Two months ago, the 116-year-old Parsi Cyclists Club at Azad Maidan was in the news with fears expressed that the Club had been allegedly "sold” by "the current committee of Homi Mehta (president), Rohinton Iranpur (secretary) and Homiyar Madan (treasurer)…without information, discussion or a meeting with members of the Club.”
Nari Contractor: seeking clarity
"As well-wishers of the cricketing fraternity and the Parsi community, we would like to ensure that the money is put to good use… to help poor Parsis and future Parsi sportsmen and sportswomen, instead of going to individuals,” declared Nari Contractor, former captain of the India cricket team and erstwhile president of the Club in a press statement. Contractor was particularly irked that his prior attempts to get information on the alleged "sale” from the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) had met with no response, reported mid-day on May 29, 2025.
Since Madan had been named as a treasurer he issued a press release to clarify that he is "not the treasurer of the Parsi Cyclists Club, nor has he ever been so in the past. The Club is an unregistered association, to which (he) has been providing pro bono professional services as a practicing chartered accountant, by assisting the Club in drawing up its accounts and filing its tax returns without charging any professional fees whatsoever. For that purpose (he) has been made a committee member (but he)… is in no manner involved in the administration of the affairs of the Club.”
According to mid-day eventually Contractor did receive a response from MCA stating, "We have received a letter dated December 17, 2024 signed by Homi Mehta, president and R. B. Iranpur, honorary secretary of the Parsi Cyclists Sports Club along with the resolution dated December 2, 2024 passed in the board meeting… informing the Association about the change in the authorised signatories of the said Club. Pursuant to the above mentioned letter and resolution, the apex council approved Karishma Samat (president) and Suraj M. Samat (honorary secretary) as the new authorized signatories of the Club.”
"This is one of the oldest cricket clubs which fielded players over decades who went on to represent their respective states and the country,” reminded Contractor. Established in 1909 by Muncherji Kapadia as The Parsi Cyclists Cricket Club, its golden era was in the 1950s-1970s when it was a formidable force in Bombay’s maidan cricket, known for attracting top talent who were considered "nigh unbeatable.” Besides Contractor those affiliated with this Club were other well-known Parsi cricketers like Polly Umrigar, Farokh Engineer, Rusi Surti, Hoshang Amroliwalla. Considered a "testament to the adventurous spirit of the Parsi community from epic cycling expeditions” to cricket, and other sports like hockey and football, the Club had celebrated its centenary in 2009 with a prayer ceremony at its tent at Azad Maidan, a cricket match between past and present players and a gathering at Wodehouse Gymkhana, according to information shared by sports enthusiast Khushroo Amroliwalla.