A mid-week blog on a special person, MY FRIEND KUNAL, who sacrificed his life for cricket without gaining any fame or fortune.                                                                           

Kunal Kanti Ghosh, the man behind Jagmohan Dalmiya’s rise and rise and rise, is no more. After 59 winters, the genteel gentleman left behind a long string of fond memories. Every successful man needs support from various quarters. But invariably there happens to be one who becomes a close confidant and adviser. A matured support particularly in times of adversity.

Such a support was Kunal Kanti Ghosh from the famous Ghosh Parivar of Baghbazar.  The widely acclaimed family, full of dedicated freedom-fighters, started Amrita Bazar Patrika and Jugantar, the two Calcutta-based national dailies that heralded and highlighted India’s nationalist movement in the pre-independence days.

Kunal inherited the intelligence and the studious nature of his forefathers. The courage of upholding principles was in his genes. Despite his high profile status as Jagmohan Dalmiya’s chief assistant and advisor, Kunal maintained an extremely low profile.

 His education was entirely from the Catholic missionary background where he picked up the patience and the perseverance of the Belgian priests of Calcutta St Xavier’s. He was eminently suited to play the mentor’s role, the saviour’s role and the executioner’s role all rolled into one.

The man who benefitted the most from Kunal’s pragmatic approach was none other than the highly successful Jagmohan Dalmiya who held prestigious posts at CAB, BCCI, ACC and ICC. Dalmiya without Kunal beside him was like a motor car without its wheels.

Almost every positive act of Dalmiya had Kunal’s distinctive shadow in focus. Speech-writing? Yes, Kunal.  Correspondence? Again Kunal. Any written message? Of course, Kunal. Draft of plans? Most certainly, Kunal. Any new projects to think of? Discuss with Kunal. Difficulty in handling a problem situation? Send Kunal.

Kunal had the maturity and the ability to help Dalmiya during his awkward moments as did Biswarup Dey. JD always had the highest regard for both of them for the support system that he needed.

Modest to a fault, Kunal would not take any credit for Dalmiya’s perpetual rise. He was the man who put the idea of ‘globalization of cricket’ into Dalmiya’s head when the latter went to ICC to campaign and contest.

He was the man who trapped me and Gopal Bose by advising Dalmiya to involve us in the coaching of Bengal junior teams at a time when junior cricket in the state was in shambles in the 1990s. It was Kunal’s vision that helped Bengal cricket to revive itself.

Kunal also happened to be the adviser who guided Dalmiya to involve Siddhartha Shankar Ray and me to save India skipper Sourav Ganguly from suspension for slow over-rate against Pakistan at Eden Gardens. The former Chief Minister argued and won the battle based on my draft “Time lost; not Time wasted”. But one of the real heroes was Kunal Kanti Ghosh who brought the right minds together.

Kunal was about 12 years my junior at St Xavier’s School (Batch of 1979). First met him when a young sports journalist folded his hands in namaskar and introduced himself in the press-box, “Rajuda, I too am a Xaverian. I am covering the Test match for Amrita Bazar Patrika. I shall need your help.” That small gesture revealed a man of exceptional humility and earnestness.

I replied, “Oh! Wonderful, making your Test debut at Eden Gardens! Let’s sit together and chat.” I left my allotted seat, sat beside him and we watched the Test together at Eden Gardens. Little did we know that soon my young friend would be in total control of the iconic cricket arena as the chief assistant to the president.

My young friend Kunal was totally involved with my 2^nd innings in Indian cricket. Having resigned from CAB junior coaching scheme, I was busy with my first book in 2004 when a phone-call came from Kunal, “Rajuda, Jaguda would be offering you a responsibility. Please do not refuse it.” I told him that I would not want to get involved with JD’s CAB again. But Kunal argued, “This would be nothing to do with CAB. It is to be a talent scout for BCCI.”  When Dalmiya called, I accepted the offer.

 My 2^nd innings lasted from 2004 as BCCI talent scout and continued till 2013 as ICC international match referee, the first among Indian non-Test players. Without Kunal’s initiative I would not have enjoyed my final years as much as I did. All credit to my young friend for his matured, free-thinking pragmatism.

Kunal held very responsible positions and consequently had to deal with a wide variety of people. He was remarkably cool and composed in the face of huge odds and some very corrupt people. But he stuck to his convictions and had the courage and the tact to deal with people with a ready smile.

A fascinating individual he was. He literally sacrificed his own self and everything in life for the game of cricket. Took back nothing in return. Not that he wanted to. No, never. His greatest quality was that he made the most difficult jobs look easy. Probably that is the reason he got no recognition in life as well as in death.

Kunal knew very well that I would not accept any match tickets, even Club House complimentary ones, but he would still call on every occasion and ask if he could send me a at least two, “For boudi and you.”

Shall miss you, Kunal. Do keep smiling. God will always be with you.