Indian Polo Association

Indian Polo Association
Sport Polo
Jurisdiction National
Membership 35 affiliate clubs[1]
Abbreviation IPA
Founded 1892 (1892)
Affiliation Federation of International Polo[2]
Headquarters B Squadron 61 Cavalry, Cariappa Marg (Cantonment), New Delhi[3]
President Vacant
Vice president(s)
  • Gurpal Singh Sandhu
  • Lt. Gen. Ashok Ambre
  • Lt. Gen. Arun Kumar Sahni (Retd.)
Secretary Col. Ravi Rathore[4]
Official website
www.ipa.co.in
India

The Indian Polo Association (IPA) is the governing body for polo in India. Most of the IPA's major activities are executed by the 61 Cavalry Unit of the Indian Army. The Unit, based in Jaipur, is one of the few remaining cavalry units in the world that maintains its own stable of horses. The IPA's registered office is co-located with the 61 Cavalry's B Squadron.

History

The IPA was established in 1892. Legally, it is a non-profit association registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.[5] Prominent teams of the pre-World War II period included Alwar, Bhopal, Bikaner, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Patiala, Jodhpur, Kishengarh and Kashmir. The majority of the Cavalry regiments of the British Army and the British Indian Army also fielded teams, the most prominent amongst them were the Central India Horse (CHI), Prince Albert Victor Own Cavalry (PAVO’s Cav), the Inniskilling Dragoon Guards, the 10th Royal Hussars, the 15th Lancers, and the 17/21st Lancers.[6]

The outbreak of the second World War and the mechanization of cavalry units resulted in a decline in interest in Indian polo. The IPA invited the Argentine national polo team to visit India in 1950 and play an exhibition games across the country in a bid to revive interest in the sport. The Argentine team participated in tournaments in Jaipur, Delhi and Bombay. The Pakistan Army polo team visited India in 1955. The IPA also revived the Indian Polo Championship in 1956, after a gap of 17 years. The India national polo team participated in the 1957 World Championship in France and won the tournament. These events helped revive interest in polo in the country. Indian polo received another boost after the Indian Army officially adopted polo as a sport granting access to new grounds and stables of horses.[6]

Indian President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed consented to be the Patron-in-Chief of the IPA, resulting in the introduction of a new trophy called The President's Cup in 1975. The IPA marked its 100th anniversary in 1992.[6]

In August 2016, the IPA filed a writ petition against the Indian Air Force (IAF) in the Delhi High Court seeking a halt on construction activity that the IAF was carrying out near the Delhi Race Club and the Jaipur Polo Ground. The IAF stated that it had constructed a 7 ft fence between the Race Club and the Polo Ground for "security purposes". The IPA claims that the location of the fence encircles its polo ground located between the Delhi Race Club and the Air Force Station.[7]

In January 2017, the Indian Army informed the Defence Ministry that it had received multiple complaints of misconduct by IPA officials pertaining to the procurement of horses from foreign countries and the foreign visits undertaken by IPA officials. Chief of Army Staff General Bipin Rawat refused to take office as the ex-officio president of the IPA after hearing of the allegations. Following the recommendation, Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman recommended that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe allegations of financial corruption and other alleged offences that occurred during the functioning of the IPA.[8]

References

  1. ↑ "Polo Clubs In India". Indian Polo Association. Retrieved 20 July 2018.
  2. ↑ "Members". Federation of international Polo. Retrieved 20 July 2018.
  3. ↑ "Contact us". Indian Polo Association. Retrieved 20 July 2018.
  4. ↑ "Office Bearers". Indian Polo Association. Retrieved 20 July 2018.
  5. ↑ "IPA INTRODUCTION". Indian Polo Association. Retrieved 20 July 2018.
  6. 1 2 3 "History of Indian Polo". Indian Polo Association. Retrieved 20 July 2018.
  7. ↑ "Polo Association takes IAF to Delhi High Court over fencing of ground". The Indian Express. 16 August 2016. Retrieved 20 July 2018.
  8. ↑ "Defence minister orders CBI probe into polo body charges". India Today. Retrieved 20 July 2018.
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