Gratitude, the Sunny way

BANGALORE: Champs is the acronym for Caring, Helping, Assisting, Motivating and Promoting Sportspersons. A brainchild of cricketing legend Sunil Gavaskar, the aim of the Champs Foundation is precisely what it spells out.
The Little Master of the Seventies was in town on Tuesday to promote the McDowell''s Signature Celebrity Golf tournament of which his foundation is a beneficiary.
One of those who is receiving a monthly stipend of Rs 3,000 from Champs is none other than the flamboyant cricketer of yesteryears, Salim Durrani. Gavaskar recalled how Durrani had gone out of his way to keep him warm on a frosty night in a train bound for Vijaywada, at the cost of considerable discomfort to himself.
The Indian team were on their way to play a charity match in Vijaywada prior to the West Indies tour of 1971. So popular was Durrani in those days, that the ticket-checker in the train carrying the team provided him with the only set of blankets that was available.
Durrani promptly handed the set over to young Gavaskar in the upper bunk and told him to keep warm. Sunny knew better than to argue with his senior teammate known for his generosity. However, when Gavaskar awoke the next morning, he was surprised to find Durrani shivering and cringing due to the bitter cold.
Till date, Sunil Gavaskar has not forgotten that act of benevolence and has more than reciprocated it by ensuring that Durrani becomes a beneficiary of Champs Foundation. The other trustees of this foundation are Sunil''s wife Marshniel, brother-in-law G R Vishwanath, Khalid Ansari and Nana Chudasama.
Apart from helping international sportspersons of yesteryear who are in financial difficulty, Gavaskar said that his organisation would also lend a helping hand to needy and promising youngsters in any field of sport.
On a lighter note, Gavaskar said that he would be a big hit in golf as scoring a century in this game would be no problem or him whereas in cricket he had to grind and graft for those memorable hundreds and double hundreds.
On September 14, the brilliant willow-wielder will swing his golf clubs at Eagleton golf course in Bangalore during the McDowell''s Signature Celebrity Golf tournament and hope to lower his score rather than increase it, as was his wont on the cricket pitch.