Mohammad Azharuddin used to be a national celebrity in the 1990s. Wherever Azharuddin, the brilliant batsman of the Indian cricket team, went, he was surrounded by a crowd of thousands. Former Governor of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) D. Subbarao and his family were also among the fans of the Indian cricketer. In his latest book ‘Just a Mercenary?: Notes from My Life and Career’ published by Penguin Publications, Subbarao has shared an interesting anecdote related to Azharuddin.
Subbarao writes that both my sons, Malik and Raghav, were huge fans of Azharuddin when they were young. We used to discuss them every night at the dinner table. Maybe there is some match of theirs which we missed. One day I had gone to Begumpet Airport to receive my wife Urmila. Both the children were also with me. We sat in the waiting area and started waiting. It was early morning and there was not much crowd at the airport.
Subbarao’s sons ran after Azharuddin
Suddenly my eyes fell on Azharuddin, who was entering the airport. There were only four-five people with him. Subbarao writes that both my children were happy to see Azharuddin and started insisting on asking me, Papa, to introduce them to him. In those days, I was a mid-level bureaucrat who had no special identity. Was a little shy also. I felt that it would not be right to approach Azharuddin in this manner inside the airport and he himself would not like it.
Cricketers joined hands and increased
D. Subbarao writes that before I could say anything, both my children ran near Azharuddin. I had no option and I also ran after him. I said – Mr. Azharuddin, my children want to shake hands with you… Azharuddin reluctantly extended his hand towards my sons and moved forward within a few seconds. It was a very happy and memorable moment for both my sons. For the next several days we kept talking about this in school.
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time again brought me to the same point
In the year 2000, Azharuddin’s name came up in match fixing and he was banned. After this the number of his fans also reduced. Subbarao writes that after a few years, Azharuddin entered politics and I came to Delhi after becoming the Governor of the Reserve Bank. In 2012, when I was Governor, one evening I was returning from Mumbai to Delhi. Boarded the bus at the airport to reach the plane, which was packed. I stood quietly in a corner. Suddenly a middle aged man wearing a suit walked towards me and said – ‘Sir, my name is Azharuddin and I am also from Hyderabad…’
‘The earth is really round’
Subbarao writes, ‘I replied, who doesn’t know you!’ Azharuddin said- Sir, my son wants to shake hands with you and put him forward. I met his son with full enthusiasm. That day we met briefly and after a while we parted ways, but all the way I kept thinking that the Earth is indeed round. A few years ago my son ran to shake hands with Azharuddin, and now Azharuddin’s son wanted to meet me.
Tags: mohammed azharuddin, Mohammad Azharuddin, rbi, RBI Governor
FIRST PUBLISHED: May 4, 2024, 12:11 IST