Cricket administrator Raj Dungarpur dead

Former BCCI president Raj Singh Dungarpur died in Mumbai following protracted illness. Affectionately called as ‘Rajbhai’ in the cricket fraternity, the 73-year-old Dungarpur, who was president of the Cricket Board for three years in the late 1990s, was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

A bachelor from the Dungarpur royal family of Rajasthan, he was also a former first class cricketer, a former India team manager and ex-chairman of the senior selection panel.

A former President of the Cricket Club of India for 13 years before he took ill last year, Dungarpur died at his residence this morning. The funeral will be held in Dungarpur tomorrow, according to sources close to him.

The Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) condoled the demise of its former president Raj Singh Dungarpur. Expressing shock, BCCI chief Shashank Manohar said “Dungarpur’s contribution to the Indian cricket for more than thirty years can never be forgotten.”

“Rajbhai served Indian cricket for more than three decades as an administrator and his contribution to Indian cricket will always be remembered, particularly as the president of the Board,” he said in his condolence message.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) also condoled the death of former BCCI president. In a condolence message, ICC President David Morgan and CEO Haroon Lorgat paid tribute to the former cricket administrator, describing him as a man of extraordinary talent.

Born on December 19, 1935 as the youngest son of Maharawal Lakshman Singhji, the ruler of Dungarpur, he played Ranji Trophy for Rajasthan for 16 years, between 1955 and 1971, as a medium-fast bowler.

The gangling bowler took 206 wickets in 86 matches and rubbed shoulders with stalwarts like Vijay Manjrekar, Hanumant Singh and Salim Durrani.