70 years of Karnail Singh Stadium: A legacy in limbo, denied support despite rich history

As you  navigate from Connaught Place to the New Delhi Railway Station along Chelmsford Road, a quaint, narrow lane on your left leads to the historic Karnail Singh Stadium.

Once known as the Paharganj Stadium, this venue, constructed in 1954, may be modest in size, but it has been the backdrop to numerous significant sporting events over the past seven decades.

In 1978, the Railways Sports Promotion Board renamed the stadium as the Karnail Singh Stadium.

Paan Singh Tomar

It was here that Paan Singh Tomar, who had become a dacoit after being ostracised by society, set the National Steeplechase record in 1964.

Before filming Paan Singh Tomar started, actor Irrfan Khan, who portrayed Tomar, visited the stadium. R Kumar, a New Delhi Railway Station employee, recalls, “We were at the office when we learned that Irrfan Khan and Tigmanshu Dhulia, the film’s director, were visiting Karnail Singh Stadium.”

“We were quite surprised, as no championships were scheduled at the time. Since it was lunchtime, we went over and met Irrfan Khan. It was only later that we realised his visit was to immerse himself in the atmosphere of the stadium for his role in the film about Paan Singh Tomar.

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First Irani Cup

The pinnacle of the stadium’s history was marked by hosting its first Irani Cup match from March 18-20, 1960, featuring Mumbai against the Rest of India. Mumbai was led by Polly Umrigar, while the Rest of India team was captained by Lala Amarnath.

Rakesh Thapliyal, a noted sports writer, recalls, “When Lala ji was leading the Rest of India team, he was also the chairman of the selection committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).”

“Back then, the concept of ‘conflict of interest’ was unknown. To add to the intrigue, Prem Bhatia, the 12th man of the Rest of India side, was allowed to bat in that match, thanks to Lala ji’s influence in the BCCI. Bhatia was from Delhi,” he added.

Mumbai clinched the inaugural Irani Cup, drawing a large crowd to the stadium, eager to see stars like Nari Contractor, AG Milkha Singh, Rusi Surti, Rusi Modi, Budhi Kundran, and Naren Tambe in action.

PL Sharma, now 81 and a longtime resident of Paharganj, fondly remembers the excitement of the first Irani Cup held near his home.

“Cricket fans from Paharganj, Karol Bagh, Darya Ganj, and other parts of the capital flocked to the stadium to see their favourite players. It was like a carnival. Back then, Delhi was a small city compared to what it is now.”

For several years, the ground was like a second home to Lala Amarnath. Living in the Railway officers’ bungalows on adjacent Panchkuian Road, he could reach the stadium in under five minutes, strolling through Vasant Lane to watch the matches.

Salim Durrani – The Crowd Puller

“Salim Durrani has played umpteen number of great knocks here while playing for Rajasthan against the host Railways team in Ranji Trophy,” recalls cricket buff and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of a Ghaziabad-based firm Sandeep Wahal.

“He was a very popular player on and off the field. I saw him there in 1973. The stadium was packed to capacity due to him.”

The Rajasthan team of that era featured star players like Hanumant Singh, Lakshman Singh, and Kailash Gattani. Hanumant Singh was a student of St Stephen’s College. But Durrani’s popularity overshadowed everyone else.

Says Pawan Arora, a former first class cricketer from Delhi who played at Karnail Singh Stadium many times.

“After Delhi, local cricket buffs used to support the Railway team. They identified with the Railway team because it was based in the capital.”

When the Railway team, featuring players like Hyder Ali, Mustaq Ali, Mohammad Tarif (the father of Mohammad Kaif), Rajeshwar Vats, and Praveen Kashyap, played at the stadium, hardcore cricket fans would flock to the venue, cheering for their favourite Railway players.

Who was Karnail Singh?

Karnail Singh is celebrated as a legendary Railway Board Chairman, credited with overseeing several crucial Railway projects. Under his leadership, the construction of a 250 km rail link connecting West Bengal with Assam was completed.

A product of Khalsa College, Amritsar, and Thomson Engineering College (now IIT) Roorkee, he laid the foundation for many significant Railway projects.

Joining the Railways in 1928, Singh quickly rose through the ranks, ultimately becoming Chairman of the Railway Board in 1960 and Principal Secretary to the Government of India before his retirement in 1962.

“Before his retirement from the Railways, he established the stadium that now bears his name. He was a very sports-minded gentleman,” says RK Bhandari, a former Railway employee.

The stadium is a multipurpose sports venue owned by the Indian Railways, used for athletics, football, hockey, cricket, boxing, and badminton.

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“It has hosted many major athletic meets since its inception. I don’t think any noted athlete in India has not played here,” says writer Thapliyal.

The stadium was the site of the National Weightlifting Championship in 2004 and the 56th National Kabaddi Championship in 2008.

It features a boxing hall, used for training by notable boxers such as Akhil Kumar and hosted the National Boxing Championship in 2007. It also served as a training venue before the Commonwealth Boxing Championship in 2010.

In 2002, it was the venue for the Ranji Trophy finals, where Railways clinched the trophy for the first time.

While It has not hosted international men’s cricket, it was one of the venues for the 1997 Women’s Cricket World Cup, featuring a One Day International between Sri Lanka and the West Indies.

In 1999, the ground hosted the World Masters Series veterans tournament.

Despite its rich history, the stadium receives no financial support from the cash-rich BCCI. “The BCCI has stated that it would generously provide funds for the stadium’s development if it exclusively hosted cricket matches,” informs Thapliyal. It is high time that the BCCI revisits their stand.