Thane: Senior basketball players celebrate Diwali with great enthusiasm at Sharad Pawar stadium

Thane: Senior basketball players - along with family members converged in their Diwali best on the basketball court at the Sharad Pawar Stadium at Kolshet Road, Dhokali in Thane on Monday, October 24. 

The ex-basketball players, the sports lovers along with their families, lit up the whole Basketball Court with Diyas. Many Basketball players who reside in Thane city have represented Maharashtra and India in the past. 

The Basketball players are now giving it back to the game via the Falcons Basketball Coaching Program for budding basketballers, being organised regularly at the Kolshet court since April of this year.

Vaishali Dabhade, a resident of Kolshet said, "We at Falcons Basketball coaching thought of giving a platform for the basketball lovers, in Thane, the Sharad Pawar stadium in Dhokali is the only best basketball Court in Thane, we along with locals of Majiwada, Kolshet, Dhokali, Manpada came together for this event."

"Sports in India are majorly focused on Cricket, here at this court, we are on a mission to increase the basketball community in Thane, thinking of this unique way to celebrate Diwali with the court. We expect the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC)along with corporators to make more sports complexes in Thane to make sure no one is left behind when it comes to sports, expressed Hemanshu Pandey, the ex-basketball player.

Shubhangi Lokhande, a local resident from Thane said, " I reside in the nearby building to this sports complex, when I saw the whole court lightened up, I rushed to see, and also had a chat with the community of basketball players."