Former TN state cricketer and former TNCA official R. Chandrasekharan passed away on July 11. He was 86.
Recently, he gifted his apartment ( in Arun Flats) on West Circular Road, Mandavelipakkam to Sri Ramakrishna Mutt, Mylapore and later, made a donation of another property. to the Cancer Institute.
He studied at Vivekananda College, Mylapore and made a mark in junior level cricket, and later came to be known as a top rate off-spinner.
He played first division cricket for State Bank for close to two decades and also represented a high profile All India State Bank team comprising Indian Test cricketers. In 1963 – ’64, he took over 100 wickets in the local cricket season for SBI. He retired from the bank as the AGM in 1996.
This senior had lost his son Vasanth, also a former Ranji cricketer in late 2021, aged just 45 on the night of the IPL final (https://www.mylaporetimes.com/2021/10/former-tn-ranji-cricketer-vasanth-chandrasekaran-passes-away-aged-45/). Chandrasekaran had lost his wife a few years ago.
Chandrasekaran had then handed the copies of his flat’s documents to the Mutt for registration in its favour. His brother R. Mohan, a former TN state footballer was with him when he handed over the papers to the Mutt. As per the agreement, the Mutt can take over the possession of his flat a month after his demise.
Chandrasekaran has been a multi faceted personality in cricket all his life.
He has been a first class cricketer, an umpire, match referee, treasurer of the TNCA, scorer, selector, manager of the state team, owner of multiple TNCA league teams, committee member at the TNCA and a globe trotter who took teams on overseas trips providing opportunities to budding talent.
He also captained the P. S. School cricket team.
Last week, he made a donation to the Mylapore Times Charitable Trust.
- Report based on inputs by S. Prabhu