New Delhi, Aug 29
Legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar has welcomed the Maharashtra government's decision to build a memorial for his childhood coach Ramakant Achrekar at Mumbai's Shivaji Park to honour the latter's contribution to the Indian cricket circuit.
Achrekar coached Tendulkar and several other Indian players during their childhood at the fabled cricketing centre in Mumbai.
"Achrekar Sir has had an immense impact on my life and several other lives. I am speaking on behalf of all his students. His life revolved around cricket in Shivaji Park. Being at Shivaji Park forever is what he would have wished for," Tendulkar wrote on X.
"I am very happy with the government's decision to build a statue for Achrekar Sir at his karmabhoomi," he added.
On Wednesday, the Maharashtra government issued a Government Resolution (GR) allowing the installation of the monument in memory of Achrekar at Shivaji Park in an open space near gate no. 5. The statue will be of six-feet in height and the proposal was cleared by the Department of Urban Development, Maharashtra government
As per the resolution, the memorial will be maintained by B V Kamath Memorial Cricket Club with no financial assistance from the state.
A recipient of the prestigious Dronacharya Award, Achrekar, who passed away on January 2, 2019, at 87, mentored 14 players who went on to represent India.
These players include Tendulkar, Ramnath Parkar, Eknath Solkar, Balwinder Singh Sandhu, Lalchand Rajput, Chandrakant Pandit, Pravin Amre, Vinod Kambli, Sameer Dighe, Sanjay Bangar, Paras Mhambrey, Ramesh Powar, Ajit Agarkar, and Sairaj Bahutule.