Dr. James Naismith, invented the game of Basketball in 1891 while he was working at YMCASchool of Spring Field, USA. Now the game has spread across the world through YMCAs and became the most prestigious event of the world of sports. Basketball is played in 212 Countries and more than 300 million people play worldwide. This game was first introduced in India through YMCA Calcutta during 1912.
The first Basketball court in Kerala (then Travancore) was laid in Kottayam in 1926. Then Trivandrum followed suit by constructing another one in the then H. Maharaja’s Science College premises. Kottayam took lead in hosting the first basketball tournament as well. It was Travancore Olympic association, based in Trivandrum, that organised the 2ndbasketball tournament under the banner of “Sri Chitra Basketball Tournament” in Trivandrum. Besides Kottayam, Trivandrum, Nagercoil & Pulinkunnu participated in these tournaments.
Travancore-Cochin basketball Association was formed in 1952 on the initiative of Sri A Raghavan Nair who was then the president of Travancore Olympic Association. He himself nominated Mr. K. E. Eapen and Mr. Parameswaran Pillai as president and secretary, respectively. The association made rapid progress under their stewardship. The same pioneering group groomed a few youngsters who represented Travancore-Cochin in the 1952 Nationals, held in Bangalore, and hit headlines by storming into the semifinals. Among them were Joseph Sam and C I Varghese, who ventured into Indian standards donning the national colours.
When the state of Kerala was formed on 1 Nov. 1956, Travancore-Cochin Basketball Association was re-christened as Kerala Basketball Association(KBA). Mr Parameshwaran Pillai continued as secretary till 1962. He was succeeded by Mr Abraham Thomas who offered an impressive stewardship till he resigned in 1974. Then Mr Cherian Thomas took over as secretary and served for a period of two years. Following are the list of stewardship in Kerala Basketball Association.
KBA is an organization affiliated to the Basketball Federation of India and recognized by Kerala Sports Council and Kerala Olympic Association. The main objective of the Association is the popularization of the game throughout the state. KBA has 14 affiliated District Units functioning under the leadership of veteran basketballers. There are Five State Championships in both men/boys and women/girls sections conducted by KBA annually. The Association also organizes National and International level basketball events inside the state.
The Association has undertaken Senior, Junior, Youth & Sub Junior Nationals Federation Cups, South Zone Competitions etc.. Senior Nationals were held in Kerala 7 times; twice each in Trivandrum, Kottayam and Ernakulam, and once in Kozhikode.
In addition to this, Kerala Police won twice in Men Section, and FACT four times in Women Section, in the Federation Cup. It is interesting to note that in 1995 SAF Games held in Chennai, India won gold beating Pakistan (Men). It was unique as a Kerala trio, engineered the victory through Captain, CV Sunny; Coach, Bevin Chacko; and Mangager, PJ Sunny, with Jayasankar as the leading player. Kerala has produced a galaxy of players like Sam Joseph, C K Joseph, P S Viswappan, Dr Mathew Roy, K K Zachariah, Thomas Fenn, P P Joseph, Dr Thomas Abraham, George Mathew Karamuveli, N. Mony, M. G. Rajan, M. L. Edwin, Dr. M. M. Chacko, Mohammed Iqbal, Mohan Raj, Thomas Varghese, Kochukuttan, Cherian Oommen, George Zachariah, Unwin Antony, Gopalakrishanan, Sabu Kumar, Amarnath, Johny Augustine, C V Sunny, Jayasankar Menon, T. K. Seshadiri, C. Suresh, Subash J Shenoy, Muralikrishnan, Sunny Thomas, Vineeth Ravi Mathew, Bobit Mathew, Anoop M, Vijobi Wakkachan, Monish Wilson, Eudric Periera, Vivek V, Basil Philip, Leelamma Thomas, Annamma Titus, Mariamma Jacob, Mammy Idicula, Catherine Joseph, Aruna Padman, Sheelamma Thomas, Emily K. Mathew, Jayakumari, Sheebamma, Renny Vincent, Sally Thomas, Induleka, Laiji U P, Bindu Kuriakose, P V Sandhya, Priya James, Reji A Sunny, Prasannakumari, Molly Augustine, Jeena Jose, Sally Thomas, Raji Thambi, Binu Cherian, Geethu Anna Jose, Ivy Cherian, Jeena Jose, Ambili Thomas, Renjini Jose, Lajitha P, Sini Thaliyath, Cimi Kavalakkatt, Stethy Nixon, Anjana PG, Poojamol and Elizabeth Hillarios. Some of them represented India in various international events as players and also as captains.
Kerala can boast of a host of International Referees of great repute like Prof CS Abraham, PS Viswappan, Thomas Fenn, PC Thomas, KS Nair, Rev Dr Philips Wadakekalam, Gens V. Varghese, Zanil mohammad and Dr. Prince K Mattom, who could secure berths in the higher levels of officiating at various FIBA competitions. Equally important is thecontribution of Kerala coaches in the national and international arenas. Mr Sam Joseph was the national coach for a pretty long time while Mr P C Thomas, K. N. K. Nair, K. V. Alexander, V. V. Paul, Bevin Chacko, P C Antony,Vimal C Mathew, Jiju T D, Premkumar and PJ Sebastian, served as Indian coach for many international championships here and abroad.
On the organisational level Kerala’s contribution has been fabulous. Late Abraham Thomas, Late C. C. Abraham, Late R. Vaikundam and P. N. Sankaran need be remembered all times. At the moment, we have outstanding organizers like Mr. P J Sunny and Dr. M M Chacko, who, besides energyzing basketball in Kerala, serve on the National Bodies as Chairman, Selection Committee, BFI, and as Vice-President, BFI, respectively. Basketball in Kerala is poised to scale greater heights in the days to come under the stewardship of Mr P O Philip and Mr V C Hashim, president and secretary respectively. Mr PO Philip and Manoharkumar (Present President), are known for their resourcefulness and scholarship, and Mr VC Hashim and PP Varghese (Present Secretary), noted for their endearing organizational skills, are sure to bring laurels to the Association.
