Sachin Tendulkar expressed his gratitude to the Maharashtra government for their decision to build a statue of his childhood coach, Ramakant Achrekar, at Shivaji Park in Mumbai.
Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar thanked the Maharashtra government for honouring the late Ramakant Achrekar with a statue at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park. Achrekar, who played a pivotal role in shaping Tendulkar's illustrious career, also coached many other Mumbai cricketers who went on to represent India at the international level. Shivaji Park, where Tendulkar’s journey to cricketing greatness began, will now feature a memorial to celebrate Achrekar's immense contributions to Indian cricket.
"Achrekar Sir had a profound impact on my life and the lives of many others. I speak on behalf of all his students when I say that his life was centred around cricket at Shivaji Park. Being there forever is what he would have wanted," Tendulkar shared on Twitter. "I am truly pleased with the government's decision to build a statue for Achrekar Sir," he added.
The Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government issued a Government Resolution on Wednesday, approving the installation of the six-foot-tall statue in memory of Achrekar at Shivaji Park, near gate no. 5. The proposal was cleared by the Department of Urban Development under the Maharashtra government. According to the resolution, the statue will be maintained by V Kamath Memorial Cricket Club without any financial support from the state.
Ramakant Achrekar, a recipient of the prestigious Dronacharya Award, passed away on January 2, 2019, at the age of 87. He coached 14 cricketers who went on to represent India, including Tendulkar, Ramnath Parkar, Eknath Solkar, Balwinder Singh Sandhu, Lalchand Rajput, Chandrakant Pandit, Pravin Amre, Vinod Kambli, Sameer Dighe, Sanjay Bangar, Paras Mhambrey, Ramesh Powar, Ajit Agarkar, and Sairaj Bahutule.