Rohit Sharma’s school cricket nets razed days before Champions Trophy Final | Mumbai News – The Times of India
MUMBAI: While Rohit Sharma will lead India in the Champions Trophy final in Dubai on Sunday, cricketing activities at his alma mater — Swami Vivekanand International School, Gorai — have come to a standstill.
The ground where Rohit’s talent was nurtured is owned by state housing agency Mhada, which tore down the turf and football nets this week, saying the school was using the space to “commercial advantage”. The demolition was carried out on Wednesday and Thursday, report Bella Jaisinghani & Rajesh Pansare.
Nets at the school were run for the last 29 years by Dronacharya awardee Dinesh Lad, who is credited with spotting Rohit. School principal Amrita Verma denied its commercial use.
Labourers hired by Mhada escorted by cops carried out the job of dismantling the cricket nets at the Swami Vivekananda School (SVIS), Gorai this week, leaving the western suburbs deprived of vital sports infrastructure. Rohit Sharma’s cricket coach Dinesh Lad, who has been training students from small towns and villages at SVIS grounds free of cost since 29 years, said, “I requested Mhada officials to stop the demolition and give the school some time to resolve the issue, but they didn’t pay any heed to my request.”
A dejected Lad said, “This ground has nurtured nearly 100 champion cricketers. Now with the dismantling of this net, the demarcation of the football and cricket sections will be erased. The children will be unable to play.”
SVIS products include India all-rounder Shardul Thakur, Harmeet Singh, who played in the U-19 World Cup and now represents the US, and Siddhesh Lad, who played for India ‘A’. Lad said around 60 of his students currently used the facility for cricket practice while others played football. “While it (the action) hasn’t damaged our cricket pitches, the demolition carried out at the football turf will surely impact our cricketing activities. We used to conduct fielding drills on the turf.” Lad said the facility had started a schoolgirls team and begun coaching them a month ago, an arrangement which will have to be halted now as they used to practise on the turf. The bone of contention was the alleged commercial use of the plot by the school. However, principal Amrita Verma denied the charge, saying “There is no commercial use of the sports ground. Notice was issued long ago that our lease was expiring, but we have applied for renewal. Instead of waiting for the outcome, Mhada officers came during working hours when children were present to raze the turf.”
She said the demolition team brought gas cylinders and cutters to dismantle the poles and structures supporting the nets. “We tried to prevent them, saying there were hundreds of children on the premises. Moreover, our school is a centre for the ongoing SSC exams. What if a mishap were to occur during demolition, who would be responsible?”
However, Mhada vice chairman and chief officer of the Mumbai Board, Milind Borikar said, “There were a lot of complaints regarding the playground that was allotted only for the use of the school’s students. The school authorities had erected big nets and were commercially exploiting the space. That is against the rules of Mhada. In fact they were allowing outsiders to play and charging them a hefty fee. We gave adequate notice to the school but they remained adamant. So finally we had to undertake demolition.”
Principal Verma said disgruntled elements had complained to the authorities.
The ground where Rohit’s talent was nurtured is owned by state housing agency Mhada, which tore down the turf and football nets this week, saying the school was using the space to “commercial advantage”. The demolition was carried out on Wednesday and Thursday, report Bella Jaisinghani & Rajesh Pansare.
Nets at the school were run for the last 29 years by Dronacharya awardee Dinesh Lad, who is credited with spotting Rohit. School principal Amrita Verma denied its commercial use.
Labourers hired by Mhada escorted by cops carried out the job of dismantling the cricket nets at the Swami Vivekananda School (SVIS), Gorai this week, leaving the western suburbs deprived of vital sports infrastructure. Rohit Sharma’s cricket coach Dinesh Lad, who has been training students from small towns and villages at SVIS grounds free of cost since 29 years, said, “I requested Mhada officials to stop the demolition and give the school some time to resolve the issue, but they didn’t pay any heed to my request.”
A dejected Lad said, “This ground has nurtured nearly 100 champion cricketers. Now with the dismantling of this net, the demarcation of the football and cricket sections will be erased. The children will be unable to play.”
SVIS products include India all-rounder Shardul Thakur, Harmeet Singh, who played in the U-19 World Cup and now represents the US, and Siddhesh Lad, who played for India ‘A’. Lad said around 60 of his students currently used the facility for cricket practice while others played football. “While it (the action) hasn’t damaged our cricket pitches, the demolition carried out at the football turf will surely impact our cricketing activities. We used to conduct fielding drills on the turf.” Lad said the facility had started a schoolgirls team and begun coaching them a month ago, an arrangement which will have to be halted now as they used to practise on the turf. The bone of contention was the alleged commercial use of the plot by the school. However, principal Amrita Verma denied the charge, saying “There is no commercial use of the sports ground. Notice was issued long ago that our lease was expiring, but we have applied for renewal. Instead of waiting for the outcome, Mhada officers came during working hours when children were present to raze the turf.”
She said the demolition team brought gas cylinders and cutters to dismantle the poles and structures supporting the nets. “We tried to prevent them, saying there were hundreds of children on the premises. Moreover, our school is a centre for the ongoing SSC exams. What if a mishap were to occur during demolition, who would be responsible?”
However, Mhada vice chairman and chief officer of the Mumbai Board, Milind Borikar said, “There were a lot of complaints regarding the playground that was allotted only for the use of the school’s students. The school authorities had erected big nets and were commercially exploiting the space. That is against the rules of Mhada. In fact they were allowing outsiders to play and charging them a hefty fee. We gave adequate notice to the school but they remained adamant. So finally we had to undertake demolition.”
Principal Verma said disgruntled elements had complained to the authorities.
