Readers wish one of India's bowling greats, Bhagwat Chandrasekhar, on his 60th brithday.

Celebrating Chandra: Complete Coverage

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Ravi Srinivasan

Wish you Happy, Happy Birthday Chandra. 

You are a true Hero, and we will always cherish the great memories that you left on the cricket field. 

May God be with you all the time, and we wish you a life full of happiness, peace and of good health. 

Thank you for ALL that you've done for your country, us, and the rest of the cricket fans throughout the world.

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Dr. Srinivas

Happy Birthday to You Sir Chandra. Wishing you all the Best.
 
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Sainarayan A

Dear Chandrashekar

Wishing you a Very Happy Birthday and Many more years of Good Health, Wealth and Cheer.

Thank you for all the pleasure your bowling has given me and my Dad, both avid cricketers, with my Dad being from Banglore.

Best Regards

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Srinivas

Hello Chandra ji (Sir),

Happy Birthday Sir.I am wishing you have many such birthdays in future.

You are a role model for the younger generations, for your humility and modesty.

Sir,are you interested in coaching Indian team?

My daddy used to say Chandra was the embodiment of aggression inside and very humble outised field.

The present Indian team can learn a lot from you.I salute the greatest leg spinner(leave alone Shane)..
 
Regards.
 
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Markandeya A
Ex-Airforce

Hello Chandrasekar,

Wish you many many happy returns on your 60 th birthday.May god bless you a happy life in future.

Regards

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Venkatesh
Sunnyvale, CA, USA

AthmiYA chandra avarige --
 
Nimma 60 neYA hutuhabbakaY hArdhika shubhasheyagalu. Nimige Devaroo aarogya mathu NaYmadee karunisali yendu prathisooVe.
 
Nima Abhimanee.
 
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K Konteti
Ipswich, UK

Thanks to Rediff for giving an opportunity to recall the legend. In my childhood years, with no TV / Cable, in school we used to discuss with animated live actions from our cricket friends - how Chandra can do wonders with the ball.

His bowling action was so unique that - later years I could see Chandra's action in Muthiah Muralidharan bowling. Golden years for Karnataka Cricket (used to win Ranji almost every year) and Indian team (during the period spirit of cricketing nation was built).
 
Good luck to legent!

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Sriraj

Dear Chandra,

I still remember you when you used to visit Malleshwaram Association in your Fiat/Padmini in the late 80's. You never appeared to have any air about you, and you used to just quietly go about your business.

Growing up mainly in the 80's (idols for guys like me included the two Vishwanaths, Binny, Brijesh, Kiri as well as Ranji stalwarts like Carlton, Arjun Raja, Abhiram, Raghuram Bhat, Ranjit Khanwilkar, AV Jayaprakash), you were by that time a legend already. But my generation never got to see you in action.

We only heard stories about you (especially Eden Gardens going nuts screaming b-o-o-o-o-o-o-w-l-l-l-ed) but never had the fortune to feast our eyes on your magic.

As a fellow Bangalorean, I want to thank you for enriching  the great tradition that our Karnataka boys have continued to maintain to this day. In many ways, Chandra, you represent to me, the glory that Bangalore once was, and not the 'cosmopolitan', 'cool', cement jungle with potholes that resemble a war-zone today.

We heard that you had faced a lot of difficulties post-cricket. I pray that God give you the strength to have an enriched, fruitful life.

Warm regards from a fellow Bengaluru-ean,

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Akshaya Bhatt,
UK

Dear Chandrakekharji

Many many happy returns of the day. The greatest batsman i ever saw Viv Richards [Images] had said that you were the only bowler who he ever feared. Compliments dont come any higher then that. Thank you again for giving us a life time of wonderful memories.

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Gowtham

Dear Chandra:

One of my cherished childhood memories is the whole Bangalore stadium clapping in rhythm as you started to bowl.  The initial few steps you used to walk in and a crescendo of clapping as you ran in and bowled.

Thank you for the great memories.  Happy Birthday.

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Suresh
Sunnyvale

Chandra,

Many happy returns of the day! May you live to see another 60 years.I am proud to say I am one of your innumerable fans as I was learning the tricks of leg spin while I was ten in the early seventies. Ofcourse,your heroic deeds have encouraged me to take to leg spin.God bless you and have a wonderful life.

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Jayanth

Dear Chandrashekar,

I have only read about you and have always admired your brilliance and your perspective on life as an opportunity more than anything else.

Wish you a happy 60th birthday and wish you many more happy returns of the day.

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Shivkumar V.

Dear Chandra,

I am a great fan of yours. Happy Birthday and may God provide peace and serenity to you.

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Prem,
Bangalore
 
Hi ! Chandra

i remeber you right from the year you entered into cricket !  you are magician with the ball.

i still remember some of the great cricketrs such as Tiger pataudi, Eknath solkar, venkat raghavan, prasanna, Mohinder Amaranath, Vengsarkar, Gavaskar, Kapildev and the dependaple Star batsman GR Vishwanath.

we share your memories which are fresh in our mind. one such memory is during the series between West indies [Images] Vs India in 1970s.

In third Test at calcutta, you are hammard for three boundaries by clive Llyod. in the next over west indian skipper was bowled by your googly...!.

This only shows that how much faith the indian skipper has in your bowling.

In the same series, in first test at Bangalore, ViV Richards made the debut.

He hit his first ball in test cricket for four. The next ball he was bowled by you. Many crickers around the world agree that you are unplayable. perhaps we have enjoyed the game of cricket right from 1960 to 1980s. may be upto kerry packers series.

realy those were the days, the cricket was played in good spirits. Winning and losing is not so important. the better team won the match. Clear winner is only Cricket.

in those days we used to listen Radio commentery as there were no TVs [Get Quote]. 

It is great that you played cricket with great cricketrs such as Tony greig, Boycott, John edrich, Tony lewis, Alan knott, Keith fletcher, underwood. chris old, Bob willis, Gooch, Botham, Imran khan [Images], zaheer abbas, Majid khan, safraz, intikab alam, mudassar, Greg chapell, jeff thomson, Lillee, Marsh, King Richards, Gprdon Greenidge, Holder, Keith boyce, Julian ..... and many more.

We wish you many many happy returns of the Day !

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Bankim Master,
Mumbai

Reading about Chandra brought tears to my eyes; not all of them for the pain he has suffered all his life and is still suffering. Tears were also for the immense joy he gave to cricket crazy people like me during his heydays. I have personally witnessed his debut against Clive Lloyd's [Images] team. My heart goes to him and thanks him sincerely and wishes him the best that the life has to offer him now.
 
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Wilfred Balraj

Dear Sir,
 
I am your fan when you played, and am saddened by this pain and distress you are presently undergoing. Today I wish you a happy and blessed birthday. May God keep you a blessing to all near and dear and to Him. God bless you.

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Suneeth Kumar TV
Bangalore

Chandra was the hero many a youngster during his hey days. One always looked for miracles to happen when the great man came to bowl.
 
I feel humbled wishing the great Chandra a happy birthday!
 
May his year ahead be full of happiness and prosperity!
 
Best regards to a hero!

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Jayesh Bhavsar

To the great warrior of India.

Many wishes. I wish his all the pains are shared by each cricket loving fan of India.

And he has painless moments here on.

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Ravikumar
Tokyo, Japan [Images]

Shri Chandrashekar,
 
It is Indias privilege that a cricket player of your cailber played for the nation & brought many moments of Joy.
 
Sir, Wish you a happy 60th Birthday

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Renjith.S
Singapore

Yes..... Its Happy birthday from the heart.... to the one and only one greatest leg spinner of the world

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Ravi  Gadiyar
Mumbai

Sir,

Being an Ex 1st Class Cricketer for Mumbai I am glad that at least there are people who care for the Test Cricketers of Yester Years !!!

"MANY MANY HAPPY RETURNS OF THE DAY"

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Ravi

Dear Chandrashekar
 
Many many happy returns of the day. I keep seeing you some times at Jayanagar and at KSCA club in the past (may be 15 years back) but could never speak to you personally.
 
Pray god to give you the best health
 
Warm Regards

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Ajit Panda

Dear Chandra,

Everytime the radio commentator mentioned your name at the bowling crease ,  i was confident the next wicket was coming in few minutes .

You gave us lots of joy and happiness and some thing to cheer about ,with your outstanding performance .

Happy birthday and may god always be with you.
 
regds.

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Aditya H R

Dear Sir,

Many Many Happy returns of the day, to be honest I have never seen you play infact I wasnt even born when you played your last test match. But I have heard soo much about you from my Father ( who also happens to be the same age as you ).

Your story is one of the most inspiring, touching, motivating and moving in Indian sports history, albiet there is so little written about you.

It is my humble request to you - that you bring out a book on your life story.

May you have a great bday and enjoy all the joy that you single handedly have given us Indians over all the years.

Thanks & Warm Regards

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Shantanu

Dear Mr.Chandrasekhar,

I was a little boy when you won those matches for India against England [Images] at Oval 71, against Tony Lewis's England in Calcutta and Madras and against Clive Lloyd's West Indies again in Calcutta and Madras - later against Bobby Simpson's team in Australia [Images] when we came back from behind to level 2-2.

The whole nation had so much faith in your ability to win matches in seemingly hopeless situations.

The sight of you bowling with Solkar and Abid Ali at forward and back ward short leg and the crowd clapping in rythm with your run up will be something I can never forget.

All the best.

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Shantanu Banerjee

I remember those days with nostalgia. I used to be a great fan of Chandra, maybe because I too suffered from polio though it was in my right leg. I used to bowl spin, mostly off break but combine it with leg spins. I used to bowl as my idol and was indeed so fast that sometimes my captain used to ask me to open the attack and bowl flat without any spin.

Even my friends would call me 'Chandra' on the field.

To me he was the wrecker. He could demolish any side if he was in flow. He was superb for me because he was physically challenged and he had made his weakness his forte.

He never was given the recognition that was his due, neither during his haydays nor now. And who remembers the Pole Star anyway?

His fight with constant pain with a brave heart is reminiscent of the man that he always was --- a true gladiator!

May Chandra be the moon and shine! Best wishes on his B'day for a healthy and happy life! May God bless him!

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Krishna R.A.

Dear Chandra,

I have watched you play at the Central College ground and in test matches at various places. Have been totally mesmerised by your ability to make the best batsmen dance and hesitate only to see their wickets fall.

Thanks for the great entertainment you have given us.

May God bless You and provide you the best of health, wealth and happiness.

Regards

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Mahesh

Hello Sir,

I wish you a very very happy and eventful birthday and may all your pain and uneasiness disappear and may you come back to your normal self.

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• Celebrating Chandra: Complete Coverage