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Sport of Kings will surely miss the Princely touch

By: S S Shreekumar   December 10 , 2013
   

The racing fraternity, Karnataka State Cricket Association and many sports organisations in the state have lost the princely touch for ever with the passing away of Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar on Tuesday after suffering a cardiac arrest. Wadiyar was the Patron of the Mysore Race Club and had served as its Committee Member for a number of years. At one time he owned a large string of horses and was also breeding thoroughbred horses at his Bangalore Palace.

Wadiyar, the scion of the Mysore royal family, was recently elected as the president of the KSCA on Dec 1, 2013. He and Brijesh Patel had joined hands to contest this year`s KSCA elections and had swept the polls. Wadiyar had beaten Sadananda Maiya by a whopping margin of 923 to 428. Their group won all 24 posts in the election to the KSCA managing committee.

"I would like to thank all the members for electing us. Brijesh-Wodeyar group is unbeatable in KSCA," he had said. According to KSCA officials, Wadiyar attended the association`s first managing committee meeting on Thursday, Dec 5. He was last seen at the KSCA office at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday, Dec 7.

In 2007, Wadiyar was elected for the first time as KSCA president for a three-year term defeating the legendary cricketer G R Vishwanath. In 2010, he was defeated by former India captain Anil Kumble by a slender margin of 33 votes.

The Maharaja, who represented Mysore University cricket team and also captained it in the late 1960s, was a very keen sports enthusiast, especially the life style sports that he patronised. After being elected to the 8th Lok Sabha, he was a Member, Consultative Committee, Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs from 1984-89.

He was a member of the Mysore Sports Club, Bangalore Golf Club, the chief patron of the Mysore Race Club, the Bangalore Turf Club, as also the Delhi Race Club. In fact the lands on which the BTC and MRC stands today have been donated by the Mysore royal family.

Often he personally visited the race course to present the traditional Maharaja`s Cup in Bangalore and Mysore. The sports of Kings will surely miss Wadiyar more than cricket. If he was pre-occupied, members of his royal family would do the honours. For many a winning owner, trainer and jockey, it was very proud moment to receive the Cup from Wadiyar. Before the Bangalore Derby gained more importance, it was the Maharaja`s Cup which used to attract a large gathering of racing enthusiasts for the pomp and pageantry that was associated with the event. Even now the old timers make it a point to be present when the Maharaja`s Cup is run one week before the Derby during the summer season. The Maharaja`s Cup is the easily best weight for age with penalties race in the country and attracts the cream of talent from all over the country.

A very quiet, soft-spoken and genial person, Wadiyar was a treat to talk to in one on one interviews. All his royal jewellery on his person might have weighed him down. But questions from a journalist never as he provided candid replies. He has a clear view of most matters and was never the one to mince words in implementing what he had in mind.

"I am really devastated. He was such a happy man after winning in the manner we did. He had a lot of plans up his sleeve and wanted to work in harmony and develop Karnataka cricket. I have no words to express my shock and disbelief at what has happened," said Brijesh Patel.

The sudden demise has left a huge void and will not be easily filled. If racing has thrived in Bangalore and Mysore, it is because of the Royal patronage. Racing will be poorer in his death.

Courtesy: The New Indian Express

 
 
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