RIP Baig Sir - 1940-2023

 And just like that Baig sir is no more. His warm smile, twinkling eyes, his sense of humour, his discipline and mostly his love for cricket and his wards which we took for granted for all these years - now gone. 

Baig sir - the one and only

It is uncanny how he managed such a last ball finish but he did.Let me explain.

Hemanth (author), MSK Prasad, Baig sir and yours truly

 

Baig sir never fully recovered from his illness of a few years ago. Then came Covid and he seemed fine and then again his health deteriorated. In this period, his student Lt Crd Hemanth Kumar of the Indian Navy, egged on by his friend Prakash, embarked on a project - of writing a book on Baig sir. Exactly an year ago.

Hemanth is a first time author but it was just his love for his old coach that made him keep at it despite the demands of his job, his family and the distance  -he works in Delhi/Goa. So he started, shared a draft and I loved the emotional appeal of it and asked him to continue and so he did. Stories, pictures, testimonials, interviews - Prakash and he did it all between them. The books started to take shape and I advised him to take the services of a professional editor and he contacted Gouri Dange who is an excellent editor.

Gouri went through the book in a very professional manner, made some suggestions and best of all, fell in love with the book enough, to even find him a publisher which we thought was an impossibility. And thus came in a publisher and the book became a reality. We were racing against time as Baig sir's health was deteriorating.

The day Hemanth got the first copy of the book in his hand, we planned a launch, but first, we thought, we should get a copy to Baig sir. Hemanth planned a visit to Hyderabad on the 30th of September. MSK Prasad, Hemanth, Prakash and I visited Baig sir at his house and handed him a copy of his book. He was weak, could not speak because of the ulcers in his mouth, but the eyes shone bright. He looked at the book lovingly, laughed at our stupid jokes, held our hands lovingly in gratitude. It was such a full moment.

I told Baig sir that one chapter was incomplete -his girl friends. He smiled and showed one finger - he loved only one woman in his life. I told him he was producing writers and philosophers instead of cricketers and he smiled mysteriously. MSK said that Baig sir's words conveyed the philosophy of life so it was no surprise.

We left after an hour, making plans for a grand launch.

The next night, at around 10 pm, I got the news. Baig sir passed away.  He was fine till 830 and suddenly collapsed. He had read his book all day. 

Hemanth was in shock that night when I met him. I told him he could not have given a better gift to Baig sir, bigger than any award, than any amount of love. His book was the work of love any teacher would dream of getting from a student.

I have written so much about Baig sir, so I will simply put those links here.

For now, I will miss Baig sir immensely. Its been over forty years of knowing him, of sponging off his knowledge, of learning every moment I was with him.

If there is one thing to learn from him -it is the fierce passion he had for cricket. He breathed cricket - with a passion that frightened me. I know I can never be that, but there is no harm attempting it.

RIP Baig sir. You will always live on through your teachings, your values, your students who are spread out all over the world.