Former fast bowler Govindraj to receive financial aid from ICA

The Indian Cricketers Association has come forward to support former fast bowler, Devraj Govindraj, with a financial aid of Rs 80,000.

File photo of former India fast bowler Devraj Govindraj at his residence in Hyderabad.

The Indian Cricketers Association (ICA) has come forward to support former fast bowler, Devraj Govindraj, with a financial aid of Rs 80,000. He is one of the 36 former cricketers to receive financial help from the players body.

On Friday, Sportstar had reported that Govindraj -- who was part of the Indian team on its successful twin tour to West Indies and England in 1971 -- was struggling to make ends meet with his limited pension.

Even though he played 77 first-class games between 1964-75, the BCCI’s official figures indicate that he has featured in 73 games, as a result of which, he receives, a pension of meagre Rs 22,500.

“It is two months since I wrote to the BCCI chief. Maybe, because of lockdown, the issue may have got stuck. But, I am sure, if he sees my letter, there will be some kind of response,” Govindraj said.

 

The former fast bowler who even worked as a bus driver in London transport after being with the Indian team on that 1971 tour, is currently in Hyderabad. Some of the top ICA officials said that they decided to help Govindraj in this trying times. “We scrutinised all the applications and decided to include him in the list keeping his age and economic condition in mind,” the official said.

Even ICA chief Ashok Malhotra told this publication that the organisation aims to help all the players who are struggling. “This will be an ongoing process and we will scrutinise each and every application that comes our way. For now, we have chosen 36 players. But the list could always go up over the months,” Malhotra said.

The ICA officials have assured that all the 36 players will receive their payments by next week. “The money will be transferred in their account. Our job is to support the players and we will do so,” Malhotra said.

The ICA was supposed to have a Board meeting on Friday, which was called off due to the cyclone Amphan. Now, the meeting has been scheduled to May 30, where the future course of action will be decided.