89th All India MCC-Murugappa Gold Cup
Hockey Tournament 2015

To be held at the newly re-laid astro-turf at Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium
Prize money doubled 10 teams across two pools

Chennai, 14 July 2015 : The 89th edition of the MCC-Murugappa Gold Cup Hockey tournament will be held from 16 July to 26 July 2015. This will have participation from 10 teams pooled across two Groups. The prizes for this tournament have doubled from the earlier years, and the top individual performers of the tournament will also receive additional cash prizes. This year’s tournament is being held at the newly refurbished facilities at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium in Egmore, Chennai.

This was announced at a press conference by Madras Cricket Club (MCC) and Murugappa Group, the representatives of the two institutions that are organizing this tournament. The MCC was represented by Mr.Ajit Kumbhat, President, Mr. Srivatsan Subramaniam, Vice President, Mr. R Ramesh, Honorary Treasurer and Mr. Vijay Kumar, Organising Secretary. Murugappa Group was represented by Mr. Arun Murugappan, President EID Parry India Ltd.

Mr. Arun Murugappan said “Murugappa Group is happy to be associated with this tournament for all these years. This year we have doubled the Prize money for the tournament. The winners take home 5 lakhs (as compared to the earlier 2.50 lakhs) and the Runners-up will take home 2.50 lakhs (as compared to the earlier 1.50 lakhs). In addition there will also be a cash prize of 10,000/- along with a High End model bicycle for the individual Best players – Best Forward, Best Midfielder, Best Goal keeper/ Defender, the Most Promising Player of the tournament and the Man of the Match of the Finals.”

Mr. Ajit Kumbhat, President of MCC added “As the Madras Cricket Club we are proud to be associated with this tournament and be the only sporting Club in India to conduct an event of such magnitude. Madras Cricket Club thanks the Murugappa Group for their continued support and interest in promoting the game in Chennai”.

This year’s tournament will be held between 16th and 26th of July, 2015 at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium, Egmore, Chennai, in which the astro-turf has been completely re-laid. One match will be played under floodlights on all days.

Mr.H.S.Sokhi will officiate as the Tournament Director and will be assisted by a team of outstation and local officials.

A total of 10 teams are participating in this tournament, pooled in the following 2 groups:

The Winners of the 2013 edition Indian Oil Corporation will be defending their title. The tournament will be played on a league cum knock-out basis. Top 2 teams from each pool will qualify for semi-finals to be played on 25th of July 2015. The Finals will be played on the 26th of July under floodlights.

The Press will be provided with broadband / fax facilities at the venue to facilitate sending reports after the last match. The finals will be aired live on Doordarshan.

Fixtures

About MCC and the Tournament

The Madras Cricket Club is one of the premier sports institutions in the country, which organizes major national level tournaments in the disciplines of Tennis, Squash, Cricket, Badminton, Billiards and Hockey.

Originally started as the Madras Challenge Cup in 1901and later named the A.M.M Arunachalam Challenge Cup after the first Indian President of Madras Cricket Club, this is the 89th edition of the tournament which along with Murugappa group in the mid 90’s was named MCC – Murugappa Gold Cup. From the early days, this tournament has been the premier hockey event in South India and one of the major competitions in the country attracting the top teams and talent.This tournament has been keenly observed by coaches and administrators for picking talent to represent the country.

About Murugappa Group

Founded in 1900, the INR 269Billion Murugappa Group is one of India’s leading business conglomerates. The Group has 28 businesses including nine listed Companies traded in NSE & BSE. Headquartered in Chennai, the major Companies of the Group include Carborundum Universal Ltd., Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Company Ltd., Cholamandalam MS General Insurance Company Ltd., Coromandel International Ltd., Coromandel Engineering Company Ltd., E.I.D. Parry (India) Ltd., Parry Agro Industries Ltd.,Shanthi Gears Ltd., Tube Investments of India Ltd., and Wendt (India) Ltd.

Market leaders in served segments including Abrasives, Auto Components, Cycles, Sugar, Farm Inputs, Fertilizers, Plantations, Bio-products and Nutraceuticals, the Group has forged strong alliances with leading international companies like Groupe Chimique Tunisien, Foskor, Mitsui Sumitomo, Morgan Crucible and Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile (SQM). The Group has a wide geographical presence spanning 13 states in India and 6 continents.

Renowned brands like BSA, Hercules, Ballmaster, Ajax, Parry’s, Chola, Gromor and Paramfos are from the Murugappa stable. The organization fosters an environment of professionalism and has a workforce of over 32,000 employees.