How a touching gesture during his homecoming after 1971 England triumph spurred Ajit Wadekar to form India's first cricket body for the disabled
Former India skipper Ajit Wadekar (encircled) waves out to fans on his way to Cricket Club of India after arriving Mumbai from the 1971 Test series win against England. Pic/Wadekar's book My Cricketing Years
As soon as the Garuda Boeing 737 touched down at Mumbai airport after India's historic 1971 Test series triumph in England, over 1.5 million fans got ready to watch a motorcade carrying Ajit Wadekar's men to the Cricket Club of India (CCI) in what was their second homecoming that year (after their victory in WI). En route to CCI, there were two touching incidents that occurred. One of them was mentioned in Wadekar's book My Cricketing Years. "When we passed the school for the blind at Worli, I was deeply moved and asked the driver to stop to receive the garlands from these kind enthusiasts," he wrote. The second incident was not mentioned. A few kilometres away, at the Haji Ali junction, Wadekar was received with garlands by the boys from the Fellowship of the Physically Handicapped.
What a moment!
One of them hugged him and asked if he could provide them an avenue to play the game. That's when the thought of setting up a formal body for disabled cricket first came about in Wadekar's mind, according to TP Mirajkar, who worked with Wadekar to promote cricket for the disabled. In 1988, Wadekar set up the All India Cricket Association for Physically Challenged (AICAPC), the first formal body for disabled cricketers.
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Mirajkar, who retired last year after being AICAPC secretary for close to three decades, said working for disabled cricketers was Wadekar's second innings. "Our set up is exactly like the BCCI. We organise cricket matches in 28 Indian states. We have five zones and each of them is entrusted to promoted disabled cricket. It was his second innings," Mirajkar told mid-day yesterday. With no financial support and recognition from the BCCI, Wadekar had to fight a lone battle to gather funds to keep disabled cricket afloat. "We were lucky to have Wadekar sir at the helm. He would arrange for a sponsor for all our tournaments," said Mirajkar. However, what irked Wadekar was the treatment meted out by the BCCI to disabled cricket.
Wish unfulfilled
"It is sad that despite doing so much for Indian cricket, I still have to plead to the Board to recognise disability cricket," a hurt Wadekar had told this newspaper in an interview earlier this year. India's participation in the first ever World Cup for physically challenged next year is in limbo, until BCCI recognises disabled cricket. By giving the stamp of approval, which is also one of the key recommendations of the Justice Lodha Committee report approved by the Supreme Court, BCCI can pay a glorious tribute to its former captain.
Tournament to be named after Ajit Wadekar
AN inter-state T20 tournament for physically challenged cricketers which will begin in Haryana over the weekend is all set to be named after Ajit Wadekar. The Physically Challenged Cricket Association of India (PCCAI), another body promoting disability cricket, has decided to name their tournament after the former India captain, revealed their secretary Ravi Chauhan. Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana are the three states participating in the two-day tournament.
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