Jamshedpur, Aug 2 (BJNN) The curator of Keenan Stadium and former Tata Steel employee, Maheshwar Sahoo, who prepared the track for all the International One-Day matches as well as Ranji Trophy matches played here, passed away due to old-age ailment in Tata Main Hospital (TMH) in the wee hours of Sunday, family sources said.
77-year-old Maheshwar, who was also a member of BCCI’s pitch committee, was admitted in TMH on Friday night with old age ailment as well as lung infection and breathed his last around 2.00 am today, said his eldest son, Purusotham Sahoo, who represented under-15 and 19 team of undivided Bihar and also a Tata Steel employee.
Maheshwar left behind his wife and four sons, he said.
He was cremated here.
Purusotham said his father was known as one of the best curator and had the responsibility to look after Keenan Stadium, prepare Cricket Pitch for One Day International Cricket Matches and Football ground for JSA Football League.
Maheshwar had also prepared the pitch at JSCA International Cricket Stadium for first ODI and Indian Premier League held in the Jharkhand Capital.
In fact, my father prepared the pitches at Keenan stadium for all the 19 ODIs held here. India had played against teams like West Indies, Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka etc at Keenan, Purusotham added.
Expressing grief over the demise of Maheshwar, Manoj Yadav, a former Ranji trophy cricketer of undivided Bihar, said I observed during my cricket career between 1980 to 1995 that he was very dedicated to his work and soft-spoken man.
He used to accommodate and arrange meals for poor state cricketers, coming to the steel city a day before or leaving a day after the matches during the domestic matches, in his house, Yadav, who is the Central President of JMM’s Sports Cell, said adding that Maheshwar’s death was a huge loss to state cricket as he was very much aware about the nitty gritty of the cricket pitches of the state.
Former Olympian and Secretary of Jharkhand Basketball Association, Harbhajan Singh also condoled his death.
