Secunderabad's polo grounds lost in concrete maze

SECUNDERABAD: When was the last time you saw horsemounted players hitting a small hard ball through the opposing team’s goal using a long-handled wooden mallet in Hyderabad? One of the world’s oldest team sports, polo has lost its glory thanks to the grounds vanishing in the maze of urban concrete jungle that the ‘City of Nawabs’ has been reduced to.Of the 17 polo grounds that the city could boast of, only one — Bison Polo Ground — exists in Secunderabad.
Sanjeevaiah Park, Jawaharlal Nehru Architecture and Fine Arts University (JNAFAU) in Masab Tank, Administrative College of India (ASCI) on Raj Bhavan Road, Prakash Nagar opposite Begumpet Airport and Vidyut Soudha at Somajiguda were once polo grounds where the sport was played with gusto.
Siraj Attari, polo aficionado and secretary, Andhra Pradesh Riding Club, says, “We lost precious polo grounds to meet the requirements of the state administration.” There were 17 polo grounds and a host of fine players. “Now, we are just left with Bison Polo ground, which is under Army control,” he adds.

Sanjeevaiah Park, spread over 90 acres, was one of the largest polo grounds in the country. “But, polo is a thing of the past there,” rues a veteran player.
JNAFAU was a veterinary hospital for African cavalry guards till 1920s, and seventh Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan handed it over to his eldest son Azam Jah Bahadur, who set up Golconda Polo Club. The AP Riding Club worked from there and the stables were more than 100 years old.
“Jah, who was given the title of Prince of Berar, wanted to set up a polo club at Falaknuma Palace with 100 stables. That was the love for the game,” said a historian. Endorsing this, Attari says, “Horses chasing the ball across the turf and loud cheers from the crowds now remain sweet memories. Polo has lost its charm in Hyderabad.”
The grounds made way for administrative buildings. Bella Vista, now ASCI at Somajiguda, served as the official residence of Azam Jah where he kept horses and polo was played. Located right opposite ASCI, Vidyut Soudha was once a leading polo ground spread over 10 acres.
“It now houses TSTransco. The erstwhile AP State Electricity Board, which came into existence in 1959, worked on the premises,” N Bhujanga Rao, a former electricity employee, recalls.
So, where did the decline begin? Claiming that the Army had played a major role in promoting polo till 1948, Attari said the slide began in 1994.
“It’s an expensive sport.
Lack of awareness and professional players is also to blame. Turning grounds into administrative blocks was uncalled for,” he says.
Historians recall how the British cavalry regiment, stationed in Secunderabad, used to take part in polo. Lord Kitchener, Winston Churchill, the Duke of Windsor and then Prince of Wales have played in Hyderabad, a historian reminisces. “Continuing with the great tradition, we organise a tournament between September and October every year at the Bison Polo by inviting teams,” Attari told TOI.
Fateh Maidan, now LB Stadium, in Basheerbagh was once a polo ground. “Now, it is reduced to hosting political rallies, meetings and other functions. This is how our governments give importance to sports and field games,” said a veteran sportsman not wanting to be named.
Not losing hope, Attari says they are making efforts to keep the sport alive. “We may not reclaim the glorious past but our enthusiasm towards polo has not waned,” Attari added.
‘Save Bison Polo, or game may fade into oblivion’
As if worries over the only polo ground in the city weren’t enough, efforts to convert the land for construction of Telangana government’s new secretariat, legislative assembly, heads of the department complex and a cultural auditorium (Kala Bharathi) have not gone down well with polo lovers.
“At this rate, polo will be totally out of city’s map. We will be left with no place to pursue the sport,” said a young player.
To keep the spirit going, AP Riding Club under the guidance of Indian Polo Association organises a polo tournament between September and October at the Bison Polo. Leading polo associations from Jaipur, Bengaluru, Delhi, Kolkata and other cities take part in the event. Nasr International School and Hyderabad Polo Riding Club impart training in equestrian sport to youngsters.
Secretary of the riding club Siraj Attari told TOI that polo would fade into oblivion if the Bison Polo ground is turned into a concrete jungle.