The Hitavada: Hockey Lighting up the social life

Paritosh Bramnick

THE year was 1994. It was that time when Sadar was a fort of hockey in Nagpur. At dusk, a bright glow would attract over thousands to the ground near Kasturba library. No invitations, all would come voluntary like a happy function in the family. Every inch of the sidelines of the makeshift hockey field would be full with 2000-odd fans. The Ganesh Siriah memorial six-a-side hockey tournament under lights was a celebration of the national game and brotherhood.

The tournament was a tribute to late Siriah, a former player-cum-coach, by Sadar-based hockey players. The summer event was a result of sheer passion and devotion of these players from Accountant General and Central Excise office.

“We used to return from office at around 6.30-7.00 in the evening. Those days mobile phones was still a dream. Yet, without intimation, everybody would reach the venue for preparation. There was no time to go home. Preparations would continue till late night, sometimes till 4 am. But nobody complained. It was our event.,” recalled Pervez Qureshi while talking to ‘The Hitavada’.

Everything related to the meet was indigenous. Special white ‘murrum’ used to be re-laid on the makeshift 40m x 20m playfield. The goal-posts too would be smaller than the normal one. The four corners would have light towers erected. And all this would be borne by the game’s lovers.“We used to visit construction sites in search of white murrum. Truckloads of mud would be spread on the field,” said Qureshi, who works with Accountant General (AG) Office and is goal-keeper of AGRC team.

The tournament was not only for players. It was a sort of get-together for family members too. Families used to throng the venue and spend time enjoying the game.“Be it a player or a friend or a family member. Everyone would stay back till late night. There was no time barrier from local authorities as well as from family members. Hence, matches used to continue till midnight,” said Satish Fulsunge, who works with Central Excise.The tournament was a huge hit. Teams not only from Nagpur, but from other parts of Vidarbha and Madhya Pradesh too were regular participants.

“Teams from Amravati, Bhandara, Wardha used to take part in the tournament apart from Madhya Pradesh. Bhilai Steel Plant too participated once. It was a league-cum-knock-out tournament and teams used to play around three to four matches,” Anil Daral, AG officer who was also instrumental in organising the tournament, recollected.

“We got a lot of help from the then Sadar corporator Sunil Agrawal. He helped us in getting electricity. Watering the ground was a big hurdle. But Mr Bundiwal offered water from his own boring well for all three years,” informed Qureshi, adding, “Kanchu Rajput of Rajput Restaurant used to provide drinks and snacks to players.”

The players bore the expenses first year. But after that sponsors and well wishers extended their help.“In the first year, it took around Rs 1,00,000 to organise the tournament. We all gave it from our pockets. But second year was different. Sponsors and well-wishers came forward on their own.

“The tournament became such a hit that one year, candidates contesting NMC elections made organising the tournament as a part of their manifesto,” Fulsunge said. Apart from Daral, Qureshi and Fulsunge, the other pillars of this tournament were Vivek Siriah, Kuldeep Reddy, Ravi James and Anil Fulsunge.With passage of time the cost of organising too went up. The third year was too costly. Around Rs 4,00,000 were spent and it became difficult to arrange funds.

The tournament saw an abrupt end due to unavoidable circumstances. The social get-together, too, lost to changing lifestyles.

One among the dreamers, Anil Fulsunge, passed away last year. His brother, Satish, re-started the six-a-side floodlit meet in his memory at VHA ground. Though the tournament is not held at Sadar, it has definitely rekindled old memories.
The only thing missing is the family atmosphere.