The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has announced plans to honour Sachin Tendulkar, Ajinkya Rahane and Madhav Mantri by naming designated lounges after the three former Mumbai cricketers at Wankhede Stadium. The decision was taken during the association's 87th Annual General Meeting on Friday.
The MCA also approved a Rs 500 crore subsidy corpus to support grassroots cricket across Mumbai over the next decade. Notably, the association made several other administrative decisions at the meeting, including the appointment of a new ombudsman and the election of members to its governing council.
Mumbai Cricket Association to Name Wankhede Lounges After Cricket Legends
The Mumbai Cricket Association decided to honour three prominent figures in Mumbai cricket by naming lounges or designated areas at Wankhede Stadium after Sachin Tendulkar, Ajinkya Rahane and the late Madhav Mantri.
Mantri, a former Mumbai captain and MCA president, represented India in four Tests. Tendulkar already has a stand named after him at Wankhede, while Rahane recently retired from professional cricket.
MCA president Ajinkya Naik confirmed the decision on the sidelines of the association's 87th Annual General Meeting. He also revealed that a three-member committee will identify the exact locations for the tributes.
"We have decided to allocate a designated lounge for them. So we have appointed a three-man committee to decide which area we can dedicate to them," Naik said.
MCA Approves Rs 500 Crore Corpus for Grassroots Cricket
The MCA also approved a Rs 500 crore corpus to support affiliated clubs and grassroots cricket across Mumbai. The association had previously allocated Rs 100 crore for the fund but has now significantly increased the planned corpus to provide greater long-term financial support.
Notably, the fund will support maidan clubs, schools and colleges, with the money expected to help cover equipment, player logistics, facility maintenance and other day-to-day requirements. The MCA plans to build the corpus over a 10-year period.
The money will remain in a fixed deposit, while the interest generated will be distributed among the affiliated clubs and institutions. The clubs will have the freedom to decide how they use the financial support.
"We won’t distribute 500 crores. It’s like an endowment fund. You keep this Rs 500 crore in a fixed deposit and from it, the interest gets distributed. So right now it’s 100 crores, so every year it will go up 40, 40, 40 crores and then in next 10 years it will be 500 crores," Naik explained.
MCA Appoints New Ombudsman and Approves Honour Wall
The MCA also made several administrative decisions during the AGM. Former Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court Amjad Sayed was appointed as the association's new ombudsman.
The association also approved plans for an honour wall at its premises to recognise people who have contributed to Mumbai cricket over the years. The initiative will include individuals from clubs and the MCA's office staff who have played a role in the development of the game in the city.
"From clubs, from office staff, everybody who has contributed in Mumbai cricket will be honoured in that wall," Naik stated.
The MCA's cricket committee will continue in its current form after receiving an extension. Raju Kulkarni will remain its president, with Sangita Katware and Preeti Dimri continuing as members.
The AGM also saw elections for two vacant governing council positions. Rajdip Gupta and Bharat Keni were declared elected unopposed.
Also read: Top 5 run-scorers in India vs Afghanistan T20Is: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli feature
from Cricket Addictor https://ift.tt/Ghta4sR
