Gujarat’s oldest football tourney trophy to be insured

The Times of India

VADODARA: When Baroda Football Club takes on Parul Institute in the finals of the Maharaja Fatehsinhrao Pratapsinhrao Gaekwad Football Tournament in the city, they would be battling for winning the most coveted trophy in Gujarat on Thursday. 

Made out of pure silver, the trophy weighing about 5.5 kilograms has now assumed historic importance. So much so that the Baroda District Football Association (BDFA) is planning to insure the trophy and also hand over its custody to the royal Gaekwad family. 

The BDFA is also planning to ascertain the price of the trophy considering its antique value. "It is one of the oldest trophies in Gujarat and a symbol of prestige for football clubs of Vadodara. For the first time, we have decided to ascertain its antique value so that we can insure the trophy with a particular amount. BDFA will approach the experts and the royal Gaekwad family. It is a precious trophy and we want to secure it," said BDFA president, Hanif Ginwala. 

The trophy was donated by Maharaja Fatehsinhrao Gaekwad in 1978 to promote the football in Vadodara. It carries an emblem of royal Gaekwad family along with the carving of the grand Laxmi Vilas Palace. The sport attracted huge audiences back then and Vadodara was a cradle for some of the best footballers Gujarat had produced. "The trophy is even older as it was made for tennis tournaments played exclusively by royal scions decades ago. Maharaja Fatehsinhrao took out the trophy from the treasury and donated it to BDFA that now has its custody. The royal family has also been donating money for the annual football tournament that saw participation from best of the teams," Hanif told TOI. 

The annual football tournament that BDFA organized was named as 'Maharaja Fatehsinhrao Pratapsinhrao Gaekwad Trophy' after 1978. Royal scion, Samarjitsinh Gaekwad, who played from Rangers Club, too has participated in the tournament in the past. "We will request the royal Gaekwad family to take custody of the trophy as it will be safe with them. BDFA will take the trophy during tournaments and return it later," Hanif added. 

Samarjitsinh Gaekwad said that he would be glad to keep the trophy. "We can keep the beautiful trophy for display in the museum or our golf club where many trophies have been kept so that people can view them. It was probably made by some British maker but we will able to know more about the trophy after examining it," Gaekwad said. 

The MS University football team had won the coveted trophy thrice simultaneously in 1978, 1979 and 1980. BDFA president, Hanif Ginwala said that MSU is the only team to have achieved the feat.