Adieu My Friend Suresh Saraiya !

India's one of the most respected  cricket commentator, Suresh Saraiya, has taken his last breath yesterday in Mumbai. The commentary veteran was 76.

I know Shri Saraiya from last six years and fortunate enough to know different shades of his life. He worked with Central Bank of India and handled their Public Relations Department. With his clout in media and his skill to connect with people, he could be able to manage PR portfolio very effectively.Soon after his retirement from Central Bank, he joined his friend G.K.Dhavan's media company Mode Advertising & Marketing as one of its director. He continued to persue  his passion for cricket and commentary doing a fine balance between his passion and  profession. 

Saraiya was a Gujrati married to ravishing Marathi beauty, had a wonderful family life, daughter after marriage settled in Paris. The daughter used to visit him in a year or two. After death of his wife, Saraiya tried to engage more in his passion. But leading a lonely life in a metro like Mumbai, is not so easy, that loneliness was gradually breaking him from inside.

Saraiya, whenever used to come and sit always used to discuss finer part of cricket. He was not happy with Twenty  20 or IPL kind of Cricket, but as an ardent cricket lover some how compromised . 

A college-level cricketer, Saraiya made his commentary debut for All-India Radio in 1965, alongside Indian cricket stalwarts Vijay Merchant and Dicky Rutnagar. He also commented with the likes of Devraj Puri, Sardindu Sanyal, Indernarayan Premnarayan and Madhav Mantri. Among the famous matches Saraiya commented on was India’s famous chase of 403 on the 1975-76 tour of the West Indies.

Well-known TV commentator Harsha Bhogle was one of the first to express his condolences on Twitter. “Such a sad day. My friend Suresh Bhai Saraiya with whom i shared so many tours passed away this evening. I worked with so many commentators--few with his desire and preparation. He loved cricket did our Suresh bhai. We shared rooms in South Africa and Sri Lanka and I saw how much cricket meant to him. Helped so many through central bank. In grief. All India radio was Suresh Saraiya's heart & soul. Was like a child when we broadcast from South Africa. He had tears that morning in Durban,” tweeted Bhogle.

AIR, ABC, Australia and Radio New Zealand and other broadcasters have used his services for close to 150 ODIs and four World Cup finals. Saraiya gave live commentary from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Sharjah, England, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, West Indies and Toronto.The master raconteur always preferred radio to television as he relished speaking. Since dignified, golden silence is the key on the idiot box, it is not surprising that the loquacious Saraiya did only 7 Tests and 4 ODIs for television.

He once shared that his style  more suited to radio and it's his personal preference as well. By and large the AIR deputes commentators for the overseas tours. Doordarshan, on the other hand, used to depute them to cover Pakistan tours only. On this count, too, he had opted for radio and religiously remained with it.

During the Reliance World Cup on the subcontinent in 1987, both the AIR and Doordarshan wanted specialists. The authorities didn't favour commentators switching over from radio to television and vice versa. Senior AIR and Doordarshan executives therefore preferred separate panels. You weren't encouraged to describe at length on television. Of course, in the last ten years or so, the television authorities across the world have been preferring as well as advocating chatty chaps with description of action encouraged to cater to the general demands of viewers.

How had been his experience working and dealing with the AIR authorities? "A mixed bag of joy and sorrow. Quality has been given preference by some open-minded executives while few have been visionless and missionless bureaucrats for whom the rule book holds greater importance," he asserted without mincing words.

"Quality commentators aren't found in every corner of the country. Commentators provide you countless hours of joy and jealousy has just no place in the hearts of genuine performers. Gradual growth and continuity of proven broadcasters provide joy of listening, thereby building up fantastic reputation for the AIR. Generally, the higher-ups don't fall to pressures of outsiders, but at times some mediocre commentators manage to oust thoroughbred broadcasters."

The list of awards bestowed on Saraiya is a little longer. But the honour he cherished the most was his inclusion in the audio archives produced by Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), featuring him as one of the "top most contributors" to Indian cricket in its 75 years.

Saraiya ji you will live in the memory of cricket lovers, who once enjoyed 5 days tests as a carnival.