District Basketball Asociations

Introduction

The game made its inroads into the Educational Institutions of the District during the early years of the seventies. Along with educational institutions N.S.S. College, Manjeri, Marthoma College, Chungathara, Government Boys’ High School, Manjeri, M.S.P. team of Malappuram also contributed a lot to the promotion of this game in our district. District league tournament was a regular feature at Manjeri from 1972. Nilambur was another place from where a very good team appeared in the District tournament during this period.

People to be remembered

We owe our indebtedness to many people. Some of them are no more with us. We pay homage and respects to their memories. I may mention here a few of the names. (i) Sri. P.M. Thirumulpad, B.A., Manjeri Kovilakom. (2) Sri. T. Damodaram, Ex-Engineer, Manjeri (3) Sri. M.C. Raja Raja Varma, Basketball referee and P.E Teacher, Wandoor (4) Sri. P.P. Radhakrishnan, former State Player (5) Sri. P. Balakrishnan Nair, Commandant, M.S.P., Malappuram and (6) Sri. T. Mohammed, Asst. Commandant, M.S.P.

Sri. Kamalakaran, former M.S.P. Commandant was also a great source of inspiration for our Association. He was also the president of Malappuram Dist. Basketball Association for a successful term.

It was due to the combined efforts and selfless service of a few people that our Dist Association made some rapid progress and achievements. We are also indebted to them. We expect their co-operation and guidance hereafter also. I may mention here some of the names below.

1. Prof. A.K. Balagoplan, Retired from N.S.S.College, Manjeri and former Secretary of the MDBA.

2. Sri. K.N.K. Nair, renowned Basketball Coach of the University of Calicut.

3. Sri. C. Vijayaraghavan, Tirur, former Secretary & Treasurer of the M.D.B.A.

4. Dr. A.K. Jose, former President of the MDBA.

5. Sri, K. Damodaran, Retd. PE. Teacher, Government Boys’ High School, Manjeri.

6. Sri.K. Shoukathali, Basketball Coach and now the S.D.O. at the Kozhikode Dist. Sports Council.

7. Dr. Varkey Tharakan, Manjeri, Patron of the MDBA and former Kerala University Basketball Player (1962), former member of Trivandrum Dist. Team (1965) and Kottayam Dist Team (1967 to 1970).

8. Sri. Roges Fernandez, Sr. Lecturer, Marthoma College, Chungathara.

9. Sri. M. Velayudhan Kutty, Sr. Lecturer, KCAET, Tavanur.

10. Sri. M.P.A. Hameed Kurikkal, Patron of the MDBA.

11. Sri. A.C. Mohan, Nilambur, Kovilakom.

12. Sri. Abdulla, Retd. Asst. Ex-Engineer, Manjeri.

13. Sri.T.S. Job, Retd. P.E. Teacher, G.H.S. Mookuthala and former Secretary of the MDBA.

14. Sri. P.K. Balagopalan, Sr. Lecturer in the Dept. of Physical Education, Zamorius Guruvayoorappan College, Kozhikode and former Secretary of MDBA.

15. Sri.K. Manoharakumar, Dy.S.P., Kerala Police, President of the MDBA and Senior Vice President of KBA.

16. Sri. T. Ali, Basketball Coach of the Kerala University and now working as Physical Education Teacher in UAE.

17. Sri.K. Vijayan, now a Basketball Coach after the retirement from Army. (He joined the Army after his stint in the District and did his NIS Diploma).

Conduct of State Championships and Open Tournaments:

We hosted the following Championships and Tournaments.

1. All Kerala Tournaments – 1985, 86, 87, 88, 2003, 2004 and 2005.

2. Senior State Championship – 1988, 1991 and 1997.

3. Champions Trophy – 1995.

We are proud of our former State Players. Sri. Ramakrishna Kurup (M.S.P.), Sri. K. Krishnadas (N.S.S., Manjeri), Sri. Udayakumar (Kerala Police), Sri. K. Shoukathali (State Youth Player, N.S.S. College, Manjeri) Sri. Sanjay Benjamin (Mini State). All rose to heights through our Association. We had a good number of University Players too. Sri. N.V. Jagdeesh Chandradas (Now the Secretary of MDBA and Treasurer of KBA – formerly Joint Secretary of KBA) was the Captain of the University of Calicut team during the year 1981-82. Basketball Coaches like Mr. T. Ali, Sri. Joseph Thomas (SAI Kozhikode), Sri. K. Shoukathali, Sri. P. K. Balagopalan & Sri. M. Vijayan and Sri. P. P. Rajendran (Referee) all came up through our association. A good number of Physical Education Teachers of the Dsitrict made their entry into the profession, because of this game. We are all members of the great family, viz, “The Basketball Family”.