Ajit Wadekar cremated with full state honours

'Wadekar, Amar Rahein, Wadekar, Amar Rahein" chants swept the air as the cavalcade with former India cricket captain Ajit Wadekar's body arrived at the Shivaji Park Crematorium for the funeral.

Wadekar, who had led India to its first victory in West Indies and England in 1971, had passed away in city hospital following a heart attack.

Wadekar's body was wrapped in Tricolour and was taken to Shivaji Park Crematorium in an open truck. The cricketer was then cremated with full state honours — Mumbai Police giving him a gun salute.

Earlier in the day, Wadekar's body was kept at his Worli residence for his well-wishers to pay their tributes.

And even as Wadekar's body left his famous residence — Sportsfield apartments in Worli — a few members and cricketers of the All India Cricket Association for Physically Challenged (AICAPC) wore a dejected look waiting at the gate of the crematorium to bid final adieu to their friend, philosopher and guide.

"Mr Wadekar was the bridge between the Indian cricket board (BCCI) and our association. After his death the bridge his broken now. He has been fighting for our cause to get our body recognised by the BCCI. He started this association in 1988 and got us support through his connections. It is a big loss for us," said a disappointed Raju Mujawar, 42, member physically challenged India team.

Ever since the news of Wadekar's death broke on Wednesday, sadness seeped into the air of Indian cricket fraternity and especially, here in the city where the elegant southpaw played cricket throughout his career.

On Friday, cricketers Sachin Tendulkar, Vinod Kambli, Sandeep Patil, Sameer Dighe, former hockey captain MM Somaiya and past and present officials of the Mumbai Cricket Association offered their prayers and condolences.

BCCI General Manager (Cricket Operations) Saba Karim represented the parent body.

Tendulkar visited Wadekar's residence in the morning before the body was taken to iconic Shivaji Park Gymkhana (SPG) for the last visit where Patil honoured the late cricketer with a SPG cap.

Tendulkar said, "This is an irreparable loss. I will say it is a personal loss. People know Wadekar sir as a great cricketer, but I was fortunate enough to see him as a great cricketer as well as a wonderful person. For me he was very important. Over the years our relationship grew stronger. Wadekar sir has a big contribution in my life, especially at a critical stage. I was a 20-year-old youngster at that time and it was easy for me to go off the track.".

For Somaiya, Wadekar was not only a hero who won the 1971 series but also a 'head of the family' to have anchored a space for sportspersons to live in —the sea-facing Sportsfield, a residential building, in Worli.

"We have been living there for three decades and he had kept everyone together. For long, he was the chairman of the society. It is a big loss. He was like head of our family. We will feel that loss in future," said Somaiya.

Somaiya said that they would discuss milestones and society issues. "We used to meet in smaller groups quarterly or monthly. There would be good banter and issues in any society. Wadekar with his sharp sense of humour would lighten up the situations," he said.