Former cricketer Farokh Engineer feels hurt at not getting C K Nayudu award
Mumbai, Nov 27: Former India stumper Farokh Engineer Tuesday expressed disappointment over not getting the coveted Col C K Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award bestowed by the BCCI.
The 80-year-old former cricketer made public his displeasure on not getting the honour during a media meet held here to announce the second edition of '1186 Trophy'.
English cricket county club Surrey and an all-Parsee team will clash here on December 1 for the trophy.
"the CoA or who they call, one of the people said that no Farokh has already got the C K Nayudu (lifetime achievement) award. (In-fact) I was presenting the award (at MAK) Pataudi's lecture in Bangalore a couple of years ago.
Padmakar Shivalkar and Rajinder Goel got it and I'm happy for them...
"When lifetime achievement award is given, i have played almost 50 Test matches with Rs 50 per day and to be deprived of this award, that has hurt me.
"People say I have got this award, but look at the list and I'm not there...," said Engineer from the dais, flanked by President and Secretary of Parsee Gymkhana.
The wicketkeeper-batsman played 46 Tests for India scoring 2,611 runs.
Later, speaking to reporters, Engineer stressed that he deserved the award as he promoted the game not only in India but also at the international level.
"I deserve that award (Col C K Nayudu Lifetime achievement award) because I promoted cricket not only in India but also internationally. It's one of the prestigious awards in cricket and I feel bitter about it that I have been ignored, why, for what reason, who I have upset?," he said.
"I played for my country with great pride. Played cricket in England, I played for the World XI. I was the only Indian cricketer to play for the World XI in England and Australia to start with and then Sunil Gavaskar came in and played.
"So I, mean, naturally won't you feel aggrieved that people who have achieved far far less have been on the (awards) list. It's not only the money (but) it's the prestigious award. And I would say don't demean the award, don't under-value, it's a great award and there are some great names on it," Engineer added.
Lashing out at the authorities for ignoring him, Engineer, who played his last Test match against West Indies here in 1975, said he deserved the award.
"I would be hugely honoured to receive it (the award) one-day if common-sense prevails with the some of the administrators. I think I deserve it... I am not bitter about it, to be bitter is... life is too short, but I would be hugely honoured to receive it (the award) because it is given in huge man's name," Engineer said.
He also lashed out at national selectors, asking "have they played enough cricket", and backed former India batsman Dilip Vengsarkar to be the chief selector.
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Charred body of teen found after fire destroys over 100 shanties in Delhi's Rithala
New Delhi (PTI): A massive fire swept through a cluster of shanties in Delhi's Rithala area early on Thursday, killing a 17-year-old girl and destroying more than 100 huts that left dozens of migrant families homeless.
Firefighters pulled out the charred body of the girl who was initially reported missing after the fire.
The blaze that was reported to authorities at 4.15 am spread rapidly through the densely packed shanties, triggering panic among residents who rushed out of their huts to escape the flames.
Residents said the shanty cluster was home to migrant labourers from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal and other states who worked as daily wage workers in nearby factories, construction sites and small establishments.
The Delhi Fire Services (DFS) launched a large-scale firefighting operation and deployed more than 18 fire tenders to control the blaze.
After the fire was brought under control, firefighters recovered the charred body of a teenage girl from the debris.
"Teams reached the location soon after the call was received and began firefighting operations. The fire had already engulfed several shanties in the cluster," a fire official said.
Officials said the blaze spread quickly because the huts were built very close to each other and many contained highly inflammable materials such as plastic sheets, wooden planks and cloth.
Firefighters and local police personnel carried out rescue and cooling operations and managed to bring the fire under control by around 6.30 am.
"The fire had spread to more than 100 huts and a adjacent godown of paper rolls and cardboard and the doors and windows of some residential flats also caught fire. A 17-year-old girl charred body was also recovered. Her body was sent to BSA Hospital by PCR," the officer said.
Police said the girl has been identified and further legal procedures are underway.
Many families said they lost everything in the fire as they had to flee with no belongings during the fire.
"We ran out to save our lives when the fire started. Within minutes everything was burning. Our hut, clothes, money and documents -- everything has turned to ashes," said Ramesh Kumar, a labourer from Bihar who has been living in the area.
Another person from West Bengal, said the flames spread so quickly that people barely had time to wake their children and escape.
"We woke up to screams and saw fire everywhere. We somehow managed to take the children outside. We could not save anything from the hut. All our belongings are gone," she said.
Some residents were seen searching through the burnt remains of their huts in the hope of finding salvageable items. "We worked for years to build this small hut and collect household items. In just a few minutes, everything we had earned was destroyed," said a migrant worker from Uttar Pradesh.
Police said the exact cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained and an investigation is underway.
