RD, the man who paved the way for Punjab’s last Ranji title

Bishan Singh Bedi

Rameshwar Dayal Singh was a cricketer all his life, literally speaking! He passed away on July 7 after a brief turmoil in his pancreas.

RD, as he was popularly known, was a rare breed who genuinely served cricket as against many who make cricket their own fiefdom.

I truly consider RD an institution within an institution — a cricketer within the truest frame of cricket. My memories of RD go back to the majestic Khalsa College Amritsar days, when he opened for the college with the kind of gay abandon as is familiar today in the T20 format. We didn’t have much clinical appreciation of cricket then, so reaching the top was merely a question of luck, which it still is, and it is digested in varying degrees.

Born and brought up in the precincts of Amritsar’s Khalsa College, RD was an ‘Ambarsari’ through and through. What I used to admire most in him was his almost religious respect for cricket. Fate brought him to Punjab Agriculture University (PAU) Ludhiana as a cricket coach and also as Director of Students Welfare. From 1971 to 2005, RD was an integral part of PAU, looking after cricket and the youth of PAU, positively.

In the early 1990s, our paths crossed for the benefit of Punjab’s cricketers in a big way. For a brief while when I was the cricket manager of the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA), it was my good fortune that I discovered the true potential of my friend RD. With nearly three Test centres in Punjab now, I’m talking of a time when not one district was willing to come forward with playing conditions which helped our team’s strengths — until I was fortunate enough to bump into RD. And lo behold, RD offered all assistance, unconditionally.

Boy, was I elated! Whenever possible, our camps were held at PAU and for all our home matches, we found Ludhiana a more conducive venue. I can now say with clear conviction that had it not been for RD’s indefatigable efforts, Punjab would not have won the Ranji Trophy in 1992-93.

A lot of credit for that triumph should go to RD. I needn’t say more. I know for sure how PCA announced rewards galore for that win but failed to honour them. That, of course, is a different story.

Incidentally, with his passing away, PCA's entrenched officials can breathe easy now, for as a life member, he had been trying to bring reform to the association.

On my word of honour, I can say this much — the cooperation I got from RD was unparalleled. If the Punjab team was able to win the coveted Ranji Trophy, I dare say the lads put up worthy efforts — on surfaces produced assiduously lively by our dear Rameshwar Dayal Singh.

I remember when we played the first Ranji Trophy game at PAU, RD almost had a nervous breakdown. I’ve never known any cricket official in Punjab so intently and intensely involved in the welfare of the game. When the first ball was bowled, RD was sitting next to me, and quite spontaneously he uttered aloud “Wahe-Guru”. I was mighty touched with that simple expression of gratitude. RIP, RD!