JAMTHA (Nagpur): It is amazing to see the extreme lengths a fan can go to pursue his passion for cricket.

Rahul Palem is an IT professional, employed with a reputed Indian software company based in Bangalore. But at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, he is lending a helping hand to TV cameramen.

Tough job

For someone, who is used to working on a computer in an air-cooled cabin, bringing water and towels to the crew, tailing roving cameramen and pulling their cables and other equipment, is a rather tough job which has him on his feet under the scorching sun all day.

It's not a financial crisis that has forced Palem to sweat it out at the VCA Stadium. He is going through the grind to live his dream of bidding farewell to his cricketing hero, Sourav Ganguly in his last Test.

"It is not that I can't afford to buy a ticket. I am a regular for every international game at Bangalore's Chinnaswamy Stadium and I always buy a pavilion ticket.
 
"I wanted to be on the ground during this match and hence asked the camera crew if they had a vacancy for the Test.

Bangalore techie Rahul Palem assisting the TV crew just to bid Sourav Ganguly farewell from the ground. Pic/Suresh KK

"I got a job as an assistant at the very last minute," he said.

"I am not here for the money. They offered to pay for my services, but I declined. I am here to cheer Ganguly from close quarters," said an emotional Palem, after he watched his hero walk out to bat for the last time in international cricket yesterday.

His hard work, though, was rewarded when he got to wish Ganguly personally. "I spoke to Ganguly during the game and told him 'I am here for you. You have said the saddest person (after the retirement announcement) is your father. In that case, I am the second'," Palem told Ganguly. 

It did not matter that his hero fell for a first-ball duck yesterday.

"We love him for his attitude...his ruthlessness... the never-say-die attitude. He has given us many good memories for one innings to dampen it," said Palem, who hails from an upper middle-class family in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh where his dad is a doctor.

Most vocal

During any game at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, Palem is easy to locate in the Bangalore crowd. He usually dresses up in traditional India attire and is always armed with an India flag.

Also, he is easily the most vocal among supporters.

"I have been to all matches in the last eight years. Most of the players recognise me but Sachin Tendulkar said that my voice can be heard the loudest in the middle," said Palem.

It's because of the undying, selfless love for the game from fans like Palem that India has become such a powerhouse in world cricket.

Day 5: Live on Neo Cricket at 09:30