Madras Boating Club
| Madras Boat Club | |
|---|---|
| Location | Chennai |
| Coordinates | 13.025304,80.250593 |
| Home water | Chennai |
| Founded | 1867 |
| Membership | 600 |
| Website | http://www.madrasboatclub.in/ |
| Notable members | |
| M. M. Muthiah | |
The Madras Boat Club, located in the South of India, in the historic city of Chennai is one of the oldest rowing centres in India.
A small group of Englishmen in Madras (now called Chennai) founded the club in 1867. There are records to show that the club was first started in the backwaters of Ennore, and pictures of the rowing course lying alongside the sailing course are still available in the club's archives. Quite possibly sailors, with some rowing involvement back in England, devised the idea of setting up the rowing facility.
Later, in 1892, the club was moved to its present location on the banks of the Adyar river. The early records of the club reveal that in 1874–75 there was a membership of about 32 rowing members and 24 non-rowing members.
In 1898, the club coat of dark blue with brass buttons and the club monogram was adopted by the then committee. The original design is still in use today without modification. Inter-club and intra-club regattas were conducted quite regularly during those years, and the extensive press coverage that the sport received was indicative of its popularity. One name that figures often in the early records is that of F. H. Wilson for his sculling prowess.
In 1933, the Amateur Rowing Association of the East was formed, and the Madras Boat Club was one of its founder members. In the inaugural regatta of the ARAE in 1933 at Pune, MBC won the Willingdon Fours and the Venables Pairs trophies. Through these early years, the club maintained a commendable record of participation and performance in inter-club regattas.
In 1967, M. M. Muthiah became the club's first Indian president. At that time the club had very limited resources and it strived to keep interest alive. In order to generate fresh interest in the sport, in 1966 students were brought in as members, and today they form the hub of the rowing activity. In 1967, the centenary year of the club, MBC won the prestigious Willingdon Fours at the ARAE regatta.
Enthusiasm was never lacking in the club and several people have contributed to its growth. In the early seventies, Borun Chanda introduced a pattern of organised coaching and training and this paved the way for better performances on the water. It was not long before the results showed; in 1972 MBC won the Willingdon trophy and followed it up the very next year by winning all the three trophies at the ARAE regatta.
After a few years, the Rowing Federation of India was formed, primarily through the efforts of the members of the Madras Boat Club. In 1977 the first Indian National Rowing Championship was held in Calcutta. Tamil Nadu was represented by rowers from the Madras Boat Club. At the 1980 Nationals at Calcutta, MBC rowers helped Tamil Nadu win the gold in the Coxed Fours event.
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