New Delhi, Jan 2: "Cricket in heaven will be enriched with the presence of (Ramakant) Achrekar sir," said iconic former batsman Sachin Tendulkar as he paid an emotional tribute to his childhood coach who passed away Wednesday.
Achrekar, 87, died in Mumbai due to old age-related ailments.
"Like many of his students, I learnt my ABCD of cricket under Sir's guidance," said the Dronacharya awardee's most famous ward, in a statement.
"His contribution to my life cannot be captured in words. He built the foundation that I stand on," he added.
Tendulkar, unarguably the greatest batsman in modern cricket, was coached by Achrekar at the Shivaji Park in Mumbai's Dadar as a child.
The iconic cricketer, who is now retired, has been quite vocal about the coach's contribution in shaping him.
As a player, Achrekar competed in just one first-class match but was instrumental in moulding Tendulkar as a child, often driving him to stadiums on his scooter.
"Last month, I met Sir along with some of his students and spent some time together. We shared a laugh as we remembered the old times," he said.
"Achrekar sir taught us the virtues of playing straight and living straight. Thank you for making us a part of your life and enriching us with your coaching manual.
"Well played Sir and may you coach more wherever you are," he signed off.
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Bengaluru (PTI): Kannada film actor Shivarajkumar has got his cancerous bladder removed in a Miami-based hospital in the US after surgery, the surgeon who performed the operation on him said in a video message.
Dr Murugesh Manoharan also said that an artificial bladder was created using the actor's intestine.
The surgeon was seen in the video with Karnataka Primary and Secondary Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa and Shivarajkumar's wife Geetha. Geetha is Bangarappa's sister.
Later, the actor's family shared a press release stating, "We are pleased to share an update regarding Shivarajkumar's recent medical procedure. The surgery performed earlier on Wednesday was successful and we are glad to report that Shivarajkumar is now in stable condition and recovering well."
Manoharan confirmed that the surgery was success and stated that Shivarajkumar's vitals remained stable throughout the operation and during post-operative care.
The actor is currently under observation to ensure his continued recovery and well-being, receiving exceptional care from a dedicated team of highly skilled doctors and medical staff, the statement said.
The family also extended their gratitude to Shivarajkumar's fans, colleagues and well-wishers for their steadfast support and prayers. Further updates regarding the actor's recovery will be shared in due course, they added.
Shivarajkumar is the eldest son of Kannada matinee idol Rajkumar. He is the eldest among the three actor brothers, Puneeth Rajkumar and Raghavendra Rajkumar.
He has acted in more than 125 Kannada movies. He made his debut in the silver screen with the movie 'Srinivasana Kalyana' in 1974.
He made a mark with movies such as 'Janumada Jodi', 'Jogi', 'Anand', 'Ratha Sapthami', 'Nammoora Mandara Hoove', 'Om' and 'Chigurida Kanasu'.