Sachin Tendulkar Honors His Mentor Ramakant Achrekar with a Memorial at Shivaji Park

Mumbai, Dec 3 (NationPress) Cricketing legend and recipient of the Bharat Ratna, Sachin Tendulkar, paid tribute by unveiling a memorial for his mentor and iconic cricket coach, Ramakant Vitthal Achrekar, at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Park, often referred to as the ‘cradle of Indian cricket’, on Tuesday evening.

Joining the celebration to honor Achrekar (December 03, 1932 - January 02, 2019) on what would have been his 92nd birthday were notable figures including Raj Thackeray, president of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, former cricketer Vinod Kambli, numerous cricket enthusiasts, and other dignitaries, gathered near the CSM Park’s Gate No. 5.

Setting the mood for the event, Tendulkar expressed in a post on X: “Today is a very special day as we pay tribute to someone who contributed immensely to both cricket and my life. I would be overjoyed if you join me in unveiling Achrekar Sir’s memorial on his birth anniversary and celebrating his remarkable legacy.”

Reflecting on cherished memories with his coach, Tendulkar shared how he and fellow budding cricketers would visit Achrekar’s home during special occasions like Guru Purnima Day to seek his blessings.

“We not only visited Achrekar on Guru Purnima, but he frequently invited us over… We would enjoy conversations and then his wife, affectionately known as ‘Mummy’, would prepare our favorite mutton curry and paav (loaf bread). Achrekar Sir would sit next to us while we sat on the floor to eat,” recalled Tendulkar, his eyes sparkling with nostalgia.

He reminisced about relishing their favorite dish, noting that ‘Mummy’ would always insist on a generous refill, leaving them feeling utterly satisfied.

Tendulkar also remembered how Achrekar’s students maintained a relaxed demeanor during matches, often singing songs, while others appeared tense, anxiously checking on one another both on the field and in the dressing rooms.

This, he attributed to Achrekar Sir’s rigorous coaching methods, which instilled a deep respect for the game. He recalled how they would sprinkle water and roll the pitch, dedicating nearly every day, even during the monsoon, to practice.

The cricketing icon highlighted that he and his peers used the shared cricket equipment provided by the club, fostering a love and special connection to the sport, and advised the youth to “respect that gear, and not to mistreat their bats, balls, gloves, caps, etc.”

Tendulkar noted that while cricket coaching is now categorized into levels, “Achrekar Sir was implementing these principles back in the 1970s and 1980s,” even before such classifications existed.

When asked about Achrekar’s approach to performance feedback, he mentioned that Achrekar was quite sparing with compliments to prevent his students from becoming arrogant. However, after a good performance, he would discreetly hand Tendulkar some money with the words, ‘go and grab a vada-paav’, signaling that he had done well that day.

Tendulkar recounted the intense training under Achrekar’s watchful eye, noting how he treated all students equally, making them roll the pitch, set up practice nets, and endure mandatory runs around the CSM Park boundary before and after training, all while keeping a keen eye on their progress and taking notes on their mistakes in a semi-coded manner, ready to help if any players got injured during matches.

When it was Kambli’s turn to speak, he seemed overwhelmed and struggled to find words, but expressed his feelings for the beloved coach by reciting lines from the classic song, “Sar Jo Tera Chakraye, Ya Dil Duba Jaye… I love you, Sir.”

The memorial is distinctive in that it does not feature a statue of Achrekar; instead, it comprises a set of cricket stumps, a bat, and a ball, topped with his iconic tweed cap and accompanied by a large photograph nearby.

Achrekar was a mentor to numerous cricketers who achieved national and international acclaim, including Tendulkar, Kambli, Ramnath Parkar, Ajit Agarkar, Sanjay Bangar, Chandrakant P. Amre, Balwinder Singh Sandhu, Paras Mhambrey, Lanchand Rajput, and many others.

In 1990, Achrekar received the prestigious Dronacharya Award and was conferred the Padma Shri in 2010.

(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at: qnajmi@gmail.com)