Sachin Tendulkar 'Happy' With Maharashtra Govt's Decision To Build Ramakant Achrekar's Statue At Shivaji Park

Legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar has expressed his elation after the Department of Urban Development, Maharashtra government, approved a monument in memory of his childhood coach, the late Ramakant Achrekar. The memorial will be installed in an open space near Gate 5 of the Shivaji Park in Mumbai.

It was the place where Achrekar had his coaching camp. The idea of the memorial was proposed by Sunil Ramachandran, the assistant secretary of the Shivaji Park Gymkhana. Achrekar, who breathed his last on January 2, 2019, was the coach of 12 India cricketers, including Sachin Tendulkar, Ajit Agarkar, Vinod Kambli, and 1983 World Cup hero Balwinder Singh Sandhu.

After the news of the memorial came to light, Tendulkar shared a heartfelt note on social media, expressing his reverence for the legendary coach.

“Achrekar Sir has had an immense impact on my life and several other lives. I am speaking on behalf of all his students. His life revolved around cricket in Shivaji Park. Being at Shivaji Park forever is what he would have wished for,” Sachin Tendulkar wrote on Instagram. Tendulkar further extended his gratitude to the Maharashtra government for approving the initiative. “I am very happy with the government’s decision to build a statue for Achrekar Sir at his karmabhoomi (workplace),” the 51-year-old added in his post.

Sunil Ramachandran credited Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray for making it possible with his “guidance and support.”

It will be a six-foot memorial featuring a ball, ball, helmet, gloves, and pad. The name of Ramakant Achrekar will also be inscribed on the structure. All of his students who have represented the country will mark their signatures on the bat.

“This is great news. It’s a dream come true for us. ‘Sir’ spent his whole life at Shivaji Park, and he would be on the ground from 4 am before even the kids would arrive. This memorial will be a fitting tribute to him. Ideally, they should inscribe his name on gate no. 5,” Ramakant Achrekar’s daughter and a former Mumbai women’s cricketer and selector, Vishakha Achrekar Dalvi, told The Times of India.

The BMC commissioner has been assigned to oversee the construction work. The B V Kamath Memorial Club has reportedly been asked to raise the required funds for the memorial. The committee that submitted the proposal was headed by Mumbai City guardian minister Deepak Kesarkar.