New Delhi, 1 January. Ramakant Achrekar’s name holds a special place in Indian cricket. He was not a player but a coach who gave Indian cricket greats like Sachin Tendulkar, Vinod Kambli, and Ajit Agarkar.
Born in 1932 in Mumbai, exact details of his birth date are unclear. He started playing cricket in 1943. By 1945, he was playing club cricket for New Hind Sports Club. He also represented Young Maharashtra Eleven, Gul Mohar Mills, and Mumbai Port teams. His only first-class match came in 1963, playing for State Bank of India against Hyderabad in the Moin-ud-Daula Gold Cup Tournament. While his playing career was modest, it was his coaching journey that made him extraordinary and legendary.
Achrekar founded the Kamath Memorial Cricket Club at Shivaji Park, where he began coaching young cricketers. This very ground became the training hub for legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Ajit Agarkar, Chandrakant Pandit, Vinod Kambli, Ramesh Powar, Pravin Amre, Amol Mazumdar, Sameer Dighe, Sanjay Bangar, Paras Mhambrey, and Sairaj Bahutule. After retiring from playing, Achrekar dedicated his life to shaping the future of young cricketers.
Ramakant Achrekar passed away on 2 January 2019. The academy he established continues to operate even today.
For his exceptional contribution to coaching, the Government of India honoured him with the Dronacharya Award in 1990 and the Padma Shri award in 2010.
A memorial dedicated to Ramakant Achrekar stands at Shivaji Park, Mumbai. It was unveiled on 3 December 2024 in the presence of cricketing greats like Sachin Tendulkar and Vinod Kambli. The memorial is designed in the form of his cricket kit and iconic cap, located near Gate Number 5 of Shivaji Park.
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