Ratilal Parmar is a unique cricket fan. He is probably one of the only collectors of currency notes whose numbers coincide with birthdates, records, etc of cricketers
Ratilal Parmar is a unique cricket fan. Heu00a0is probably one of the only collectors of currency notes whose numbers coincide with birthdates, records, etc of cricketers.
|
| Prized possession! Ratilal Parmar's latest collection of three currency notes with numbers denoting Sachin Tendulkar's 451st ODI, match date 24-03-11 and Tendulkar's 18,000 ODI run feat. |
In the case of Sachin Tendulkar, Parmar has gone on to match all his ODIs with the numbers on currency notes. Tendulkar played his 451st ODI at the Sardar Patel Stadium here in Motera yesterday, and though Parmar was disappointed at him missing his 100th ton, having been caught-behind by Brad Haddin on 53, he was glad to find a currency note matching the 18,000-run feat Tendulkar achieved in ODIs yesterday.u00a0
Parmar has had the opportunity of presenting one of his collections to Tendulkar during the New Zealand Test series.u00a0 But that collection has been updated since, and Parmar now wants to meet the Little Master again.
"I am eager to show him my latest collection. He has broken many records after that (NZ series). I want to show him his 50th Test century record and also the 18,000-runs landmark," Parmar told MiD DAY yesterday.
Some call him crazy, but that has not deterred Parmar's passion. "I am not bothered what people think of me. I enjoy what I am doing. I am not doing this for anyone. It is for my own satisfaction," said the 55-year-old.
Parmar gets the notes from various banks. "At some places I have to plead while sometimes people, who know about my passion, simply give them over to me," Parmar said.
This idea struck Parmar when he fractured his hand in 2009. "I am crazy about cricket and have been following the game since the 1980s. I remember the day Tendulkar made his debut against Pakistan in 1989. I've liked him ever since and thought of documenting his career in this unique manner," he said.
Parmar is so consumed by his passion that he has even stopped going to the steel manufacturing unit he owns in nearby Morbi.
"I've asked my sons to look after that. The whole day I'm only thinking about cricketers and their records," he
signed off.
