Formed under the Societies Registration Act in April 1945, the Cochin Gymnasium functions within the compound of the Mattancherry Nehru Memorial Town Hall, owned by the Corporation.
| Photo Credit: File Photo
The historic Cochin Gymnasium in Mattancherry, which has operated free of cost since its founding before Independence, has categorically ruled out any possible rental agreement with the Kochi Corporation.
The Gym authorities perceive it as an attempt to subordinate the legacy institution to the writ of the Corporation. Formed under the Societies Registration Act in April 1945, the Cochin Gymnasium functions within the compound of the Mattancherry Nehru Memorial Town Hall, owned by the Corporation.
A proposal to ‘regularise’ the functioning of the gym had come up for approval at the last council meeting on September 10, 2026. The gym’s free functioning came under scrutiny after the Corporation’s audit report for 2018-19 listed it among civic assets being alienated. The absence of any rental agreement was described as a serious lapse and evidence of the Corporation’s ignorance regarding encroachment of its buildings. The audit report even called for the initiation of civil and criminal proceedings in the matter. Subsequently, moves were made to acquire the gymnasium’s building.
“The Corporation secretary has been asked to hear the gym authorities before taking a decision on the matter,” said Mayor V.K. Minimol.
Cochin Gymnasium President V.S. Shihabudheen, who has already submitted a memorandum against closure or charging rent, said he was not aware of any such decision to charge rent. “We had already requested the Corporation not to collect rent, since our formation predates the establishment of the Ernakulam Municipality and Corporation. The Corporation has neither played a role in our formation nor extended any assistance in the past 81 years. Once we agree to a rental agreement, we will be subjected to Corporation diktats in the future, including potential demolition,” he said.
One of the oldest gymnasiums in Keralam, originally established by reclaiming a pond for British officers and captains of ships anchoring at Kochi port, it has since produced athletes of national and international repute, earning the sobriquet “Wrestling Factory of Kerala.” Among its celebrated products are S. Divya, the first woman wrestler from Keralam; Anas Hussain, professional bodybuilder and Mr. Asia title winner; Aswin Shetty, gold medallist at the WBPF Mr. World Bodybuilding Championship; and Revathy Prakash, gold medallist at the Asia Pacific African Classic & Equipped Powerlifting Championship.
“We provide free training in wrestling, powerlifting, boxing, judo, Kalaripayattu, bodybuilding, arm wrestling, and skating, thereby keeping youngsters away from the menace of drugs. We only charge a nominal monthly fee of ₹300 for using our gym,” said Mr. Shihabudheen.
However, V.A. Sreejith, LDF parliamentary party leader, reminded that the audit objections regarding the functioning of the gym were rather stern, even recommending criminal proceedings. Pravitha Vijayakumar, BJP councillor for Cheralayi division where the gym is located, also supported charging rent. Civic bodies, she said, must look to generate revenue from their assets to sustain development works. Another BJP councillor, Priya Prashanth, insisted that any solution should predate to 2018-19, when audit objections were raised to avert any future problem to the Corporation.
Published – September 13, 2026 08:13 pm IST
