International Endeavors

Beginning of International contacts

Mandal arranged to send its able bodied members after their complete training here to foreign countries to learn their respective systems and if found useful to introduce them here on their return after training. Late Dr. Kokardekar, D.S Deshpande, Prof. R. D. Khaniwale were sent to Germany and Japan and they came back with flying colours. This encouraged the mandal to take part in International gatherings of physical education and sports by sending Indian representative teams since 1936.

Our Speakers Abroad

The Mandal’s Workers also gave lectures before the world audience at several occasions at the time of international congregations, beside holding group discussions .Theme of the lectures was “India’s Traditional culture and it’s philosophical and scientific basis”. At about nine different occasions speakers of the Mandal had spoken about modern forms of physical education from the International platforms.

Relation with International bodies

The mandal has maintained contacts with several international organization working in the field of physical education and allied disciplines. Workers of the mandal are in touch with the following organizations.

Organization of Internal matches

The mandal take keen interest in the organization of matches of international status at it’s campus. so far following matches have been organized at mandal

Deputation for higher studies abroad

Having achieved a prominent place in the social and educational life of the province and the country, the Mandal turned its attention to the study of some of the western eastern gymnastic systems as well. With this view in mind some of the life workers of the Mandal were twice deputed to attend the International Scout Jamborees held in Europe. The experience gained by these men created an urge for deputing young men, who could undergo higher study and earn diplomas of degrees of physical education in foreign countries. Accordingly late Dr. L. J. Kokardekar was deputed to Germany in the year 1929 and late Dr. D.S. Deshpande was deputed to Japan in 1930. These youths were also responsible for propagating the values of India’s traditional gymnastic exercise and games in Germany and Japan respectively and for creating interest about them among foreign experts. The efforts of late Dr. L.J. Kokardekar especially attracted the attention of no less an eminent authority on physical education than Dr. Carl Diem of Germany. Late Dr. D. S. Deshpande contributed several articles on Indian games and exercises in the Japanese papers and magazines.

Deputation for International courses and conferences

The Mandal has been deputing it’s scholars and workers abroad to undergo specialized courses in physical education and allied sciences. Similarly workers of the mandal participate in International conferences and take part in deliberations.

World tour on Bicycle

Mr.D. N. Dhonde, worker of the mandal, inspired with such programmes has started his world tour on bicycle on 2nd February 1980,from the mandal. So far, he has visited 40 countries covering Asia, Europe, Africa, South and north America with a distance of 45,000 K.M.

International Tours:

Founders of the Mandal were not satisfied by limiting their efforts to popularize our traditional system of physical culture in Indian States; they aspired for gaining international platform to display these activities to the sport-loving people of the world.

1. The first such attempt was made by the Mandal in the yar 1936 at the time of XI Olympic Games in Berlin (Germany). A team of 28 players was deputed to participate in International Pedagogic Congress hosted in Berlin by the hosts of Olympic Games. Wide appreciation was received to the programme of this team. Traditional sports like Kabaddi, Atya Patya, Yoga System, Malkhamb, Lezim, etc. were demonstrated.
2. Another successful participation was made by the Mandal’s team of 35 players and officials in ‘World Lingiad Festival’ at Sweden where an assembly of about 10 thousand sportsmen & women from various countries of the world was witnessed. Indian team was invited to present its programme in Switzerland, Denmark, England and Germany.
3. In the year 1953 the Mandal was invited to participate in 3rd World Congress of Physical Education held in Istambul (Turkey). The team of 25 Players and officials was deputed to the Congress. Apart from its participation in the Congress, the team also visited neighboring countries like Iran, Iraq and Syria and presented its programme.

Then after the Mandal had received regular invitations of international gatherings from the respective bodies. Following table shows its participation in such congregations:

From the year 1936 to 1996 the Mandal’s teams could conduct 12 International tours where in about 15 countries were visited and in about 40 cities demonstrations of India’s traditional physical culture were successfully organized. Scholars of the Mandal had also participated in International Congress & Seminars and presented scientific papers highlighting the philosophy, scientific principles and specialties of India’s age old system of physical culture. Regular research work is carried out in the Mandal’s Sports Research Laboratory in the field of Sports Sciences including ancient system of physical culture. The Mandal took initiative in organizing Ist International Basic Course in sports Medicine in the year 1976 at its premises. Organization of National level seminars on sports and allied sciences has become annual feature of the Mandal.