Mumbai's tryst with Wheelchair Basketball League

Basketball is not something you associate with Mumbai city very often Thatrsquos because the city is engulfed with cricket maidans lush green outfields football turfs cycling parks and many other activities which have now become the daily routine of Mumbaikars Still Mumbai hasnrsquot lost its touch with the game of basketballYes the American sport that has fans across the globe is somehow still managing its roots here The young generation is now looking up to the likes of Dwight Howard and Stephen Curry and attempt to channel their looks and game Given that the popularity of the sport is on the rise in the city basketball and especially wheelchair basketball is one which could see the youth come forward and play the sportWith the Paralympics also a stage wherein one could deliver medals for the country the wheelchair basketball presents an ideal opportunity to go and grab a medal that could elate the whole country And thatrsquos where the Project Mumbai steps in Thanks to the contributions of Project Mumbai a notforprofit model of publicprivatepeople partnership that has brought up the idea of wheelchair basketball league comprising national and international basketball players who will play alongside amateur playersTwo women wheelchair basketball players in a tussle Pic Project MumbaiHowever you may ponder at the first sight of a wheelchair on a basketball court Given how the game has always built on super athletes muscular and bulked men and women on the court the sight is one to behold But the paraplegics have found a way to somehow manoeuvre the chair in a way that can make them move on the court and in a way help them pass dribble and basket the ball as wellProject Mumbai CEO and Founder Shishir Joshi says ldquoMumbai has the privilege of being the residence for the best wheelchair basketball playersboth men and womenin India It is noteworthy that over six men and women from Mumbai and Maharashtra have represented India in the Wheelchair basketball sport at the international levelrdquoShishir Joshi CEO and Founder of Project Mumbai Pic Project MumbaildquoIn India Wheelchair National Basketball Championships started in 2014 Since then the Maharashtra Menrsquos team has won Gold Medal in all the six Nationals held till June 2019 No Nationals were held after that due to Covid 19 Nine out of the 10 players representing Maharashtra are ex Army players As many as eight players have represented India in international matches so farrdquoHe further adds ldquoThe Maharashtra Womenrsquos team won a Gold Medal in the last two Nationals held in 2018 and 2019 The team was formed in Mumbai in 2017 In 2017 and 2018 all 10 players were from Mumbai In 2019 four players were selected from Pune So far six women players all from Mumbai have represented India in international matchesrdquoHowever with Covid19 taking away most of the livelihood opportunities these paraplegics too faced the brunt of the pandemic According to Shishir most of them have had little or no opportunity to practice due to nonavailability of adequate infrastructure for Parawheelchair sport during the pandemic And thatrsquos where his NGO stepped in and undertook the initiative for the differently abled sportspersons By adopting the wheelchair teams from Mumbai and Pune Shishirrsquos NGO has a clear objectiveA male wheelchair basketball player about to shoot Pic Project MumbaiOne is to provide sports infrastructure for the players to ensure they complete a podium finish at the next Paralympics and the second is to change mindsets of the players as well as the people What started off as a collection of 15 players from Mumbai it has now shot up to 60 players from two cities And to further that these arenrsquot just your usual players Some of them are working professionals belonging to privileged backgrounds and even the likes of those in the age group of 810 years have joined the ranks to play this sportAlso Read New Zealand cricket announce historic contract agreement men and women cricketers to have equal payShishir further states ldquoParents have begun accompanying these children Coaches have been appointed for the players both in Pune and Mumbai and their travel costs are being borne by Project Mumbai Physiotherapy is being planned as well In the last three months for the first time in India a Premier league with competitive prize money and five teams was hosted in Mumbai at the Nagpada Basketball YMCA courts which was supported by the prestigious Mumbai UniversityrdquoShishir Joshi along with a wheelchair basketball player Pic Project MumbaiTalking about the rules of the game they remain the same as for the regular matches except the fact that the players are on wheelchairs The rules the court the distance between the net and the players ndash all stay the same He adds ldquoSo to say if I have only my legs broken I have five points A team will have 15 points and will consist of 5 players The total points of the teamrsquos strength should not exceed more than 14 or 15rdquo The players involved here are mostly whorsquos spine have been dislocated or their legs have been completely paralysed To come out of such adversity and play on a court shows how a sport can be such a levellerAbout Project MumbaiProject Mumbai is a notforprofit model of publicprivatepeople partnership Their main objectives are healthcare environment governance education nutrition volunteerism and implementable solutionsIn tune with the Project Mumbairsquos tag line Mumbai Ke Liye Kuchh Bhi Karega they have worked during the pandemic in over 20 districts of Maharashtra alone Apart from that their adolescent emotional wellbeing helpline also caters to people in need from across 26 states Collaborative Philanthropy is how we would describe itTo know more about them visit their website wwwprojectmumbaiorg