial hardships due to extraordinary efforts of Tatas. India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal was Tata’s friend and this relationship came in handy for getting grants from the Government to participate in the 1952 Olympics. Fittingly again, Tatas contributed in a big way for the Bombay Hockey Association to lay a synthetic turf at D Road premises. How much hockey is to their heart could be made out from the fact that Mrs. Tata presented every living Olympic hockey captains of India, a purse of Rs. 1 lac in March 2004 and before that sponsored the Holland test series at a reported cost of Rs. 1 crore. To commemorate the birth centenary of Naval H. Tata.

Another significance of Mumbai hockey is the veritable cosmopolitan culture. One can come across region and religion of all hues in every Bombay teams. Anglo Indians, who formed bulk of Men and women hockey field in the pre independent era were followed by Goans, Christians, Parsis, Southern migrants and name any group, a representation will be there.

The present Mumbai Warriors is perhaps the most balanced team in the PHL. But for Vikram Pillai’s untimely injury, the line would have been further stronger. It has the best forwards, if not the best forward line up, with both Jawad Kashif (Pak) and ever green Dhanraj Pillay. In the midfield, the duo of Viren Rasquinha , whom a weekly recently hailed as one of the top 20 Indian youngsters who would do India proud in the years to come by, and Md. Saqlain (Pak) are fearsome. Bombay Warrior has the best goalkeeper in India, Adrian D’Souza. One thing is certain about these Warriors. They never give up and their game will be a delight for the spectators.

If they win the PHL that will be fitting tribute to Naval H. Tata whose birth centenary is being celebrated in India nowadays.

For the rivals, a word of caution — Be wary of these warriors, they have men and materials to accomplish a mission.