 VAP and Alwarpet CC
Today, Wednesday, the 2nd November, Alwarpet Cricket Club celebrates its longevity in the first division of the Chennai cricket league. Promoted to the senior division in 1952, the club’s half century in that elite group is being recognised somewhat belatedly, and the Sanmar Group, the current sponsor of the club and organiser of the event, is also using the occasion to honour V A Parthasarathy, its veteran secretary. To VAP, Alwarpet CC is probably dearer than anything else in life.
My first memory of VAP is that of a dapper little man in the typical TVS uniform of white shirt and trousers, driving a tiny Bug Fiat to pick up players for the weekly league or friendly match. Personally, I benefited from his talent spotting efforts when he picked me to play for Jai Hind CC, a team then in the B zone of the I Division. This was in the year 1964, and following a successful season under the inspiring captaincy of S Raman, I was selected to tour Bombay with the MCA Colts, no doubt thanks to some timely prodding of the selectors by VAP, our secretary.
VAP was also very much in the background when I made my debut for Alwarpet in the 1968-69 season under N Ram’s captaincy. Once again, it was no coincidence that my good performances were rewarded with a place in the Madras Juniors team in the P Ramachandra Rao trophy tournament.
I remember VAP’s bluster and bravado while engaging our opponents in verbal duels throughout that season. He won a few of these and lost a few others. It was one of his proudest moments that season when Satvinder Singh made an unforgettable 147 against Jolly Rovers, another club of which he has been secretary for decades, and which is the pride of the Sanmar group.
Later, VAP generously arranged for a couple of cricketers I recommended from Hyderabad to be employed in Lucas TVS and play for Alwarpet CC, which was then supported handsomely by R Ratnam, then chairman of Lucas TVS. L Vasan and J Satyaprasad were good cricketers who played for Osmania University. They enjoyed their stint with Alwarpet CC and Lucas TVS and both went on to bigger things in life.
I came back to Chennai in 1981 and played for Alwarpet CC and TVS, my new employers, for the next eight seasons, coming into close contact with VAP. It was sometimes a rough ride, as we did not see eye to eye on a few issues, including his attitude to players moving on from Alwarpet to other clubs. Both my brother Sivaramakrishnan and I incurred VAP’s wrath for doing so, and he did everything in his power to make life difficult for us.
But VAP is a loyal friend to people he cares for and he will do anything for them. When S Nataraj, the Karnataka and Tamil Nadu batsman, died at the age of 48, a benefit match was arranged and VAP did a magnificent job of collecting funds for the match. My brother and I, whose brother-in-law Nataraj was, and the rest of our family will never forget VAP’s Herculean efforts to pay a fitting tribute to
"Nuttie’s" memory.
Among VAP’s achievements in cricket besides the successful running of Alwarpet Cricket Club for more than half a century, has been the superb TNCA Club he worked tirelessly to create. He has also made major contributions to the conduct of Test and ODI matches at Chepauk over the decades. For his tireless energy and devotion to the cause of his beloved club, we gather today to salute him. All the best, VAP.
V Ramnarayan
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