Indian Cricketers Association Offers Financial Assistance To 36 Former First-Class Cricketers

The Indian Cricketers Association [ICA] has come up with a novel cause of shortlisting 36 former retired First-Class cricketers of the country of providing them financial aid as they battle the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Indian Cricketers Association [ICA] received a total of 52 applications from retired first-class cricketers and their widows out of which 36 applications have already been approved by the five-member Board of Directors, ICA President Ashok Malhotra told the Press Trust of India on Saturday.

“The ICA had received totally 52 applications (men and women) for financial assistance from retired first-class cricketers and widows. The five members of the Board of Directors of ICA approved financial assistance to 36 needy, retired cricketers/widows,” the association’s president Ashok Malhotra said.

Out of the 52 applications that the ICA has received, Govindraj, who played 93 first-class games for his 190 wickets and someone who was also a part of the Indian Test squad that won series in West Indies and England back in 1971 is also included.

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Rs 57 Lakh have been generated by the Indian Cricketers Associations as of May 15th

Govindraj, however, along with seven other applicants is placed in the B category which offers an aid of Rs 80000/person. Category A, which offers Rs 1 Lakh/person features a total of 20 people including former Uttar Pradesh and Delhi players while the C category features eight-person with an amount of Rs 60000/head.

“It was very heartening to see a large number of men and women members/well-wishers contributing generously to the fund. The ICA is thankful to all and especially to some of the iconic retired Indian international cricketers,” Ashok Malhotra said.

Malhotra added that the applications have been thoroughly scrutinized and extensively discussed and the approvals were given, keeping in mind the financial and health conditions of the applicants.

Former Indian greats like Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev have also contributed to the cause that has seen the ICA generate Rs 57 Lakh as of May 15th. A total of 1750 former cricketers are registered with the Indian Cricketers Association, something that came into effect last year following Lodha Committee’s recommendations.

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