It is with great sadness,we heard the demise of one of India's most revered sporting icon Milkha Singh,who succumbed to Covid-19, With his demise, an era has come to an end and the nation has lost a great sportsman of immense passion and vigour,who was an endearing and humane personality.his wife Nirmal saini also had passed away few days back with same Covid-19 Complications.

His son Jeev Milkha Singh is one of India's greatest professional golfers who became the first player from India to join the European Tour in 1998.

Milkha singh was one Independent India's biggest sporting personality,who will be best remembered for his exceptional accomplishment in the field of Athletics, in his long and distinguished sporting career, he brought unmatched glory for India,He will go down as a true legend in the annals of Athletic history leaving leaving behind his fine imprint of a great sportsman, who had played an instrumental role in winning many medals for the nation.

Milkha’s achievements were indeed extraordinary —he became the first ever Indian Athlete to win an individual gold medal in Commonwealth games where competition is more difficult competition than Asian games,following this then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru declared the National Holiday, he was four time Asian Games Gold medalist but his greatest performance was a near miss medal in Rome olympics,where he was placed the fourth in the 400 meters photo finish race,his this 400m national record stood for 38 long years.

In 1959,he was awarded with the Padma Shri India's fourth-highest civilian award in recognition of his sporting achievements.

It is unfortunate that players of yesterday years are forgotten who played for the nation and brought immense Glory,in those days hardly any modern day facilities were there like modern tracks,today players get immens money and fame and have modern sports infrastructure,beside presently players get corporate sponsorship and crores of Rupees government prize for gold medalists,

For his notable contribution in the field of athletics,the Government of India should honour the legend with Bharat Ratna, which he very much deserved,in fact this honour should have been bestowed to him in his lifetime,also the Postal department should issue a commemorative post stamp in honour of Flying Sikh.

Milkha Singh was popularly called "Flying Sikh" and leaves behind an unmatched legacy in the sports arena, his incredible achievements will continue to inspire generations come,His death is indeed a great loss to the world of athletics, With his demise, India has lost one of its greatest players of all times to come, Milkha Singh has gone,yet he will remain in the hearts of Indians an Nation will be forever be indebted to him .

Sir,It was with deep sadness, we heard the news of the passing away of one of India's legendary Cricket player Bishin singh Bedi,no words can be adequate while paying homage to this towering player of the Cricketing world,and the loss of this cricket legend has left the nation in mourning.

Bedi played for the country with immense passion and vigour, he was also an endearing and humane personality, who was widely considered as one of the world's finest slow left-arm spinners of all times.

BEDI:SARDAR OF SPIN

The "Sardar of spin" - as he was popularly called in India - he was known for an infectious sense of humour, his younger peers revered him as a grand statesman of the Cricket who never was shy on offering trenchant opinions on issues plaguing the game or backing other cricketers, he was also a man of morals who will always speak his mind on the contentious issues concerning cricket like Match fixing and betting,he was honest upright, someone who played the gentleman game of Cricket for right reason to give Cricket what it deserved to be.

He was a compassionate person who would go out of way to help other cricketers, one of the most remarkable qualities of his was, he was not a commercially driven player who had a fierce sense of right and wrong.

HARSHEST CRITICS OF IPL:

Bedi was one of the harshest critics of the cash rich Indian Premier League(IPL),as an old school Cricketer ,he believed is it the original cricket where IPL cricketers are auctioned and purchased by respective teams,

Bedi was born in Amritsar, who was known as an iconic figure in the world of cricket,he was not only a truly a world-class cricketer but an even better human being, who was part of the famous spin quartet in Indian cricket along with Erapalli Prasanna, B.S.Chandrashekar and S. Venkataraghavan that won India many games both at home and overseas thus they collectively orchestrated a revolutionary transformation in India's spin bowling legacy. Bedi's managerial expertise and insights immensely contributed to the development of the sport in the country.

Illustrative journey of the legendary cricketer Bedi's in the world of cricket which spanned for three decades, leaving an unforgettable mark on the game of Cricket ,he represented India in 67 Tests between 1967 and 1979, picking an up 266 Test wickets until fast bowler Kapil Dev broke in 1985-86 which is at an enviable average of 28.71,Bedi earned a great admiration for his astute captaincy, he was also a national selector who holds the distinction of being the first full-time coach in the history of Indian cricket. Bedi away from the cricketing field, he also worked as a highly respected commentator known for cricket ethics.

MENTOR TO MANY YOUNG CRICKETERS:

He also had played a significant role in mentoring many young talented spinners like Maninder Singh and Murali Kartik, who went on to play for ndia.

In the annals of the cricket, he will remain as an esteemed figure who will be celebrated for his artistry and unwavering dedication to the gentleman game of Cricket, but he will be more remembered for his strong frank opinion on various issues concerning Cricket,

AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS:

Bedi for his distinguished achievements in cricket, he was aptly recognised with several accolades, including he was conferred with the prestigious Padma Shri award in 1970 and CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004.

An important era in the world of cricket has come to an end with the demise of B S Bedi,there may never be another gentleman cricketer like Bedi with unwavering consciousness,

Bedi's legacy will remain an indelible part of Indian cricket history, world is poorer when such legends depart.

May God give courage to his family and friends to bear this loss, RIP Bishin Singh Bedi.

Refer to ‘King of beautiful game dead’; Pelé was one of the greatest footballers on the planet. With his demise, an era has come to an end. He was a revered figure in the world of football and the only player with three World Cup titles. The Brazilian soccer king was widely regarded as one of his sport’s greatest players.

His death has left a deep void in the heart of every football fan. He leaves an eternal, unforgettable legacy. Pelé’s name will forever be synonymous with sporting artistry.

Rest in peace

(ii) "RIP Pele"

Sir,It is with great sadness,we heard the news of the demise of Edson Arantes Do Nscimento popularly known as Pele,the Soccer's first global superstar on planet and Brazilian king of Football , he was a transformative figure of the 2th century ,with his demise, an era has come to an end,he was a revered figure in the world of football, the first superstar and the only player with three world cup titles.

He was declared a national treasure in his native country Brazil, and achieved worldwide celebrity and helped popularize the sport in the United States .

Pele the the greatest sports icon in the history and the one of the most commanding sporting figures of the 20th century,who achieved global celebrity status few contemporary sporting personalities have achieved this ,like Mohmmed Ali and Indian Athlete Milkha singh ali who occupied our mindspace.

Pele is widely considered as one of the greatest players of all time,whose sporting career spanned for more than two decades, in which he won numerous accolades and awards, including three World Cup titles for his country Brazil. he is widely regarded as one of the greatest forwards in the history of the game of football , who scored over 1,000 goals in his professional career and was named FIFA World Player of the Century in 1999.Pele the Brazilian Soccer legend who is widely regarded as one of the greatest forwards in the history of the game of football.

Pele's is the quintessential rags-to-riches story, who played football barefoot on the streets of his impoverished village using rolled up rgs or a ball,and made his international debut in Football at the tender age of 17 years and led victory for his country Brazil in the three continuous world cups in years 1958 in sweden and subsequently,1962 (Chile) and 1970(England) World Cups and he ended his career as the all-time leading goal scorer for the team, scoring 77 goals in 92 matches.

Pele was the youngest player to appear at men's world cup football at 17 years, although his record was subsequently broken by another Football legend from North-Ireland Norman Whiteside Netherland.

It is testament to Pele's influence that several eminent personalities world over led the tribute,from Present U S President Joe Biden to former President Barack Obama, former and incoming President of Brazil to International Olympic Committee Chief Thomas Bach and more.

Pele was not only the greatest among the greats players but a kind and considerate human being,who brought joy to innumerable people across the world for decades, his name will stay synonymous with the generation of football lovers worldwide,it is doubtful whether this void will ever be filled,He leaves behind an eternal unforgettable legacy.

RIP Pele.

Sir — Neeraj Chopra, the 23-year-old athlete from Panipat, scripted history at the men’s javelin throw at Tokyo by clinching India’s first medal in Olympic athletics and the country’s second individual gold medal (‘‘Neeraj nails it! Long wait ends’’, Aug 8). It is a matter of great pride for our nation and a big morale booster for sportspersons in India. This win at the Tokyo Olympics ended India’s 121-year wait for a gold medal in athletics. The previous best had been achieved in British India by Norman Pritchard — it is also considered India’s maiden participation at the Games — who won two silver medals in men’s 200 metres and men’s 200 metres hurdles at Paris in 1900,

I belong to the 1960s when sportspersons from Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Karnataka could not secure an Olympic medal even though they were endowed with tremendous resilience and talent as they lacked the necessary resources. They did not have proper coaching, access to a suitable diet plan or enough sponsorships.

Although athletes like Milkha Singh, Gurbachan Singh Randhawa, Mahendra Singh Gill, Manjit Walia, P.T. Usha and many others won medals at the Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games, a medal at the Olympics remained elusive. Milkha Singh finished fourth in the 400 metres finals at the 1960 Rome Olympics, Gurbachan Singh Randhawa finished fifth in the 110 metres hurdles at Tokyo in 1964 and P.T. Usha lost the bronze medal at the Los Angeles Olympics by 1/100th of a second.

Even today, our focus continues to be on cricket; all other athletes languish for want of resources. It is hoped that after this win at the Olympics, the sports ministry will rise from its slumber. The government as well as the corporate sector has a responsibility to support young, promising sportspersons so that they can perform to the best of their abilities at international events.

The government must come up with a comprehensive policy to encourage sportspersons and provide them with the best of resources. India has the potential to win many more medals at the Olympics and other such events.

Shri Pankaj Advani, is a world-renowned Indian sportsman,who plays Billiards and Snooker,in which h e has consistently done well and holds the record of being the youngest national snooker champion at the age of 17,Infact Pankaj is the king of cue sports in India,and an extraordinary talented and natural gifted player, who is being regarded as one of the greatest sportsman of the contemporary history of the post independent India.

He is a highly acclaimed and talented Indian Billiards and Snooker player, who has made great name for the country in international sporting arena,and is a 21 times World Billiard Champion,He is a multi talented player and is good in snooker as well,

He has achieved a hat-trick of hat-tricks in English billiards, holding the World, Asian, and Indian National Championship titles simultaneously, in three different years: 2005, 2008 and 2012 and recently in 2017,

Pankaj is widely known as billiard player and his prowess in game has been widely recognized in the country and globally,

Pankaj Advani has the honour to win host of world titles in this game, he made history in Snooker game in Feb,2013,when he reached the quarter final of world ranking event,he also won snooker' IBFS world champion which was played in China 2003,beating Saleh Mohmmed from Afganistan,Pankaj at the age of 29 years,had added another glorious crown by out playing the former world champion Peter Gilchrist, an E nglish-born Singaporean English billiards player.

Globally when most sportsmen showcase their best talent around 30-35 years of age,but Shri Pankaj Advani at the age of 33 has already won all the championships the game has to offer many times over, he had the honour to have won the world championship in cue sports when he was only 18 years of age, infact he has the privilege to be the only person in the world to have ever won both the Billiards and Snooker World Championships in all formats, Pankah Advani is the also the only Indian to win the Men's Australian Open Billiards Championship in 2008 in Melbourne,

In 2016,he created history when he won both Asian 6-Red snooker title,thus Pankaj became the first player in the world to win both Asian and world titles.

Pankaj had shown consistency to become a world beater in game of Billiards and snooker in year 2003 only

For his success, he gives credit to his legendary coach,and Arjuna Awardee Shri Arvind Savur who himself was a versatile player and national snooker champion, his mother Kajal Advani and brother Dr Shree Advani who in initial days supported him,he had shown consistency to become a world beater in game of Billiards and snooker in year 2003 only.

Shri Pankaj Advani.
Shri Pankaj Advani was born on in Pune(1985) Maharashtra,India,and now resides in Bangalore(Karnataka),he was born to late Mr Arjun Advani and Smt Kajal Advani,he spent his initial years in Gulf (Kuwait),on the onset of Gulf war when Kuwait was invaded by Iraq, Pankaj Advani's family shifted to Bangalore,sadly when Pankaj was only six years of age ,his father Arjun Advani passed away in Bangalore,

Pankaj Advani, received his school education at the Frank Anthony Public School , one of prominent school in Bangalore ,where he was a brilliant student, further he obtained his bachelor's degree in Commerce from Sri Bhagawan Mahaveer Jain College,Bangalore .

Right from his school days,he was own as a calm child, his school friends recall him as a soft spoken and kind-hearted student, who was also head boy of the frank Anthony school,His elder brother Shri Shree Advani was also head boy of school,

After demise of his father,his mother Kajal Advani totally focused on the well being his children, providing them with the best of education, his brother Shree Advani went to Australia for higher education ,Shree Advani is a noted Sport & Performance Psychologist,who is consulted by prominent corporate and individuals. he is well known For his professional success, he gives credit to his legendary coach,and Arjuna Awardee Shri Arvind Savur who himself was national snooker champion,also his mother Kajal Advani and brother Dr Shree Advani greatly inspired him,

Pankaj Advani persona,
Pankaj Advani is a dashingly,handsome,young man of undoubtedly great ability and intigrity,unique features of his persona is,he is a multidimensional personality,who is regarded as one of the greatest Indian sportsman of all time,a wonderful humanitarian,warm hearted and most compassionate caring individual.

Many aspects of his personality should greatly inspire other sportsmen, Pankaj inspite of reaching zenith of success in his professional life, with international fame, he is still down to earth person,whenever he will meet some a quitaine, he will stop and greet them,even during international matches,his talks to other players,sports administrators in most cordial way,

Pankaj is t he suave young achiever,who is widely admired for his calm nature and is compassionate vegetarian,completely teetotaler, who likes to watch movies and read spiritual books. .

Pankaj has not yet got married, probably after attending so much professional success ,he may now consider for marriage,

Fan following ,
Pankaj Advani's consistent performances has earned him a huge fan following across the country and globe, where he has has consistently played and won,

Awards and Achievements,

Shri Pankaj Advani ji has been bestowed with many prestigious awards for his outstanding sporting achievements,

(i)Arjuna award (2004),
(ii)Vision of India’s International Indian Award(2005)
(iii)Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award(2006),
(iv)Rajyotsava Award , Karnataka's highest civilian award( 2007)
(v) Karnataka's "Kempegowda Award"(2007) .
(vi)Padma Shri award (2009),
(vii) Padma Bhushan in 2018, and many more.

Philonthiropy.

Shri Pankaj Advani and his family believes,philosophy of "Service to mankind is the best work of life, and their dedication towards social endeavours is an inspiration for all us in society, they believe it is our duty to help those who need help,His mother Smt Kajal Advani is a very noble and kind human being ,who is involved in reaching out to those individual ,who are in need of school fees, medical expenses etc.

Include Billiards in Olympic
Pankaj Advani should impress upon Governmnet of India to talk to International Olympic committee, based in Switzerland to include Billiards in next Olympic games to be held in 2020(Japan),where India could be assured of Gold Medal,

No sportsmen in the country's sporting history has achieved what Pankaj Advani has,that too at young age,and it is an undeniable fact that he is India's most famous sportsmen who has made name in India and beyond, Now Pankaj Advani should actively involve in improving the facilities of other sports in India other than Cricket, as cricket has always been getting prominence,

In a country,short of sporting heroes except in Cricket,but Pankaj Advani has come as a breath of fresh air.

Sir,Untimely demise of the Legendary cricket Player Yashpal Sharma, who had played a crucial role in the 1983 world cup-winning team,has left Indian cricket fraternity into mourning, no word can be adequate while paying homage to this towering cricket player.

He was a star member of the cricket team and its heroes of India's triumph in the 1983 world cup,s adly he didn't get his dues, though his score of 89 runs against the defending champion West Indies brought victory for India.

He was a gutsy player whose unshakable courage always provided strength to Indian middle order batsmen,h e was also a brilliant fielder and a right-handed batsman, who was the backbone of India's middle-order in the 1983 World Cup.

In the annals of history of Indian cricket he will be remembered as a gritty player,a teamman, like a night watchman could play in all situations well whether, it is attack or defend.

He was a multi-faceted person who enriched the Indian sports,he was also an athlete,but it is cricket where he got global recognition as a test player,coach,commentator and Umpire.

He was a self made man known, trustworthy friend --above all a good human being, he was also sought after a Cricket analyst on TV channels due to his neutral analysis. all these hats he wore with great distinction, at different times in his long association with Cricket.

After retirement, he donned the role of umpire and he was also a national selector for three years (2003-2006). he was coached the Uttar Pradesh Ranji team,he played 37 Test matches and scored two centuries.

Best tribute to him will be to call him the architect of the team which brought glory for the nation in the 1983 world cup, His enduring legacy will continue to inspire generations of upcoming cricketers,he will remain embedded in the heart of all connoisseurs of Indian cricket or his contribution to the 1983 world up.

May the Legendary player's soul rest in peace.

(i) Neeraj Chopra's gold at Tokyo Olympics.
The Telegraph,10th August,2021,L.E.

Sir — Neeraj Chopra, the 23-year-old athlete from Panipat, scripted history at the men’s javelin throw at Tokyo by clinching India’s first medal in Olympic athletics and the country’s second individual gold medal (‘‘Neeraj nails it! Long wait ends’’, Aug 8). It is a matter of great pride for our nation and a big morale booster for sportspersons in India. This win at the Tokyo Olympics ended India’s 121-year wait for a gold medal in athletics. The previous best had been achieved in British India by Norman Pritchard — it is also considered India’s maiden participation at the Games — who won two silver medals in men’s 200 metres and men’s 200 metres hurdles at Paris in 1900,

I belong to the 1960s when sportspersons from Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Karnataka could not secure an Olympic medal even though they were endowed with tremendous resilience and talent as they lacked the necessary resources. They did not have proper coaching, access to a suitable diet plan or enough sponsorships.

Although athletes like Milkha Singh, Gurbachan Singh Randhawa, Mahendra Singh Gill, Manjit Walia, P.T. Usha and many others won medals at the Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games, a medal at the Olympics remained elusive. Milkha Singh finished fourth in the 400 metres finals at the 1960 Rome Olympics, Gurbachan Singh Randhawa finished fifth in the 110 metres hurdles at Tokyo in 1964 and P.T. Usha lost the bronze medal at the Los Angeles Olympics by 1/100th of a second.

Even today, our focus continues to be on cricket; all other athletes languish for want of resources. It is hoped that after this win at the Olympics, the sports ministry will rise from its slumber. The government as well as the corporate sector has a responsibility to support young, promising sportspersons so that they can perform to the best of their abilities at international events.

The government must come up with a comprehensive policy to encourage sportspersons and provide them with the best of resources. India has the potential to win many more medals at the Olympics and other such events.

(ii) Athletic Gold Medal: A pride moment for India,
Gulf news,11th Aug,2021,L.E.

India won its first track and field Olympic gold medal with the stunning throw of 87.5 meters in the men's javelin throw (“Tokyo Olympics: How India can build on Neeraj Chopra’s achievements”, Gulf News, August 08). Neeraj Chopra winning the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics 2020 is a proud moment for every Indian. It is the first time in the history of independent India that any Indian has won the Olympics gold medal in the track and field discipline. It is indeed a matter of great pride and a big morale booster for our youngsters. This glorious win by the Indian athlete at the Tokyo Olympics was something the entire country was waiting for with bated breath. It marks the end of the more than 100 years wait for a nation in track and field medal in the Olympics.

I am from the era of the 60's, and back then, athletes in the Indian states of Punjab and Haryana were all endowed with tremendous resilience, physical endurance, and a spirit for adventure. But, they couldn't win an Olympic medal. Sadly, during that period, they didn't have any necessary sports facilities. However, few won awards in Asian Games and Commonwealth Games. Milkha Singh, Gurbachan Singh Randhawa, Mohinder Singh Gill, Manjit Walia, P T Usha were superb athletes who represented India and won several medals. Still, they couldn't reach the Olympics due to a lack of sponsorship and government support. And nowadays, our complete attention is on the game of cricket.

However, I hope with this Olympic gold medal, the Indian government will pay more attention to athletics. Hence, the Indian government must make a comprehensive policy to encourage sports like athletics, hockey, and wrestling.

Refer to ‘King of beautiful game dead’; Pelé was one of the greatest footballers on the planet. With his demise, an era has come to an end. He was a revered figure in the world of football and the only player with three World Cup titles. The Brazilian soccer king was widely regarded as one of his sport’s greatest players.

His death has left a deep void in the heart of every football fan. He leaves an eternal, unforgettable legacy. Pelé’s name will forever be synonymous with the sporting artistry.

Rest in peace.

The unfortunate death of one of Indian cricket's most well-known players Chetan Chauhan from deadly coronavirus is deeply saddening, and no words can be adequate while paying homage to this towering personality (“Prime Minister Modi, cricketing circles mourn the loss of Chetan Chauhan”, Gulf News, August 16). Prime Minister Narendra Modi while paying him tributes, described him as a wonderful cricketer and diligent politician. Chauhan was a wonderful human being, and gusty player, who also made an equally effective contribution to public service and distinguished himself as a Test cricketer.

He was a credible politician who went on to become a Member of Parliament (MP) and Minister in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. He was also the chairman of the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT).

Chauhan had played 40 Test matches for India, and seven ODI's scored 2084 test runs. Sadly Chauhan never scored a century with his best was 97 runs, which he richly deserved, he was one of India's well-known test batsmen without an international hundred. He was conferred with the Arjuna Award for his distinguished service for sports. May his soul rest in peace.

In the demise of O M Nambiar,India has lost an iconic sports coach,who was responsible for nurturing the of several great talents in Athletics like PT Usha, one of India’s greatest track and field athletes,apart from P T Usha,he coached several others award winning athletes,including Shiny Wilson and Vandana Rao,In nation Nambiar is a name synonymous with PT Usha and that incredible teacher-student relationship which was kicked-off in 1976.

For his outstanding contribution in Athletics,he was awarded the first-ever Dronacharya award(1985), which was instituted to recognise the contribution of coaches and India's fourth highest civilian award padma shri (2021).

Best tribute to him will be to call him the Dronacharya of of Indian Athletics who brought glory for the nation in the Asian games and Olympics for the nation,

Nambiar's legacy is that he gifted a legend P T Usha to Indian athletics who went on to win several medals is Asian games and lost the bronze medal at the Los Angeles Olympics just by 1/100th of a second, he will always remain embedded in the heart of all connoisseurs of Indian Athletics for his contribution in Athletics.

Sir it is with great sadness we heard the news of the demise of one of India's legendary hockey player’s, Balbir Singh Sr ("How Balbir Singh inspired India to Hockey World Cup crown", Gulf News, May 25) He was a three-time gold medal winner and India’s most accomplished sportsman. His achievements during the post 1947 era of the country have been well documented. He was part of the team that brought great glory to India, he was a three-time Olympic gold champion having played a key role in India's wins in three successive Olympics games, in London 1948, Helsinki 1952, and in Melbourne1956.

In 1957, Singh became the first recipient of the Padma Shri award, India's highest civilian honour, in the sports category, for his distinguished service to Indian sports.

Befitting tributes to such a great player would be to carry on with the legacy of his hard work, his dedication to sports, his skills in hockey and bring back the glory of hockey in India by winning a gold medal in the Tokyo Olympics 2021.

(2) Dribble to the Gold medal(Balbir Singh Sr),
The Statesman,28th May,2020,L.E.

Sir,One is extremely distressed over the pasing of India's legendary Hockey player Balbir Singh Sr.He had one the gol thrice.he was part of the team that brought great glory to India. A three time gold olympic champion,he played a key role in India's victories in India's victories in three successive olympics (London 1948,Helsinki 1952 ,and in Melbourn 1956 as captain).

He was honoured with Padma Shri in 1957 for his distuingshed contribution to Indian sports.His legay must be sustained ,if this can be done,it will be a profound tribute to the man,

The glory of Indian Hockey can be revived if we win the Gol medal in the 2021 at the Tokyo olympics.

yours etc,Ramesh G jethwani, Bangalore,25th May. (iii) Revive Hockey(Balbir Singh Sr),
The Pioneer,27th May,2020,L.E.

Sir — It is with great sadness that we heard the news about the demise of one of India’s legendary hockey players, Balbir Singh Sr. A three-time gold winner and the country’s most accomplished sportsman, his achievements, especially during the post-independent era, have been well documented. He was part of the team which brought great glory to India.

He played a key role in clinching gold medals at the 1928, 1932 and 1936 Olympics, which led to his massive popularity. Singh was the first sportsperson to be awarded the Padma Shree in 1957. Even as he excelled in his craft when India ruled the world of hockey, he never complained about the state of affairs of this sport today. He never questioned players’ efforts even though it’s been 40 years since India last won the Olympic gold.

The best tribute to him would be for the hockey players to bring back the glory of the game by winning gold at the Tokyo Olympics.

Dear Sir, With the death of Muhammad Ali (“Ali: ‘Greatest’ boxer, a showman and an ambassador” Gulf Times, June 5), an era has come to an end in the world of boxing. His death is a big loss to the sports world. We have lost a legend, a hero and a great human being. He had the privilege to be the heavyweight boxing champion for three times.

Ali will be remembered as one of the world’s best known sportsmen of all times. The world will also remember him as one of the most charismatic and controversial sports figures of the 20th century.

He fiercely opposed the Vietnam war. With his high-profile name, he gave wholehearted support to civil rights groups, which endeared him to the millions of people across the world. He was tremendous not just as an iconic boxer but a great human being who was always generous with his money.

With steady successes of boxing victories, he further shot to fame by winning the light-heavyweight gold at the 1960 Rome Olympics, then turned professional boxer and delighted his audiences with showboating, shuffling and lightning reflexes. Though he has left us for the eternal world, his great legacy and spirit will continue to live in the hearts of his millions of his fans worldwide.

This refers to the editorial, “Getting used to Greatest” (June 6). With the demise boxing legend Muhammad Ali we have lost a legend, a hero and a great human being.

Ali, the three-time world heavyweight champion boxer, will be remembered as one of the world’s best known sportsmen, but the world will also will remember him as the most charismatic and controversial sports figure of the 20th century who fought for the rights of the Black community.

MAK pataudi belonged to the Era when Cricketers were about cricket will definitely be missed by one and all gentlemen. He will go down as an immortal in the annals of cricketing history and left behind his fine imprint as a great sportsman who played an instrumental role in winning many matches,He will be remembered as as one of the finest and innovative captains who always upheld team spirit.

A befitting homage to such a great cricketer would to carry out his legacy of hard work and honesty,His knowledge and acumen.

With the death of cricketing legend Hanif Mohammed, also known as little master, an era has come to an end in cricket. Hanif Mohmmed will be best remembered as one of the finest and most innovative cricketers of all times. He created history when he played a memorable 970-minute innings scoring 337.

He will go down as a true legend in the annals of cricket’s history. He has left behind his fine imprint as a great sportsman who played an instrumental role in winning many matches for his side. His knowledge about the game was unparalleled.

His death is indeed a great loss to the world of cricket.

Dear Sir,
With the death of cricketing legend Hanif Mohammad, also known as the “original Little Master”, an era comes to an end in cricket.

Hanif will be best remembered as one of the finest and innovative cricketers; he once made a record-breaking innings score of 337, creating history by batting for 970 minutes, the longest innings in Test cricket.

He will go down as a hero in the annals of cricket history. He has left behind his fine imprint as a great sportsman who played an instrumental role in winning many matches for his side. His knowledge about the game was unparalleled.

His death is a tremendous loss to the game of cricket.

Sir, Apropos "Hockey legend Shahid no more" (DH, July 21). It is with great sadness we hear of the untimely and unfortunate death of one of India's legendary hockey players Mohammed Shahid. With his demise, India has lost a great player of immense passion and vigour. Shahid will be best remembered for his wizardly hockey stick and superb dribbling skill, as well as a member of the V Bhaskaran-led Indian team that won the gold medal at the 1980 Moscow Olympics.

May god give courage to his family and friends to bear this loss. May the legendary soul rest in peace.

The arrest of three cricketers over spot-fixing allegations in the Indian Premier League (IPL) brought the game of cricket — better known as gentleman’s game — into utter disrepute and the reputation of Indian cricket was dragged through the mud.

The love for cricket in the Indian subcontinent is so intense that whenever there is a match, people from all walks of life are glued to their TV sets to know the latest score. Cricket is a very popular game in the subcontinent and many youngsters consider these international players as their role models. The notorious act has betrayed a billion fans and it is a clear case of cheating the spectators who pay hefty entrance fees to watch a fair game. This is an unpardonable act on part of the cricketers who are involved in match-fixing or spot-fixing. These cricketers are already making fortunes.

The game of cricket is losing its glory because of match-fixing and other corruption charges. It has, in fact, become a commercial enterprise. I request the authorities to please bring back the glory to this game by taking some exemplary action against all those involved in spot-fixing. Police should also expand their scope of investigation across India and abroad.

The International Cricket Council also should set strict rules to penalize all those who indulge in match-fixing. There should be zero tolerance for corruption in the gentleman’s game.

Jasdev Singh was considered the voice of Indian sports commentary, a voice that every Indian growing up in the 60s and there after was familiar with. His excellent command on Hindi and Urdu, and his style of commentary mesmerised millions for decades in India. In fact, he was among the best radio commentators in his days, a veteran at the state-run radio and television channel Akashwani and Doordarshan. Days when television was a rarity in Indian homes, his commentary on radio helped us get the latest news from the grounds far away.

He had covered nine editions of the Olympics games, starting from Helsinki (1968) to Melbourne (2000). His baritone voice brought to us news from six Asian Games, and equal number of hockey world cups. Singh was truly one of the most sought-after commentators, and was honoured with Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan, India's civilian honours, for his service.

An illustrious career spanning nearly half a century has come to a close and with it the memories of the time that made it special. Singh's demise has left a void in the Indian broadcasting industry.

It's truly the end of an era. May his soul rest in peace(RIP).

Dear Sir,An era in sports commentary has come to an end with the death of Jasdev Sing. was a familiar voice to cricket audiences the world over as well as at home in the West Indies.His was a multi-faceted personality, being a top-class cricket broadcaster, writer and historian.

He had the great privilege to cover almost all West Indies cricketing series since 1962 and is regarded as one of the most respected cricket broadcasters ever from Caribbean cricketing nations.

It was with deep sadness that we heard the untimely and unfortunate death of one of India’s legendary hockey players,Mohammed Shahid. No words can be adequate while paying homage to this towering player of the hockey world. Shahid played for the country with immense passion and vigor, but he will be best remembered for his wizardly hockey stick and superbly dribbling skills.

Shahid was a star member of the 1980 team that won gold medal at the Moscow Olympics. He was a multifaceted personality, as beside being a player par excellence, he was also a good human being and an excellent singer.

Befitting tributes to such a rare player would be to carry on with the legacy of his hard work, his dedication to sports and his wizard skills in hockey. With his demise, India has lost one of its greatest players of all times to come. Shahid is gone, yet he remains in the hearts of thousands of his fans.

May God give courage to his family and friends to bear this loss! May his soul rest in peace!

It was with deep sadness that we heard the untimely and unfortunate death of one of India’s legendary hockey players,Mohammed Shahid. No words can be adequate while paying homage to this towering player of the hockey world. Shahid played for the country with immense passion and vigor, but he will be best remembered for his wizardly hockey stick and superbly dribbling skills.

Shahid was a star member of the 1980 team that won gold medal at the Moscow Olympics. He was a multifaceted personality, as beside being a player par excellence, he was also a good human being and an excellent singer.

Befitting tributes to such a rare player would be to carry on with the legacy of his hard work, his dedication to sports and his wizard skills in hockey. With his demise, India has lost one of its greatest players of all times to come. Shahid is gone, yet he remains in the hearts of thousands of his fans.

May God give courage to his family and friends to bear this loss! May his soul rest in peace!

Dear Sir,An era in cricketing commentary has come to an end with the death of Tony Cozier.Cozier was a familiar voice to cricket audiences the world over as well as at home in the West Indies.His was a multi-faceted personality, being a top-class cricket broadcaster, writer and historian.

He had the great privilege to cover almost all West Indies cricketing series since 1962 and is regarded as one of the most respected cricket broadcasters ever from Caribbean cricketing nations.

Sir - An important era in the world of cricket commentary and broadcasting has come to an end with the demise of Tony Cozier. The West Indian was a brilliant cricket broadcaster, writer and historian, and was known for decades as one of the most accomplished commentators.

His voice was instantly recognizable, both on the radio and on television, and he was admired for his passion for the game. He had the distinction of having covered almost all the cricket series that the West Indies participated in since the year 1962. His commentary and writing were always accurate.

He will be remembered not only as the voice of West Indian cricket and faceted personality, a top-class cricket broadcaster, writer, and historian. He was one of the recognized and accomplished cricket commentators for decades. His demise has left a void in the world of cricket broadcasting.

The death of Raj singh Dungarpur who was an affectionately called "Rajbbhai", is a great loss to cricket fraternity.(Rajhbhai leaves a void-sep 13)Dungarpur was an institutions who was instrumental in the moulding of cricket legends sachin Tendulkar and Anil kumble and making mohammad Azharuddin Test captain. He played a pivotal role in establishing a national cricket Academy in Bnagalore.

He will always be remembered for organising a musical concert to help cricketers when India won world cup in 1983.

Sir - The passing away of Jagmohan Dalmiya marks the end of an era ("He went away like a king, says Mamata", Sept 21). He will always be remembered as one of the greatest cricket administrators of all time, one who changed the face of Indian cricket and helped it gain prominence at the international level. With his astute administrative skills, Dalmiya also made India the epicentre of world cricket. He turned the BCCI into a financial powerhouse and brought the 1987 World Cup to the Indian subcontinent. This was the first time that the tournament was held outside England.

He was a multifaceted personality who came from an illustrious business family in Calcutta. He transformed Indian cricket for the better. Dalmiya's shoes will be difficult to fill. His contribution to Indian cricket will always be cherished.

SIR, The death of the Australian batsman, Phil Hughes, as a result of a serious head injury sustained during a Sheffield Shield match is one of the saddest chapters in the history of cricket. He was a promising batsman and was destined for greatness at a young age. His passing is cricket's worst tragedy since the death of the former Indian opener, Raman Lamba, in February 1998 after a ball hit him on the temple while fielding in a Bangladesh league cricket match.

The death of Hughes is a stark reminder of the inherent dangers of the game. The life of a batsman is at considerable risk when he faces a fast bowler. Cricket administrators ought now to upgrade the safety standards of the protective helmet and other gear. For that matter, the game of cricket has never been safe. Certain features, such as the short-pitched ball, call for reflection. A safety audit is imperative.

Yours, etc.,

Sachin Tendulkar on Friday took the final step to reach a peak of cricket that is simply unreachable for lesser mortals. Hundred centuries in international cannot even think of matching, Sachin has made India proud.

His illustrious career, spanning more than two decades, has been such a remarkable journey that it has made the country proud time and again. Not only is he blessed with amazing talent, but also with loads of determination, dedication and devotion.

Further he is a good human being, who has never been involved in any controversy or allegation. He is known for demostrating a competitive spirit, because of whicj he has earned the respect of everyone in the cricketing world. As he is nearing the end of his career, it is but obvious that one day he will call it quits. Let’s hope that he continues to serve the country enven off the field by guiding budding cricketers.

A rare milestone in the cricketing history was witnessed last Friday when Indian cricketing maestro Sachin Tendulkar made his 100th international century in Dhaka. Sachin has not only made his nation proud but has told pioneering cricketing nations — England and Australia — that in this part of the world we have gone one step ahead of them as far as cricket is concerned. Many a time, Pakistani, Sri Lankan and Indian teams have given tough time to England and Australia who were the pioneers of this game. Sachin’s cricket carrier spanning over more than two decades has been truly a remarkable one in which he has made India proud on a number of occasions. Sachin is not only gifted with an amazing talent as a batsman and a good fielder, but is also a good human being who has never been involved in any sort of controversy. As Sachin is around 40 he may have to retire sooner or later but we all hope and pray that even after his retirement he will continue to serve the Indian cricket by guiding young cricketers with his cricketing talent.

This glorious win by the Indian men’s hockey team at the Incheon edition of the Asian Games, after 16 years, was something the entire nation was waiting for with bated breath.

In this thrilling, but nerve -wracking match, India beat Pakistan 4-2 in the penalty shootout to clinch the coveted hockey gold.

The last time India won gold was in the 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok. This triumph ensures a berth for our team at the 2016 Rio Olympics. It is indeed a matter of great pride and a big morale booster for our players. Team India deserves accolades.

We all hope the Olympics will result in another golden glory in 2016 and that the team will work hard in this remaining time to make this goal achievable.

The demise of the veteran women Hockey player Elevra Britto, has brought to an end of the glorious era on the Hockey not only in Karnataka but in India, She was one of most celebrated women's hockey player of the country and sports administrator, known as the skillful player with in-depth knowledge Hockey was unparalleled, No words can be adequate while paying homage to this towering player of the women's hockey.

Elvera was the eldest of the three famous hockey playing Britto sisters (others BRita and Mae), they formed a tremendous trio for state and national Hockey teams, when karnataka won the national Hockey championship for karnataka for record eight times, she also captained Indian women Hockey team.

After her retirement from Hockey as a player, she donned the role as the sports administrator in state as president for the Karnatak Women hockey association, for record eight years, this where her heart was, she had undying commitment toward improving women's Hockey, During her period Indian women hockey saw tremendous growth.

In 1965, Hockey legend Elvera Britto was conferred Arjuna Award for her outstanding performance in Hockey only second women hockey player to be conferred after Anne Lumsden (1961).

Best tribute to her will be to call her one of the architects of the team which brought glory for the karnataka women Hockey Team at the national level, His enduring legacy will continue to inspire generations of upcoming Hockey players, she will remain embedded in the heart of all connoisseurs of Indian Hockey.

He will go down as a true legend in the annals of cricket’s history. She has left behind her fine imprint as a great sportsman who played an instrumental role in winning many matches for his side. Her knowledge about the game was unparalleled.

May her soul rest in peace.

Ramesh G jethwani is a Veteran writer, Voracious reader, Historian and commentator who has been writing in 21 newspapers in India and GCC countries for several decades on various subjects of importance.
His website.www: rameshjethwani.com.