Aga Khan languishes in the nervous nineties

This year, Bombay Gymkhana had again warmed up to hold the annual carnival. Affiliation was obtained from the Bombay Hockey Association, and the tournament was scheduled from April 19 to 30. Sixteen of the best teams in the country had been sounded out. Even it were being held three years late, it was hyped as the centenary edition. Bharat Petroleum was to sponsor the event.

But thanks to a busy cricket schedule, the tournament has been shelved. The inter-gymkhana RFS Talyerkhan Memorial invitation cricket tournament, organised by Bombay Gymkhana’s cricket committee, willbe on at the gymkhana ground till April 2, to be followed by the Wills Merchant Cup. The gymkhana’s cricket schedule had been prepared much in advance, and it had to be honoured.

Since it would take the organisers nearly four weeks to prepare the ground for hockey, the Aga Khan Cup would have been pushed to the second week of May, forcing a clash with the cricket World Cup, starting on May 14. Scheduling an event like this with the World Cup would have been suicidal, as it would rob the promoters of publicity. No point taking a quick single to complete a century, and risk a run-out!

Sanjeev Saran Mehra, hockey secretary at Bombay Gymkhana, told The Indian Express the tournament was being postponed as they did not have enough time to prepare the ground. “After astroturf, playing on grass is not easy. We want to prepare a billiards top turf to ensure quality matches. It would take about four weeks to get such a turf ready,” he said. Mehra said they could not even think of holding the event at analternate venue, as the tournament was intimately linked with the gymkhana’s history.

Mehra added that they now hope to hold the event in November, after the monsoon. “We, at the gymkhana, want to give this event a kickstart, and ensure that it is held regularly. We also hope to invite a few foreign teams,” he said.

If Bombay Gymkhana succeeds in doing so, hockey fans in the city are sure to shower them with praises. The Aga Khan Challenge Cup was an event eagerly looked forward to in the past, with the best players in the country, and a few visiting teams like Pakistan International Airlines, on display. The Govindas, the Hassan Sardars, the Islauddins — all have dazzled with their stickwork here.

The jinx began in the 99th edition, which was not completed. The final, between Indian Airlines and Punjab Police, was called off after a disputed line call led to a free-for-all between the players of the two teams.

Attempts to hold the centenary in the past three years have been in vain. Findingsponsors for anything but cricket has been a nightmarish job, especially in times of recession.

Will the jinx lift soon?