By BIPIN DANI
India’s oldest First Class cricketer Raghunath Ramachandra Chandorkar is no more. At the age of 101, he passed away on Friday at Kamaldham Vrudhashram, a home for the aged in Ambarnath ( E), in Thane District of Maharashtra.
“His death was due to his old age”, his grandson Shravan Hardikar, who is the commissioner of the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, said.
Chandorkar was only the third Indian first-class cricketer to reach a century of life. The other two were: Prof Deodhar and Vasant Raiji.
Interestingly, the cricket fraternity had believed Chandorkar was born in 1922 until cricket statistician Prakash Dahatonde managed to get the former’s passport copy page displaying his correct date of birth as 21 November 1920.
“My grand-father was most loving, caring and smiling person and was a great inspiration to all. He had a witty sense of humour which could make anyone laugh”.
“He was an all-round sportsman who excelled at Cricket, Football, Hockey, Wrestling and Swimming. Like his father, he too was glass technologist and had worked at Vikram Glass. He played for Maharashtra and Mumbai in Ranji Trophy between 1940-55”.
“He was a spiritually advanced person who could make people feel calm by the mere smile of his. Will miss him dearly”, Hardikar added.
Chandorkar found a mention in Idols the 1984- book by Sunil Gavaskar about his most favourite cricketers.
Last year, Hampshire’s John Manners, who played 21 First-Class matches in England died at the age of 105 years. It was not in Chandorkar’s destiny to bear him.
“We have no regrets. My grandfather lived his full life and we are satisfied”, Hardikar signed off.
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