MUMBAI’S iconic Wankhede Stadium is a product of hurt feelings! Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) is celebrating 50 years of existence of the iconic Wankhede Stadium. But story behind the monument coming up in the commercial capital of the country is one for ages. It was ignited by a petty remark by Indian cricket legend Vijay Merchant, the then President of the Cricket Club of India (CCI) that owned the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai. Kundatai Vijaykar, elder daughter of Barrister Sheshrao Wankhede, after whom the stadium is named, shared the interesting story with ‘The Hitavada’. “Some MLAs of the State wanted to play a show match at the Brabourne Stadium.

 

They requested Baba (Bar Sheshrao K Wankhede), the then Speaker of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, to talk to Merchant to allow them to play a game over there. With a few of them, Baba went to meet Merchant and requested him for the venue. It was not a big thing but somehow Merchant did not allow. “When Merchant did not relent even after persistent requests, Baba told him that if he does not allow them to play, he will himself erect a new stadium in Mumbai. “Merchant not only laughed at the prospect but also said ‘You Ghati people can never do that’. In those times, the Gujaratis were more affluent and used to call Marathi people as Ghati (residents coming from the ghat areas near Bombay). Baba was hurt with the Ghati comment. He did not say anything and came back. But with a vow in the mind.

 

“He talked to the then Chief Minister Vasantrao Naik and requested him for a piece of land for a stadium. Naik was apprehensive to begin with but when he realised Baba was unwavering, he allotted the plot where the proposed stadium would come — a piece of land between the railway tracks and the Marine Drive adjacent to the sea. “Once the land was allotted, Baba did not look back. And in a record 13 months time, the stadium was ready,” said a beaming Kundatai. Bar Wankhede was a popular figure and as such he did not face much difficulty in realising his dream project. “Money was never an issue. Baba had been Finance and Industry Minister of Government of Maharashtra and had very close industrialist friends.

 

Not many know but he was also the founder President of Mumbai’s World Trade Centre. “The only thing that would slow down the construction process would have been the (un)availability of cement. It was rationed in those days. But Baba requested the Government of India for ex-factory cement and had his wish fulfilled. The stadium was ready in a record time,” the former first woman Mayor of Nagpur said. Kundatai shared how Bar Wankhede handled critics of the project. “There was a sports journalist with a big publication who was a big critic of the project. He used to say that the project is being rushed through and will not be strong. He also mentioned that on many occasions the fielders would have to fetch the ball from the railway lines to which Baba had challenged saying he would give Rs 10,000 to any batter who hit the ball that long.

 

Till date no ball has reached the railway tracks. “Another thing to be mentioned is that for four nights the suburban trains were stopped for construction of a bridge near the stadium. It has never happened in the history of Mumbai, even after that.” Kundatai said, there was another interesting story behind naming the stadium after Bar Wankhede himself. “The credit of giving it Baba’s name must go to Prof Chandgadkar (Madhukar Vinayak Chandgadkar), who was then Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). We treat ekshasti (61st birthday) as a very pious occasion. We had planned a big party in Nagpur. A couple of day prior to Baba’s birthday, Prof Chandgadkar convened a meeting in Mumbai and decided to give his name to the stadium. It was here in Nagpur during his birthday celebrations that the name was officially declared,” said a nostalgic Kundatai.

 

Despite the shabby treatment meted to him by Merchant, the Nagpur-born Bar Wankhede showed great magnanimity by offering him life membership. “Many people asked why he did so and Baba, who always had a knack of taking out positives from bitter events, said had it not been for that Ghati remark, this stadium would not have come up,” recalled Kundatai. “I wish MCA the very best and would have loved to be there in person but unfortunately I will not be attending the celebrations over there. My sister’s family, which resides in Mumbai, is attending the functions. We have seen many matches at the stadium and have a place reserved for the Wankhede family in the stadium,” Kundatai signed off.