He represents the lesser-known side of cricket, someone who was a member of the victorious Indian squad that won the Test series for the first time ever in England during the 1971 tour. But at 70, all that former pacer Devraj Govindraj can do is to look back with a sense of pride, recounting those fond memories, but not getting any monetary benefits.
For even now, despite repeated requests to the BCCI, Govindraj says he is yet to get the minimum financial benefit which the Board has to give to many cricketers — both first-class and internationals.
“In June this year, I wrote to Vinod Rai, the Chairman of Committee of Administrators of BCCI, appointed by the Supreme Court, pointing out the apathy towards me in sanctioning the monthly pension which I am eligible for,” says Govindraj.
“As per the BCCI guidelines, I am eligible for the one-time benefit of ₹25 lakh given to all those who played more than 75 first-class matches,” wrote the former fast bowler, whose only source of income now is from running a coaching centre at Dilsukhnagar here.
“I feel sad when someone says that since the matches I played representing India during the tours of England and West Indies are not counted as first-class, I don’t meet the eligibility norm for the benefit. This is ridiculous. After all, I represented the country in those matches too,” he argues.
“I have submitted a number of representations in the last few years, addressing to every senior functionary in the BCCI, regarding denial of the one-time cash benefit to me and the incorrect fixation in my case of the monthly pension payable to former Test/first-class cricketers. But they have met with zero response,” Govindraj wrote in the letter. “My personal and telephonic enquiries with every individual have been ending with the assurance that I am 100 % eligible for the benefit of the scheme announced in 2012,” Govindraj mentioned in the letter. “It is a pity that I am yet to get a response from the authorities concerned,” Govindraj signs off.
