Ramakant Kanojia,Ajit Sharma and Pramod Chavan would have never dreamed of even holding a cricket bat had it not been for Mangesh Bhalekar,who has been coaching underpriviledged children for the past 30 years for free. Ramakants father irons clothes for a living,Ajits is a security guard,while Pramods mother is a domestic help. Bhalekars aim is to make the municipal school students good human beings. The focus of our club is overall learning and development of children so that they do not become greedy and get into traps such as betting and match-fixing. These children are impressionable and it is important to instill the right qualities in them, said the 62-year-old. Born in a not-so-rich family,Bhalekar could not realise his dream of playing for the country as he could not afford the cricket kit necessary to join a coaching club. But in 1975,he got an opportunity to manage Dadar Parsi Zoroastrian (DPZ) Cricket Club at the Matunga ground opposite Ruia College. Jehangir Pithwala aka Masa Sheth asked me to look after the club. A few years later,I felt we should do something for underpriviledged students who cannot afford coaching or kits. In 1982,we started free coaching for students from municipal schools. We told these children not to bother about cricket gear. These children belong to families that struggle to make ends meet and we didnt want them to feel that without proper shoes or clothes their chances would be hampered, Bhalekar said. DPZ Cricket Club has produced stars such as Lalchand Rajput and Chandrakant Pandit who played for India and Ranji players Pradip Kasliwal,Pradeep Sundaram,Amol Mujumdar,Amit Pagnis and Vinayak Joshi. Each year,the club selects 15 students who are under 14 and 15 under-16 students. A former student of the club turned businessman provides shirts and shoes,while the club gives them kits. The club does not accept sponsorships. We adopt talented children from our club and take care of their education till graduation. We tell their parents even if they have to struggle a bit,they shouldnt allow their children to drop out of school or college. Right education is the key, said Bhalekar. The club has supported the education of over 150 such children. Besides organising tournaments for its students,the club celebrates with them special occasions such as Diwali every year. When my former students come back and tell me their children are studying in good schools and are doing well in their lives,it makes me proud. I feel I have succeeded in bringing about parivartan (change), said Bhalekar.
