Interview :-
Dr. Sanjay Mukherjee IAS, Vice Chairman & Managing Director – CIDCO – Kharghar, Navi Mumbai with Leander Paes
Public golf courses are the need of the hour in Indian golf and play the role of catalyst in urban development. Mumbai golfers are all aware of the challenging 9 hole championship course created by CIDCO at Kharghar, Navi Mumbai. The good news is that the course will soon start the upgradation process to 18 holes.
Explaining his vision, Dr. Sanjay Mukherjee IAS, Vice Chairman & Managing Director CIDCO, spoke to Kharghar Valley GC Director of Golf, Mr. Tarun Ghogale.
Question-
What is the vision you have for KVGC going forward?
Answer: CIDCO envisaged the Kharghar Valley Golf Course, build on 52 hectares, as a medium that will boost the country’s tourism by serving as a venue for prestigious competitive events on national and international golfing calendar. Also, it will influence the standard of living of people. With serene atmosphere and excellent topographical beauty, this picturesque and attractive tract of land is an ideal location for golf. It houses CIDCO’s Magnum-Opus Golf and Country Club, a 9 – hole international standard golf course of par 72 and 7,137 yards. The 9 holes golf course will be expanded to 18 holes golf course.
Question –
How do you see golf as a medium to promote Kharghar as a premium golf tourism destination in India?
Answer: Kharghar is the largest and modern node of Navi Mumbai. With ambitious projects like Navi Mumbai International Airport, International Corporate Park, Navi Mumbai Metro, Transit Oriented Housing Scheme and similar other important projects being proposed in Kharghar and surrounding areas, Kharghar will become a well-equipped node with residential, commercial, transit and cultural facilities in the near future. The Kharghar node will also emerge as ‘Sports Hub’ in future for international level competition. Golf Course will become an iconic spot in Navi Mumbai giving a unique repute to the Kharghar node.
Question-
What are your views on the current performance of Aditi Ashok in the Tokyo Olympics and its impact in India?
Answer: Though Aditi Ashok, the 23-year golf player had not bagged any medal in the Tokyo Olympic, she has still made the nation proud through her consistency and stellar performance throughout the game. She lost the medal by one shot but her efforts were incredible. Competing with world number ones and gaining 4th position in the Olympics in such a short time was applauding. Despite facing issues in commuting and lack of fund support, she made her way to what she earned in the game at the end. She has surely imbibed encouragement in the aspiring and existing golfers in India for the big games.
Question –
How has golf transformed the lives of the community in and around Kharghar?
Answer: CIDCO’s commitment to upgrade the standard of living of the people led to envisaging the Kharghar Valley Golf Course. Kharghar Valley Golf Course is an addition to the exquisite infrastructure of the node making it most modern developed node of the satellite city. It lays a scope for augmented commercial, social and cultural development thereby, amplifying the standards of living in the city.
Question –
The CIDCO Masters Cup organized in January was your brainchild. What is your hope for the growth of this event?
Answer: CIDCO Master’s cup was organized on 20th February 2021. Golfers from the golf clubs in Mumbai and Pune participated in that event. Leander Peas was also present for this first edition of golf tournament. The event was conducted successfully with great enthusiasm from golfers. Thus, CIDCO will take every effort to continue this tournament further that will create a buzz of the Golf course. Being the only golf course of the satellite city, situated in the most modern node will surely attract numbers of golfers and aspiring players for the tournaments. Such tournaments will pave a way for the international games in the future.
Question –
What would be your Dream Fourball and on which Golf Course?
Answer: I’d imagine me, Tiger, Hogan and Arnold Palmer. At the Kharghar Valley Golf Course, of course.