The GSB Sabha Sports Club, located at Kreeda Mandir provides facilities for indoor games like Table Tennis, Carrom, Chess and outdoor games like Cricket, Basket Ball, Football and Volley Ball. It also provides for sports such as Gymnastics and Athletics, and conducts various activities & tournaments.
Tournaments & Activities
V. R. Shenoy Memorial Inter GSB Cricket Tournament
The Sabha’s Sports Club conducts the V. R. Shenoy Memorial Inter GSB Cricket Tournament every year since 2010.
Teams from all over Mumbai participate in this tournament, some of them are GSB Sabha Mumbai, GSB Seva, Mandal Sion, GSB Sabha, Andheri, GSB Sabha, Dombivili, GSB Sabha, Vasai, GSB Sabha Virar, GSB Sabha, Vashi, GSB Sabha, Kalyan, GSB Sabha, Mira Road, GSB Sabha, Mulund, GSB Sabha, Kurla and GSB Sabha, Khar Danda.
The matches are played with great enthusiasm with around 150 -200 people to witness the same.
- The limited over matches are played by hard tennis balls.
- The trophies and medals are sponsored by Shri Sunil Shenoy, USA, Son of late Shri V.R.Shenoy.
M. R. Pai Memorial Carrom Tournament for the Physically Challenged
The G.S.B. Sabha, Mumbai, holds annually M. R Pai Memorial Carrom Tournament for the Physically Challenged.
Since many years, the tournament was being sponsored by Bank of Baroda and was held under the auspices of the Mumbai District Carrom Association at the I. M. Pai Hall of GSBS Sports Club.
About 200 participants from various institutions for the welfare of the physically & mentally challenged participate in the tournament.
There are 5 Categories in which the tournament in conducted viz. Orthopedically Challenged, Wheel Chair, Mentally Challenged & Junior, Hearing Impaired and Women. 3 prizes are given in each category.
Lunch and refreshments are provided to all the participants for the day-long event which is thoroughly enjoyed by all.
Other Activities
A group of enthusiastic members play Volley Ball and cricket regularly on the Sabha’s ground. Schools and Colleges are given the ground for their annual sports at nominal reimbursement of cleaning charges so as to encourage sports activities. Our cricket team participates in the Kanga League Knock-out matches and cricket tournaments recognized by MCA.
Cricket coaching camp is conducted regularly on the Kreeda Mandir Grounds. H B Sports in tie up with the Sabha conducts this camp every year and it is been participated by many cricket enthusiastic children.
The Sabha’s Sports Club, in collaboration with HB’s Sports, offers coaching from certified coaches in the following disciplines on the Sports Club grounds:
- Cricket
- Volley Ball
- Foot Ball
- Kabaddi
- Athletics
Summer Coaching Camps are organized in which more than 250 participants enroll every year.
All enrolled cricket participants get to play one match a month. Besides, the GSB Premier League is conducted every year in which more than 200 players participate.
In the year 2018, the Sports Club has laid an Astro turf cricket pitch and also installed a bowling machine. These additions have proved great value in providing qualitative improvement to the activity.
History
Under the guidance of one of the earliest Presidents of the Sabha, Dr. S. S. Rau, a Sports Division for indoor as well as outdoor games was formed in the year 1941. The Sabha later embarked upon a plan to construct a Sports Pavilion near and around Matunga area. Largely due to the initiative of Shri K. P. Bhakta, one of our Past Presidents and with the good offices of the then Municipal Commissioner of Bombay, Shri P. R. Nayak, ICS, a plot of land was allotted to the Sabha.
After the allotment of the land, efforts to construct the Pavilion started. The Foundation Stone of this pavilion, named in memory of late Shri Sujir Gopal Nayak, was laid on 25.02.1955 by the Divine hands of H. H. Shrimad Dwarakanath Tirtha Shripad Vader Swamiji of Shree Samsthan Gokarna Parthagali Jeevottam Math. It was on 27.05.1956 that the said Kreeda Mandir was declared open in the Divine presence of H. H. Shrimad Satchidanand Saraswati Swamiji of Shree Kaivalya Math Samsthan.
The Original Kreeda Mandir built in 1956
The expansion and renovation project was taken up with the blessings of H. H. Shrimad Sudhindra Tirtha Swamiji of Shree Kashi Math Samsthan on 16.03.1978. The Committee of those years, led by Smt. Sanjivi Bhat, overcame several obstacles and hurdles and the renovated Pavilion, named as Sujir Gopal Nayak Memorial Kreeda Mandir, was inaugurated on 22.01.1984 by the doyen of Indian Cricket, Shri Sunil Gavaskar, in the distinguished presence of Shri D. M. Sukhtankar, the then Municipal Commissioner of Greater Bombay.
Renovation work was again undertaken in 2001 and the renovated Sports Pavilion was inaugurated on 18.11.2001 by Shri D.M Sukhtankar. Shri Madhav Mantri, former Test player, presided over the function.
Renovated Sports Pavilion opened on 18th November, 2001
Repairs and renovation were again undertaken in 2008-2009. The renovated Sports Pavilion was inaugurated by our ex-President, Smt. Sanjivi Bhat, during the Gudi Padva Programme held on 5th April, 2009.
The Sports pavilion and its adjoining ground are used for sports activities. The pavilion facilities are also given for bookings for functions. The Committee of 2018 undertook the next phase of infrastructure upgradation by making the ground floor I.M.Pai Hal of Sujir Gopal Nayak Memorial Kreeda Mandir air conditioned and carrying out major external and internal civil work.
Records reveal that, from 1956 itself, the Club provided facilities for indoor games like Table Tennis, Carrom, Chess and outdoor games like Cricket, Basket Ball and Volley Ball. It also provided for gymnastics under the able guidance of Shri M. G. Kamath who was then crowned as “MR. BOMBAY”.
The affiliation to Bombay Cricket Association in 1960-61 enabled the Club to participate in various official tournaments. It is to be noted that our Cricket team participated in Kanga League from ‘G’ Division and got regular promotions till it reached ‘C’ Division in 1971. However, for some years sports activities took a back-seat and the cricket team was also out of the Kanga League.
Revival of Sports Activites
Sports activities were revived under the Presidentship of Smt. Gita R Pai, especially during the Diamond Jubilee Celebrations of the Sabha in 1993-94.
In that year, two major sports events were organized, namely cricket coaching and conducting a district level carrom tournament, and these are continued to be held by the Sabha till date.