Reigning champions Central Railway and Mumbai Customs retained their crowns winning the women's and men’s finals respectively, in the Bandra Gymkhana Annual Open Rink Hockey Tournament 2024, played under floodlights at the Bandra Gymkhana tennis courts.
In the women's open final, Central scored twice in the second half through Shivani Singh Saini and Adira Singh to defeat arch-rivals Western Railway 2-0.
Later, Customs struck two goals in quick succession on the stroke of the half-time whistle to quash the hopes of India Rush SC by carving out a 2-0 win. Nikhil Pardeshi and Jayesh Jadhav were responsible for securing Customs victory.
Meanwhile, the Bandra Gymkhana President, Dr. Cheryl Misquitta, has implemented equal prize-money, irrespective of their gender, to the Men Open and Women Open winners of the Bandra Gymkhana Hockey Tournament. The Bandra Gymkhana has now become one of first institutions or organizations to show gender parity and rewarded the Men Open champions Mumbai Customs, and Women Open winners Central Railway, with an equal pay cheque of Rs 50,000 each.
“We believe in promoting gender parity and equality, striving for a world where men and women are truly treated as equals. I hope that this initiative will serve as a catalyst for change, inspiring other institutions and sporting federations to follow suit,” Dr. Misquitta proudly mentioned. “This has set a precedent for future sporting events to be hosted by the gymkhana,” she added.
“I congratulate and thank Bandra Gymkhana, and in particular President Dr. Misquitta for this landmark decision. It’s a wonderful decision and a big commitment towards gender equality to award equal prize-money to both men and women players. They both put in the same efforts, mentally and physically, so why not? Observed Olympian Eliza Nelson, an Arjuna awardee and captain of India's Asian Games gold-medal winning team.
It was reported last July that ICC (International Cricket Council) had also declared that men’s and women’s teams competing in ICC events would receive equal prize-money. This was taken during ICC’s annual conference in Durban.
The Bandra Gymkhana Annual Hockey Tournament, stands as a testament to The Bandra Gymkhana's dedication to nurturing athletic talent and promoting sportsmanship. This year the tournament garnered significant attention during the week-long event, with an impressive turnout of 46 teams from various parts of the country. Among them, 18 teams competed in the men's section, 14 in the women's section, and seven each in the girls’ and boys’ sections, showcasing a diverse range of talent from regions spanning Chhattisgarh to Manipur.
