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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Gulmarg terror attack: Two soldiers succumb to injuries, toll rises to four
Srinagar (PTI): Two soldiers who were critically wounded in Thursday's terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Gulmarg succumbed to their injuries, raising the death toll in the ambush to four.
Two Army porters died on Thursday while another porter and a soldier were injured.
Terrorists attacked a vehicle of the force six kilometres from tourist hotspot Gulmarg in north Kashmir's Baramulla district, officials said on Thursday.
They had said the terrorists opened fire on the Army vehicle in the Bota Pathri area in the evening when it was headed for the Nagin post in the Afrawat range.
Confirming the deaths of the two porters, the officials had said the condition of two of the injured soldiers was critical.
They had said the soldiers in the vehicle opened retaliatory fire when they came under attack.
The area is completely dominated by the Army and there were reports recently that a terrorist group had infiltrated during early summer and taken shelter in the higher reaches of the Afrawat range, they said.
The Bota Pathri area was recently opened to tourists.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the recent spate of attacks in the Valley was a matter of serious concern.
"Very unfortunate news about the attack on the Army vehicles in the Bota Pathri area of north Kashmir, which has resulted in some casualties and injuries. This recent spate of attacks in Kashmir is a matter of serious concern," he said in a post on X.
"I condemn this attack in the strongest possible terms and send my condolences to the loved ones of the people who lost their lives. I also pray that the injured make a complete and swift recovery," he added.
Former chief minister and People's Democratic Party supremo Mehbooba Mufti also condemned the attack.
The BJP's Jammu and Kashmir president Ravinder Raina, meanwhile, condemned the attack and blamed Pakistan for trying to destabilise peace and tranquillity in the Union Territory.
The attack came amid a spike in terror incidents in the Valley.
In another deadly attack on Sunday, six non-local labourers and a local doctor were killed when terrorists fired indiscriminately upon them at the Z-Morh tunnel construction site in the Gagangir area of central Kashmir's Ganderbal district.
Before that, a labourer from Bihar was shot dead by terrorists in Shopian district on October 18.
Earlier on Thursday, terrorists shot at and injured a labourer from Uttar Pradesh in the Tral area of Pulwama district.
