Questions linger over Rekha Shrivastava’s claim about being first wife of deceased cricketer
Salim Durrani, his grandniece Zoya, and nephew Sajid Khan Durrani, at their home in Jamnagar, Gujarat. FILE PIC/BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
India cricket stalwart Salim Durani, who passed away in 2023, is once again in the news after a video of a woman claiming to be his wife went viral on social media. The woman — identified as Rekha Shrivastava — was recently found begging on the streets of Belapur. While those known to the cricketer say his first wife’s name was indeed Rekha, no one is sure if the woman making the claims is his actual first wife.
Help Drive Foundation, the NGO that traced Rekha’s daughter, confirmed that the woman is Durani’s former wife and that she is collecting documentary evidence. The NGO staff told mid-day that Rekha's daughter saw her after 40 years through the footage.
The viral video
“My name is Rekha Shrivastava. I am the wife of cricketer Salim Durani. We lived in a bungalow and met the king of Gujarat, and ministers regularly. My husband died two years ago. I sold my bungalow, and now I have nothing. Earlier, I worked with an airline,” the woman said in the video. She is currently living in a Navi Mumbai shelter home.
A helping hand
Tarun Mishra, founder of the Help Drive Foundation, said, “During our interaction, she revealed that she is the former wife of Durani. Her daughter, who lives in Mumbai, contacted us and confirmed that the woman is her 84-year-old mother. She had married Durani, but they later separated. We are now collecting documentary evidence from Rekha’s daughter and Durani’s relatives in Jamnagar to verify the relationship.”
Rekha Shrivastava, who claims to be the first wife of the late cricketer. Pic/BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
According to Mishra, the NGO received a call from Indian former cricketer Ajay Jadeja, who said the woman resembled Durani’s wife, Rekha, and expressed his willingness to help her. “She needs shelter, food, and a peaceful life, which we are trying to provide,” he added.
Rekha’s daughter allegedly told the NGO staff that her mother lived in a bungalow in Khar, but she later lost contact with her. “She also said that her mother was very wealthy, but how she lost all her property remains a mystery,” Mishra said, adding that until there is documentary proof, one cannot conclusively say that the woman is Durani’s wife.
‘Seems like Rekha’
When mid-day contacted friends of Durani, they stated that Rekha was indeed his first wife’s name. However, they were unsure whether the woman seen in the viral video is the same person, as Rekha, is now 84 years old and most people last met her 40-50 years ago.
Ramyar Balsara, a friend of Durani’s told mid-day, “I am sure his wife’s name was Rekha, and the woman in the video looks very similar. I cannot confirm if she is the same person, but if she is his wife, she deserves respect and support. I also remember their daughter.”
Balsara added, “I was in regular contact with Salim after his retirement from cricket. When he received a large sum of money from the Board of Control for Cricket in India, I advised him to invest it in a fixed deposit scheme at the SBI Jamnagar branch. He survived on the interest. I started playing cricket because he inspired me. He was allowed to travel free of cost in the first-class on Indian Railways, but always chose to travel in second-class, standing near the door. His lifestyle was very simple. I am willing to help his wife.”
Garnering support
Dimple Bhatia, another friend of Durani, said from Jamnagar: “He got married when I was a child. I do not know whether the woman claiming to be his wife is genuine. He spent most of his life in Mumbai. If she is truly his wife, I feel very bad about her condition.”
Meanwhile, former cricketer Deepan Bhatt stated, “Durani visited Khar Gymkhana regularly. He was our close friend, and we played cricket together. We have seen the viral video of the woman claiming to be his wife. Most of the information she shared is correct, but we are not certain about her identity. We are checking with Gymkhana members and former players to confirm the truth.”
A close friend of the Durani family, speaking on condition of anonymity, told mid-day, “I have seen the video forwarded to me. She is Rekha, Durani’s first wife. Over the years, we lost touch. I do not have any photographs of her or her daughter.”
Rekha is believed to be suffering from Alzheimer’s and memory loss, and while Durani will be fondly remembered for his cricket skills and good nature, the video clip featuring Rekha will not be forgotten in a hurry.
OfficialSpeak
Speaking with mid-day, Senior Police Inspector Arun Pawar of CBD Belapur police station said, “We got information about this woman from an NGO that admitted her to a shelter home. We didn’t find any documents or identification cards on her. She needs medical treatment. We are checking with her relatives and friends whether she is Durani’s wife. But we have no evidence until now. We will reunite her with her family once we know more.”
Rekha Shrivastava. Pic/BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Durani family refutes claims
In an exclusive conversation with mid-day, Durani’s nephew, Sajid Khan Durani, has refuted the claims in the video, calling them “totally fake.”
Speaking over the phone from Jamnagar, Gujarat, Sajid, who fondly referred to his late uncle as ‘Mota Bapu’, clarified the family’s position and shared details about Durani’s personal life. “For the last two days, a viral video on social media has been giving out some very wrong information about Salim Durani’s personal life. He was my uncle. He got divorced from his first wife long ago and got married again to Manjula Dharamsey. She was a doctor and passed away long ago. Since then, my uncle was residing with us at our Jamnagar home.”
‘Not the one’
Sajid, however, acknowledged that Durani’s first wife’s name was Rekha, but emphasised that she had no role to play in his later life. “His first wife’s name was Rekha, but this lady is not the one. And chaalo, ek baar maan bhi lete hain ke woh Durani ki wife thi [and even if we consider that she was his wife], where was she when my uncle expired? She has now come into the picture all of a sudden.”
‘Got divorced anyway’
Stressing on the legal reality of the matter, Sajid said, “The most important thing is that my uncle and Rekha got legally divorced and she [Rekha] got married elsewhere. So officially, going by the law, Rekha was no longer his wife. How can she claim now that he’s her husband? My uncle later got married to Manjula, and they too got divorced later. So, whatever this lady is trying to project is totally wrong.”
‘Pitiable, but fake’
Sajid also questioned Rekha’s lack of connection with the family. “Does she know where we reside in Gujarat? Does she know the names of any of our family members? My uncle was an internationally recognised sportsman, so many people know his personal details. I pity the old lady — she must be the same age as my late mother — but this piece of news doing the rounds is fake,” he concluded.
Salim Durani passed away in Jamnagar on April 2, 2023. He played 29 Test matches between 1960 and 1973. He was a slow left-arm orthodox bowler and a left-handed batsman, widely known for hitting sixes on demand.
On a lighter note…
"Salim Durani used to live on rent at my grandfather’s house on Turner Road, Bandra West. In 1972, he took me to watch a Test match. He drank four bottles of beer and then went on to score 73," said Ramyar Balsara, a friend.
Dimple Bhatia, another friend said, "Salim was the only cricketer who played according to fans’ demands. He would hit sixes in the direction from where fans asked for sixes. Once, when he was dropped from the team, fans protested by chanting ‘No Durani, No Test’. I was his friend and also a fan."
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