Aadhar Pratisthan organised a children’s football tournament to help save the Colaba backgarden from redevelopment.
The Colaba backgarden has been the hub for South Mumbai and Indian football, it has produced top Club, National & International football players like International player Mr Bandya Kakade to the recent youth International player Harshad Meher, it is also home to FIFA referee Walter Pereira .
The garden is a grass root training facility for schools such as Campion, St Annes, Fort Convent, Holy Name, Scholar, Colaba Municipal School as well as some clubs the famous one being PIFA Colaba FC. It is place for children to come together, socialise and enjoy their play time in a safe and healthy environment.
The Colaba Junior Football Championship tournament which was supported by PIFA Colaba FC had over 1000 children either to participate or watch these 32 matches. Thirty two teams had registered for the 9 a side knock out format tournament. The sole purpose of this tournament was to bring about awareness of the potential threat of plans to build a swimming pool and parking lot in the only public football garden in Colaba area.
The final match was played between PIFA Colaba FC and Oscar Foundation had dignitaries such as Mr Bandiya Kakade, Mr Souter Vaz (WIFA – Hon Sec), Mr Surinder Karkera (Founder of Bipin Memorial), Mr Akhil Ansari, Mr Faroukh Ahmed, Arshad Hussain and Shabbirbhai all football personalities.
PIFA Colaba FC won the tournament beating Oscar Foundation 2-0. Campion lifted the third place.
Pratamesh Kasare from PIFA Colaba team was adjudged the Best Player of the tournament, he won a cycle. The other winners were Rahul Pandey – Best Defender, Akash Jadhav – Best Striker, Arjun Mehra – Best Midfielder, Virdhan Chavan – best Goal Keeper, all of them won a mobile phone.
Mr Krishan Pawle, President of Aadhar Pratistan and the organiser of the Colaba Junior Football Championship 2011 had this to say “The Colaba back garden is a community football centre for developing and nurturing young football players, many of them go onto play for the state and country and many make a livelihood playing for clubs. It is the only public football ground in the Colaba area, we have to save the Colaba back garden”
Phoenix Sports & Leisure Group (PSL) a division of Imkemex kicked off the Junior Football Champions - the first professional league for children 5-12 years at the Western Railway Ground in Mumbai.
