M. I. G. Cricket Club

Overview
A strategic location for any activity wins half the battle for an organisation. The M. I. G. Cricket Club at Bandra (East) no doubt wins this battle easily, as it finds itself virtually at the centre of metropolitan Mumbai. But way back in the 1960s, Bandra (East) was a struggling suburb with hardly any facilities. Overcoming the difficulties of infrastructure and resources, the local sports enthusiasts started the 'M. I. G. Sports Club'. These enthusiastic founders had a vision of growth, and decided to accommodate the sportsmen from neighbouring colonies as well. Thus was born the M. I. G. Cricket Club in 1968. The guidelines for the Club's activities were provided by cricket lovers of M. I. G. Colony like Shri K. D. Potdar, Shri Raj Kaul, Shri V. M. Madge and Shri V. D. Suvarna, whose efforts, along with dedicated support from Shri P. N. Parsekar and other well-wishers, took the Club from strength to strength.

On 5 July 1981, a humble beginning was made when the cricketing legend Polly Umrigar laid the foundation stone of the first cricket pavilion of the Club. The Club's committee was then headed by stalwarts like Shri D. P. Tamhane, Shri S. D. Kotnis, Shri S. R. Venkatraman, Shri G. K. Kulkarni and Shri Pravin R. Barve. The Club, after its registration as a Public Trust in 1978, was turned into a smart recreation centre with a beautiful playground and attached pavilion with two air-conditioned dressing rooms. Later on, a permit room was added.

The Club management's dream of a sports complex turned into reality when the foundation stone of a new complex was laid on 16 May 1991 by none other than the cricketing legend, the sound opening batsman of the country, Shri Sunil Gavaskar, in the presence of the Hon'ble Mayor of Mumbai, Shri Divakar Raote, and many other dignitaries from all walks of life. In the very next year, in 1992, the Club acquired a proper cricketing playground of almost 14,000 sq mtrs. The M. I. G. Cricket Club is today counted amongst the top few cricketing destinations in the city and attracts a lot of young talent.

The Club has excellent indoor facilities which include a health club, badminton court, table tennis room, swimming pool, library, billiards and snooker facilities and a card room, besides relaxation, learning and entertainment avenues through programmes organised regularly. A country-wide reciprocal association with some of the best clubs and a rich mix of members active in sports, theatre, literature, economics, finance, films, politics, social work etc lends a unique charm to the M. I. G. Cricket Club of Bandra (East).

Adding to this charm are the excellent dining facilities and the bar 'Cloud 9', a popular venue for a quick drink as well as leisurely unwinding. Equally popular amongst members are the restaurant, coffee shop, the banqueting and conference halls and the guest rooms.