I AM RECOLLECTING THE ASSOCIATION I HAD WITH THIS DEPARTED SOUL AND I WAS REMINISCING TODAY ABOUT MY PAST INTERACTIONS WITH THIS WONDERFUL HUMAN BEING . P.V.H. BABU WAS AN UNASSUMING WIRY LOOKING PERSONALITY WITH AN ABUNDANT KNOWLEDGE OF ACUMEN IN SPORTS ADMINISTRATION,SPOTTING THE SPORTING TALENTS AND LIVE WIRE OF STATE BANK OF INDIA'S SPORTS IMPROVEMENT WHICH IS WIDELY ACKNOWLEDGED BY SPORTS JOURNALISTS. CO-FOUNDER OF NON POLITICAL TRADE UNION MOVEMENT IN STATE BANK OF INDIA OPTED TO THE CIRCLE WELFARE COMMITTEE (CWC) EVINCING KEEN INTEREST IN SPORTS ACTIVITIES ESPECIALLY FOR CRICKET. HE CONTINUOUSLY HELD THE PRIME POSITION AS SECRETARY OF CWC FOR AN SPAN OF 38 YEARS TILL HIS RETIREMENT FROM THE BANK.
HE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF APPOINTMENT OF NEARLY 450 SPORTSMEN IN VARIOUS DISCIPLINE.TO NAME A FEW. V.V.KUMAR,A.G.MILKHA SINGH, S.V.S.MANI, G.R.VISWANATH, S.M.H.KIRMANI, ROGER BINNY,ABDUL JABBAR, R.PRABHAKAR IN CRICKET; O.CHANDRASEKAR, MOHIDEEN KUTTY, JOHNSON,PRAKASH IN FOOTBALL, MUNEER SAIT,BALAN,RAMAN,PRABHAKARAN IN HOCKEY, MURUGAN, RAMANA RAO, G.E.SRIDHARAN IN VOLLEYBALL, K.SURIYANARAYANAN, M.N.ANANTHASAYANAM,IN BASKETBALL, S.BHARATHAN, V.KUMAR, R.RAMACHANDRAN, V.CHANDRASEKAR, R.HARI IN TABLE TENNIS.
AT THE REQUEST OF R.PRABHAKAR AND N.K.BALASUBRAMANIAM HE APPOINTED ME AS OFFICIAL SCORER IN SPITE OF PROTEST FROM THE MANAGEMENT SIDE.AS AN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER FOR AN DECADE AND 2 YEARS AS ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF T.N.C.A.. HE INTRODUCED MANY NEW SCHEMES FOR CONDUCTING THE LEAGUE MATCHES WITHOUT UNNECESSARY DELAYS, AND MEASURES FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE GAME. HE WAS THE INSTRUMENT TO INTRODUCE 3 DAY-LEAGUE MATCHES FOR FIRST DIVISION WHICH IMPROVED THE TALENTS OF RANJI TROPHY PROBABLES AND DEFINITELY HELPED THE STAYING POWER OF THESE PROBABLES. 50 OVERS GAME FOR II TO V DIVISIONS TO ENABLE TO GET DECISION IN MATCHES WAS ALSO INTRODUCED BY HIM. I VERY GRATEFULLY REMEMBER FOR INDUCTING ME TO THE GATES AND SALES COMMITTEES DURING THE TEST OR ONE DAY MATCHES PLAYED MORE THAN 20 YEARS TILL 2001. HE MADE ME THE OFFICIAL SCORER FOR AN INDIA-AUSTRALIA TEST MATCH AND PAKISTAN T.V.SCORER IN INDIA-PAKISTAN TEST MATCH WHERE I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE WITH ABDUL HAFEEZ KARDAR,EXPERT COMMENTATOR, WHO CAPTAINED PAKISTAN WHEN THEY TOURED INDIA IN THE YEAR 1952.
ON THE DAY OF HIS DEMISE I LOOK BACK AT THE GREAT DEEDS OF MR.P.V.H.BABU TO THE GAME OF CRICKET AND OTHER SPORTS AS WELL.I HAVE LOST A WONDERFUL FRIEND AND GUIDE WHO TOOK OTHERS WELFARE PREDOMINANTLY THROUGH OUT HIS LIFE AND I PRAY THE ALMIGHTY TO SHOWER ALL HIS BLESSINGS ON THE DEPARTED SOUL AND MAY HIS SOUL REST IN PEACE.
THE MOMENT I HEARD OF THE DEMISE OF PVH BABU YOU CAME TO MY MIND. WE HAVE TALKED FOR HOURS ABOUT HIS ACHIEVEMENTS AND SIMPLICITY IN THE EVENINGS AT THOUSAND LIGHTS.
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