Sachin Tendulkar, Ajinkya Rahane to get Wankhede lounges as MCA unveils massive ₹500 crore grassroots push

The Mumbai Cricket Association on Friday decided to increase its subsidy corpus for its affiliated clubs to ₹ 500 crore over next 10 years, while also deciding to name lounges at the iconic Wankhede Stadium here after legendary Sachin Tendulkar , Ajinkya Rahane and late Madhav Mantri.

The decisions were taken during the MCA's annual general meeting here.

In April this year, the MCA's apex council had approved creating the subsidy corpus of ₹ 100 crore to ensure long-term financial stability and sustainability of all affiliated clubs.

The subsidy corpus was created to strengthen the grassroots cricket infrastructure across Mumbai, with the aim to support the clubs in maintaining facilities, talent development, and improving operational capabilities.

MCA president Ajinkya Naik said ₹ 40 crore will be contributed towards the subsidy corpus, amounting to an overall ₹ 500 crore over next 10 years.

"In the last AGM we had made it ₹ 100 crore but this time we have made it ₹ 500 crore for our grassroots cricket and clubs. Sometimes they use it for logistics, or for equipment," Naik said.

The MCA will also be naming lounges at the Wankhede Stadium after former Mumbai captain and president of the governing body, Mantri, who played four Tests for India, along with Tendulkar and the recently-retired Rahane.

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"We have decided to allocate a designated lounge for them. We have appointed a three-member committee joined by secretaries," Naik said.

The three-member committee will have MCA vice-president Jitendra Awhad, apex council member Milind Narvekar and Adv. Ujwal Nikam.

Meanwhile, former chief justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court Amjad Sayed has been appointed ombudsman, while MCA's cricket committee, comprising Raju Kulkarni as president, and Sangita Katware and Preeti Dimri as members, has been given an extension.