Get ready for the Mahindra-NBA recreational league

Here's great news if you are a baller in Ludhiana, Bangalore, or Mumbai. Or a fan of the NBA. Or capitalism. A day after BFI General Secretary Harish Sharma spoke to me about the possibility of a pro basketball league in India, the NBA and industrial conglomerate Mahindra Group announced a partnership to launch a new multi-city community-based recreational basketball league in those three cities.

The league will be called the Mahindra NBA Challenge, and will run for seven weeks every year in two divisions: Youth division - ages 14-17; Adult division - 18 and above. The league will comprise of co-ed teams. The Basketball Federation of India (BFI) will be working with the NBA to implement and oversee league operations.

The league will tip off on April 17th at the St. Dominic Savio and Mustan YMCA courts in Mumbai. Individuals and teams will be allowed to register beforehand by visiting the NBA-India website. Over the seven weeks, each team will play each other in one game a week (that's it?!), and the best teams will play in a "postseason" knock-out tournament at the end of the regular season in each city.

Here's more info and quotes from NBA.com/India:

The Mahindra NBA Challenge will provide basketball enthusiasts and newcomers to the game the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of the game and apply their skills in a fun, competitive environment.
“We are delighted to be partnering with the NBA to create a multi-city recreational league in India,” said Anand Mahindra, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, Mahindra Group. “In a cricket loving nation such as India, we feel it is important to encourage other sports as well and we believe basketball is perfectly suited to bring communities together and promote healthy, active lifestyles to Indian youth.”

“Mahindra is the perfect partner for the creation of a new recreational basketball league for Indian fans,” said NBA Commissioner David Stern. “The BFI, Mahindra and the NBA share a long-term commitment to growing the game in India and to using the values of our game to make a positive, lasting impact in Indian communities.”
“Basketball continues to grow in popularity across India and now youngsters in Bangalore, Ludhiana and Mumbai will have the opportunity to play in an organized league and further develop their skills,” said Harish Sharma, Secretary General of BFI. “The launch by Basketball Federation of India and the NBA of the Mahindra NBA Challenge is very exciting and will help accelerate the basketball development of Indian youngsters.”

What does it mean for basketball in India? Well, a mini-recreational league may not be the ideal solution for promoting love for basketball here, but at least it's a start. With the NBA lending its name, the league definitely has the backbone to create enough of an interested niche amongst fans and ballers.

What is more important is if the league is succesful in garnering media/fan/player attention, that the BFI continues with its plans to start official school/college leagues with more than 'recreational' incentive. These efforts will eventually pave the way for a pro basketball league in India that will replace the current service-team/tournament system.

On a side note: one of the three cities where this league will be launched is Ludhiana. Really? I've been to Ludhiana - my sister-in-law's from Ludhiana. It's alright, but was it really one of the three choices for an NBA-backed recreational basketball league? Not for basketball reasons, it wasn't - but Ludhiana does happen to have one of the fastest growing economies in the country. I'm not saying that there aren't basketball/NBA fans in Ludhiana - it is just less compared to a whole host of other (bigger) cities in India. Ludhiana is less of a basketball city and more of a Mercedes city (look it up - residents of 'Ludsville' are Merc-fiends). Forgive me if I now quote the Wu-Tang Clan to describe the real reason for NBA/Mahindra to look here: "Cash Rule Everything Around Me, C.R.E.A.M., Get the Money!"

Also, didn't anyone tell the NBA that Bangalore is now Bengaluru (still sounds wierd to me)? Someone release the Ram Sene on David Stern already!

In the end though, in India, any basketball news is good basketball news. I'm excited about this venture and hope that it spreads to more cities - New Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Chandigarh, and others.

BFI's Harish Sharma: "India could have a professional basketball league in three years!"

Sitting courtside at the NBA All Star Game at the Dallas Cowboys stadium in Arlington, Harish Sharma, the secretary general of the Basketball Federation of India (BFI), was more awestruck by the scenes off the court than the superstars on it. Off the court sat the biggest crowd to ever attend a basketball game – a mind-boggling, Guinness-Book-of-Records shattering 108,713 people.

That is more than 1 lakh, 8 thousand in Indian terms.

“I have never seen a crowd this big at a basketball game,” Sharma said, “It was amazing. I was happy and excited to see that basketball can draw such a huge number.”

The All Star Weekend in Dallas was just one of the many basketball-related activities that Sharma took part in during his eight-day tour of the US last month. Sharma represented Indian basketball as he traveled from city to city, watching players, meeting NBA officials, and plotting a future for basketball in India.

No, there is no chance that a crowd of over 1 lakh will show up for a basketball game in India anytime soon. Hell – that kind of crowd doesn’t even show up for NBA games – the All Star was only an exception. Nevertheless, Sharma was left moved and motivated – basketball has a future, in the USA, in India, and all around the world.


One of his most ambitious projects is, with the co-operation of the NBA, to begin a two or three city school and college league in India later this year, which would eventually lead to a full-scale professional basketball league in around three years time.

I finally caught up with Sharma yesterday for a brief interview. Basketball may still be a fringe sport in terms of national consciousness in India, but Sharma and the efforts of others in BFI ooze in confidence, promising a bright future for the game here.


Hoopistani: I know you attended the recently concluded Ramu Memorial Basketball Tournament in Mumbai – what were your thoughts on the level of basketball there?

Sharma: The level at Ramu was good, but a lot of other good teams and players were not able to participate. It was the offseason and the tournament was being held immediately after the National Basketball Championship. Still, I was satisfied by the improving talent of our basketball players.

Hoopistani: Let’s talk about your visit to the US. How long were you there for? What was on your agenda?

Sharma: I spent 8 days in the USA, from the 11th-18th of February. It was a busy trip, as I met several top-level officials of the NBA, including NBA commissioner David Stern. I attended the All Star Game in Dallas. I also got to meet [basketball coach and entrepreneur] JD Walsh, and discussed the George Mason University programme with the help of which we hope to send Indian coaches to get trained in America. I was in Tampa, Florida to observe other basketball systems, and even kept my eye on non-resident-Indians, the Bhullar brothers, play a game in Philadelphia.

Hoopistani: Speaking of JD, what do you think of his efforts and work with basketball in India?

Sharma: We totally support his work here. We open our arms to anyone who can come here and help Indian basketball.

Hoopistani: Now, the NBA has been increasing interest in India over the last few years, with programmes such as Basketball Without Borders that was held a few years ago and the launch of the new NBA-India website at the end of last year. What is the future of the NBA with India?

Sharma: The NBA have started a partnership with BFI, and we are looking to share a vision of basketball in India with them. We are seeking their help from them in developing basketball in the country in various ways. There will probably be a follow-up Basketball Without Borders programme very soon. One of our main agendas is to launch a pilot school and college city basketball league.

Hoopistani: Can you please tell me more about this project? When will it be launched?

Sharma: This school/college basketball league will be launched later this year in two or three cities in India. We are definitely looking for a school league in New Delhi and a college league in Chennai. We may increase the number of cities if the response to our request to the sponsors/marketing people requires it.
Hopefully we can come up with some good basketball in these leagues. The NBA is helping us to run this and make sure that we follow it in the correct way.

Hoopistani: What about professional leagues? Do you think we should have a basketball league in India that mirrors the NBA or the Indian Premier League (IPL) of Twenty-20 cricket?

Sharma: Absolutely! A professional basketball league in India is definitely our goal. That is why the school/college league will play the part of a nursery to develop more future basketball players. My trip to the USA was one of our efforts to learn about how to develop such a league in India. Give it maybe three years, and such a league could become a reality.

Hoopistani: One problem in India with basketball is getting enough sponsors to support the project. Do you think these proposed leagues would have the necessary support?

Sharma: Yes, sponsorship is always a hindrance for such projects – but we have the NBA’s support, and are working hard to get sponsors to help launch this league.

Hoopistani: How has basketball evolved in India over the last few decades, ever since you were a player? (Sharma was part of the Indian national team in the 70s, representing the country in tournaments such as the Youth Asian Championships and the Indo-German series).

Sharma: A lot has changed. Basketball is a lot more popular in India now. There is more basketball on TV, more players, more tournaments, and more schools are involved.
There will always be arguments between the old-school and new-school, and which is better, but there is no denying that the facilities are better now, the courts are better. There are more manufacturers producing basketball goods – I remember that as a player, we had to get our shorts get custom made by the tailors because we couldn’t find the right gear in the market!

Hoopistani: What do you see for the future in Indian basketball?

Sharma: India has progressed – we must dedicate a lot of effort into the game. India will very soon come into a big space in basketball. One of our main aims is to make sure our players are better rewarded. They deserve more for playing the game, and I’m sure that in the near future, there will be much better incentive and reward for Indian basketball players.
But players have to also understand their responsibility. The federation and sponsors may do all they can, but in the end, it all comes down to the performance of the players. Only their performance can really shape the future of Indian basketball – and I’m confident that they can do it!

Video: TJ Sahi vs. Yi Jianlian

You may have already heard of Talwainderjit Singh "TJ" Sahi. The 6'2" Punjab point guard is one of the finest players in the country and even took his game to a division II team in California.

Here is a famous video of TJ Sahi leading the Indian team in an international game last year against Asian powerhouses China. China played without injured superstar Yao Ming. Sahi faced off against Yi Jianlian, who plays for the New Jersey Nets in the NBA. Predictably, China whooped our asses, but TJ showed flashes of brilliance, usually being one step ahead of everyone else on the court.



Find out more about Sahi on his official website, TJSahi.net

Indian head coach to coach coaches in Kochi

I'm childishly giddy about writing the following sentence: Alexsander Bucan, the head coach of the Indian Men's Basketball Team 'The Young Cagers', will be coaching hundreds of Indian basketball coaches in Kochi.

Coach Coach Hota Hai.

From the Press Trust of India:

In order to bring about a standardisation in the coaching system, the Association of Basketball Coaches in Kerala will be conducting a five-day Clinic here from March 7 to 11.
Joseph Chaco, Secretary, Association of Basketball Coaches, Kerala, said one of the drawbacks in Indian basketball coaching system is the lack of a uniform approach and this aspect is reflected in the quality of coaching that is being imparted in various schools and colleges in the country.
Over 100 coaches, both professional and amateur, will attend the camp, he said.

The course content covers a wide range of subjects including techniques, tactics, sports science, nutrition and officiating, he said.

Keep your eye on this news - if succesful, such camps to coach coaches will only help to spread knowledge of basketball fundamentals to more parts of the country. I'm hoping that other state basketball associations in India follow this programme's lead to host their own.

Bucan, a Serbian, has been the head coach of the Young Cagers for the past two years. He has had 14 years of experience with coaching positions in national and professional squads in Serbia and Yugoslavia.

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I'll be regularly updating followers of the page with basketball stories and events in India, as well as holding discussions about NBA and other related topics from around the world.

P.S.: Thanks for the logo, Tulika...

David West and Mahatma Gandhi's grandson to bring Hip-Hop to India

The title of this post may sound a little odd, but believe me, the rest of it won't get any less wierder.


The Music4Peace Tour will be bringing a "Hip-Hop Summit" to India in Novemeber. The big names associated with this initiative are New Orleans Hornets star David West, Dr. Arun Gandhi (grandson of THE Gandhi), and Russell Simmons, co-founder of the pioneering hip-hop label Def Jam.

Never, NEVER in my life had I thought that I would use the words David West, Russell Simmons, and Gandhi in the same sentence.

India to have "Hip-Hop" Summit in November:

“Music4Peace Tour” will organize a “Hip-Hop Summit” in India in November, according to reports.
The “Music for Peace Tour Initiative” is a coalition of organizations and non-profits who have banded together to help bring “peace and harmony” to world. It is an attempt to bring social change “by uniting people through the universal language of music”, it is claimed.


David West, American professional basketball player; Dr. Arun Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson; Russell Simmons, media and fashion mogul; Dr. Benjamin Chavis, Jr, civil rights leader; Craig Nobles, SMI/SwaggMedia CEO; Baroness Kimberly Moore, entrepreneur and Goodwill Ambassador; LEBO, creative artist; are reportedly associated with it.

November does happen to be the beginning of the 2010-11 NBA season, so I'm unsure how David West plans to fit 'Gandhigiri' and rap music in India around his schedule.

Anyways, I'm always an advocate for using music for social change, and involving NBA stars and a Gandhi will certainly not hurt the cause. Music4Peace has been involved with the Gandhis extensively in the form of The Gandhi Tour, "a global music festival created with the intent to arise social change..."


Meanwhile Dr. Arun Gandhi can take a page out of a Def Jam classic Run-DMC tune and teach Simmons and West how to 'Salt March This Way'.

IOB and SEC Railway lift Ramu Memorial trophies

Another edition of the Ramu Memorial Basketball Tournament (RMBT) concluded on Sunday night, with Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) and South East Central (SEC) Railway lifting the Men's and Women's trophies respectively.


Held at the Indian Gymkhana in Mumbai, the RMBT is an annual, prestigious All-India basketball tournament, now in it's 26th edition. The tournament has historically featured the best team's in India competing for the coveted trophy.

From the tournament's press release:

Indian Overseas Bank, improving in every match since their first league match loss to Indian Army, gained sweet revenge right at the end, when they outplayed the Indian Army team 71-54 in the men’s final to lift the glittering 26th UPL Ramu Memorial Trophy, sponsored by United Phorphorous Ltd. and earn a purse of Rs 1 lakh at the Indian Gymkhana, here, on Sunday.
Earlier, in the women’s final, South East Central Railway ended the four-year domination of Southern Railway, handing them a 67-57 defeat to lay their hands on the Kapila Khandvala Shield, along with a purse of Rs 50,000.

Indian Army were done in by the ‘Triple Towers’ of Indian Army, S Robinson, Vineeth Mathew and Mihir Pander... Robinson was easily the standout among both teams... He ended up with the day’s high of 24 points, while Mathew got 18 and Pandey 13. In fact, such was the dominance of IOB that they had scored 12 points before Army opened their account. With Sambhaji Kadam a pale shadow of himself and Nixon failing to find his scoring touch, Army were always playing catch up.
The women’s final saw SECR score over Southern thanks to their entire team pulling their weight. On the other hand, Southern’s reliance on Geethu Anna Jose to deliver the goods proved their undoing with the other players failing to rise to the occasion.

S. Robinson was named player of the tournament. By the way, the 'S' stands for 'Sozhasingarayer' - no wonder the media chooses to stick to the initial! This has been sweet redemption for the basketball sensation, who spent three years in basketball exile after being banned from representing his state Tamil Nadu and the national team.

Pushpa of SEC-Railway, for her consistent play throughout the competition, won the Women's player of the tournament.


Earlier, the Men's semi-finals as well as the slam dunk and three point competitions took place on Saturday evening at the Gymkhana. In the semis, IOB, led by Robinson's 29 points, defeated the rather lukewarm challenge of ONGC 74-57. Indian Army defeated last year's winners Western Railway 71-57.

Nixon from the Indian Army won the 12-man field of the three point shootout. TJ Sahi of Punjab faced a tough competition from last year's finalist Vishesh Bhriguvanshi in the slam dunk competition - TJ eventually won, dunking over two motor bikes and a carrom board in the final round (!), after which he did his signature reverse slam.

A carrom board... ha!

Anyways, this was all in all an exciting tournament, garnering a lot of attention for Indian basketball teams and stars. Granted, for the sport to really capture the imaginations of the audiences, we need to have a consistent league system instead of irregular prized/sponsored competitions. The signs are good though - with the NBA's involvement with BFI as well as their interest in the promoting the game to an Indian audience, I have no doubt that basketball, the country's second fastest growing sport, has nowhere to go but up...

Happy Holi, everybody.