Jagmohan Dalmiya
Encyclopedia
Jagmohan Dalmiya, born in Calcutta, India
on May 30, 1940, is a well-known Indian cricket administrator. He studied at the Scottish Church College, Calcutta
.
He started his career as a wicketkeeper, playing for cricket clubs (including his college team) in Calcutta and had once made a double-century. He joined his father's firm ML Dalmiya and Co. and made it into one of India's top construction firms. His firm constructed Calcutta's M.P.Birla Planetarium in 1963. Dalmiya’s wife hails from the distinguished Ghosh family of Pathuriaghata
. He has a daughter and a son. He also practices pure vegetarianism
.
He joined the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India
) in 1979, and became its treasurer in 1983 (the year India won the Cricket World Cup
) and later, along with Inderjit Singh Bindra helped to win the right to stage the World Cup in South Asia
in 1987 and 1996. He has been elected the President of BCCI on numerous occasions. Though initially rejected by many cricket playing nations, despite his winning the ICC Presidential elections by a 25-13 margin in 1996, he was unanimously elected as the chairman of the ICC International Cricket Council
a year later in 1997 for a period of three years, a period in which his work greatly helped to enhance the fortunes of ICC.
However, in the later years, he was often accused by the media of taking the cricket players and spectators for granted, thereby not giving much care to the development of the game's infrastructure in India. In the 2005 BCCI
board elections, he was ousted by Indian government minister Sharad Pawar
as the head cricket official of India. Late the following year, he was expelled from the board for alleged misappropriation of funds refusing to provide certain documents.http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/india/content/current/story/272911.html Dalmia challenged the decision and went to the court.
In 1996, the BBC
declared him to be one of the world's top six sports executives. When Australia
and West Indies refused to play in terror-scarred Sri Lanka
during the 1996 World Cup, he conjured up a united India-Pakistan team in a matter of days to play friendlies against Sri Lanka there. In 1991, when the boycott of South Africa
officially ended, he arranged a tour of the South African cricket team in India that went a long way in helping them shed the stigma of apartheid.
In the words of the Australia
n cricketer Ian Chappell
: "He has a vision for the game’s progress that I haven’t heard enunciated by any other so-called leader among cricket officials."
, and later, the Supreme Court of India
, he was exonerated as the BCCI was unable to prove their charge of financial irregularities against him and attributed his dismissal to political interference.
In July 2007, the Calcutta High Court
dismissed charges against him, and allowed him to contest for the presidency of the Cricket Association of Bengal
, which he subsequently won.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
on May 30, 1940, is a well-known Indian cricket administrator. He studied at the Scottish Church College, Calcutta
Scottish Church College, Calcutta
The Scottish Church College is the oldest continuously running Christian liberal arts and sciences college in India. It is affiliated with the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education , the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education for the awarding of baccalaureate and post baccalaureate...
.
He started his career as a wicketkeeper, playing for cricket clubs (including his college team) in Calcutta and had once made a double-century. He joined his father's firm ML Dalmiya and Co. and made it into one of India's top construction firms. His firm constructed Calcutta's M.P.Birla Planetarium in 1963. Dalmiya’s wife hails from the distinguished Ghosh family of Pathuriaghata
Pathuriaghata
Pathuriaghata is a neighbourhood in north Kolkata, earlier known as Calcutta, in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is one of the oldest residential areas in what was Sutanuti. Once the abode of the Bengali rich, the neighbourhood and its surrounding areas are now dominated by Marwaris...
. He has a daughter and a son. He also practices pure vegetarianism
Vegetarianism
Vegetarianism encompasses the practice of following plant-based diets , with or without the inclusion of dairy products or eggs, and with the exclusion of meat...
.
He joined the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India
Board of Control for Cricket in India
The Board of Control for Cricket in India , headquartered at Mumbai, is the national governing body for all cricket in India. It's not the apex governing body in India. The board was formed in December 1928 as BCCI replaced Calcutta Cricket Club. BCCI is a society, registered under the Tamil Nadu...
) in 1979, and became its treasurer in 1983 (the year India won the Cricket World Cup
Cricket World Cup
The ICC Cricket World Cup is the premier international championship of men's One Day International cricket. The event is organised by the sport's governing body, the International Cricket Council , with preliminary qualification rounds leading up to a finals tournament which is held every four years...
) and later, along with Inderjit Singh Bindra helped to win the right to stage the World Cup in South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
in 1987 and 1996. He has been elected the President of BCCI on numerous occasions. Though initially rejected by many cricket playing nations, despite his winning the ICC Presidential elections by a 25-13 margin in 1996, he was unanimously elected as the chairman of the ICC International Cricket Council
International Cricket Council
The International Cricket Council is the international governing body of cricket. It was founded as the Imperial Cricket Conference in 1909 by representatives from England, Australia and South Africa, renamed the International Cricket Conference in 1965, and took up its current name in 1989.The...
a year later in 1997 for a period of three years, a period in which his work greatly helped to enhance the fortunes of ICC.
However, in the later years, he was often accused by the media of taking the cricket players and spectators for granted, thereby not giving much care to the development of the game's infrastructure in India. In the 2005 BCCI
Board of Control for Cricket in India
The Board of Control for Cricket in India , headquartered at Mumbai, is the national governing body for all cricket in India. It's not the apex governing body in India. The board was formed in December 1928 as BCCI replaced Calcutta Cricket Club. BCCI is a society, registered under the Tamil Nadu...
board elections, he was ousted by Indian government minister Sharad Pawar
Sharad Pawar
Sharadchandra Govindrao Pawar , popularly known as SAHEB , is the president of the Nationalist Congress Party which he founded in 1999, after separating from the Indian National Congress...
as the head cricket official of India. Late the following year, he was expelled from the board for alleged misappropriation of funds refusing to provide certain documents.http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/india/content/current/story/272911.html Dalmia challenged the decision and went to the court.
Awards and recognition
In 2005 he was awarded the International Journal of the History of Sports Achievement award for administrative excellence in global sport.In 1996, the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
declared him to be one of the world's top six sports executives. When Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and West Indies refused to play in terror-scarred Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
during the 1996 World Cup, he conjured up a united India-Pakistan team in a matter of days to play friendlies against Sri Lanka there. In 1991, when the boycott of South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
officially ended, he arranged a tour of the South African cricket team in India that went a long way in helping them shed the stigma of apartheid.
In the words of the Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n cricketer Ian Chappell
Ian Chappell
Ian Michael Chappell is a former cricketer who played for South Australia and Australia. He captained Australia between 1971 and 1975 before taking a central role in the breakaway World Series Cricket organisation...
: "He has a vision for the game’s progress that I haven’t heard enunciated by any other so-called leader among cricket officials."
Controversy
In December 2006, he was dismissed by the BCCI, for misappropriation of funds allocated for the 1996 World Cup. However, in May 2007, when the issue was taken to the Bombay High CourtBombay High Court
Bombay High Court at Mumbai, Maharashtra, is the High Court of India with jurisdiction over the states of Maharashtra & Goa, and, the Union Territories of Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli...
, and later, the Supreme Court of India
Supreme Court of India
The Supreme Court of India is the highest judicial forum and final court of appeal as established by Part V, Chapter IV of the Constitution of India...
, he was exonerated as the BCCI was unable to prove their charge of financial irregularities against him and attributed his dismissal to political interference.
In July 2007, the Calcutta High Court
Calcutta High Court
The Calcutta High Court is the oldest High Court in India. It was established as the High Court of Judicature at Fort William on 1 July 1862 under the High Courts Act, 1861. It has jurisdiction over the state of West Bengal and the Union Territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The High Court...
dismissed charges against him, and allowed him to contest for the presidency of the Cricket Association of Bengal
Cricket Association of Bengal
The Cricket Association of Bengal is the governing body for cricket in West Bengal. Its headquarters is located in the famous Eden Gardens stadium...
, which he subsequently won.