The Maharashtra Urban Development Department has approved a proposal to create a memorial for celebrated cricket coach Ramakant Achrekar, who mentored Sachin Tendulkar and many other cricketers. The government resolution, issued on Wednesday, details the plan for a 1.8-meter cube monument to be installed near Gate 5 of Shivaji Park.
According to the resolution, the B V Kamath Memorial Cricket Club will be responsible for maintaining the memorial, with no financial contribution from the government. Sunil Ramachandran, the assistant secretary of the Shivaji Park Gymkhana, spearheaded the initiative for the memorial. "At present, there are no great coaches in Mumbai," Ramachandran said. "Achrekar Sir has given 13 cricketers to India. He wasn't much in the limelight and only gained fame when Sachin Tendulkar shone."
Ramachandran, who studied under Achrekar, reminisced about his mentor's dedication. "Achrekar Sir used to come to Shivaji Park on a scooter every day and started his day with a filter coffee. There is no determination in coaching now," he said. "I have been following this project for the past three years, and MNS chief Raj Thackeray has supported us a lot." Over four decades, he nurtured numerous international cricketers, including Tendulkar, Ajit Agarkar, Chandrakant Pandit, Vinod Kambli, Pravin Amre, and Ramesh Powar.