CricketViewer.com

Syed Mushtaq Ali scored India’s first Test century on foreign soil way back in 1936. Seven decades later, the legendary cricketer’s family — one of the best known in Indore — lives in a cramped, derelict house that was built by the player’s father in 1926.

Self-respect is making family members make do with whatever they have instead of pleading their case before Madhya Pradesh politicians.

On other hand, former Test leg-spinner Narendra Hirwani, who shifted from Uttar Pradesh to Indore in 1984, was allotted a large piece of land by state government after he took a record 16 wickets in his Test debut in 1988.

Mushtaq Ali’s son Gulrez Ali said here: “When my father died in June last year, he had only two ambitions: of watching Madhya Pradesh win Ranji Trophy (national championship) and my son Abbas represent India.”

Gulrez, who played for Madhya Pradesh with distinction for 20 years, does not say if his father, a hard-hitting batsman who scored India’s first Test century on foreign soil (against England), ever felt need for a larger house.

Ali household in Usha Ganj greets you with an array of photographs of Mushtaq receiving Padma Shri in 1964 from former president S. Radhakrishnan and proudly holding tisden Lifetime Achievement Award won in 2002. Many of the framed photographs adorn walls of the drawing room.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh allotted Mushtaq, who played 11 Tests between 1934 and 1952, a bungalow on the C.R.P Lines in recognition of his services to the country and the game. Sadly, the bungalow was meant for use during Mushtaq’s lifetime only.

The government order also said a cricket museum would be established in the same bungalow.

There was a hitch. At time of allotment in 1995, a judge and his family were living in the bungalow. “When I went to collect keys from the judge on a Saturday, he said he would hand them over next Monday after shifting his belongings to another place,” Gulrez said.

“I went to him on allotted day. But in meantime a lawyer filed a public interest litigation, stalling bungalow from being transferred to my father.”

Since the place was allotted to Mushtaq for use only in his lifetime, Ali family’s case became weak after stalwart died. So Mushtaq’s family still lives in old dilapidated house.

Gulrez said his father had contemplated approaching Digvijay Singh to extend allotment of the bungalow to his family. But Digvijay Singh was ousted in assembly elections in 2003, dealing a blow to Mushtaq’s efforts.

“With my father’s death, there now seems little hope of getting a proper house for ourselves,” rued Gulrez Ali. “Unless, of course, present chief minister (Shivraj Singh Chouhan) takes interest in the case.”

Source: The News

Technorati Tags: India, Indore, England