Former BCCI president Rungta dies after prolong illness

Former Board of Control for Cricket in India President P.M. Rungta died here on Thursday after prolonged illness, the BCCI said. He turned 84 on July 7, says a report in The Hindu.

“An institution is gone,” said Kishore Rungta of his father. “He had tea and biscuits last Saturday (July 7), lapsed into a coma at 7.30 in the morning and did not regain consciousness. He battled for four days,’’ said Kishore, according to the report.

Popularly known as “Bhaiji” to cricketers and administrators, Purushottam Rungta was Vice-President of the BCCI from 1963-64 to 1971-72 and president for three years from 1972-1975.  He was also the BCCI treasurer for six months in 1992. “Madhav Mantri resigned as BCCI Treasurer when he lost to Manohar Joshi in the Bombay Cricket Association elections and the then BCCI President Madhavrao Scindia nominated Rungta as Treasurer till the AGM of the BCCI,’’ said Jaywant Lele, former BCCI secretary. P.M. Rungta was also President of the Rajasthan Cricket Association for many years.

Meanwhile according to a report in Hindustan Times, BCCI secretary Sanjay Jagdale said, "BCCI owes a lot to Mr. Rungta. He served the Board with distinction, as president, and in several other capacities. He worked hard to make Indian cricket a force to reckon with. May his soul rest in peace."

Rungta's brother Kishan is a former first-class cricketer and chairman of selectors while his son Kishore has served as a BCCI treasurer.

Meanwhile according to a Times Of India report, former BCCI secretary Jaywant Lele said "Rungta was a gentleman and was well respected by the Board's administrators who considered him to be a father figure. He had attended every one of the Board's AGM after his term ended till 2000 as a special invitee," Lele said from Baroda.

Lele, a huge supporter of former International Cricket Council president and ex-BCCI chief Jagmohan Dalmiya, recalled the role played by Rungta in the two-year suspension of another former president I S Bindra at the AGM of the board held in Vishakapatnam in 2000.

"Bindra uttered some nonsense against Dalmiya that it was he and not Dalmiya who should have become the ICC President at the AGM and it was Rungta who moved the resolution to suspend Bindra for two years for that," Lele said.