Jagmohan Dalmiya

2022-02-25T13:53:59Z

49.36.223.75:

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2018}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Jagmohan Dalmiya
| image = dalmiyaimages.jpg
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1940|05|30|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Calcutta]], [[Bengal Presidency]], [[British India]]<br>(present day [[Kolkata]], [[West Bengal]], India)
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2015|09|20|1940|05|30|df=yes}}
| death_place = [[Kolkata]], [[West Bengal]], India

| office1 = 26th [[List of Board of Control for Cricket in India presidents|President of Board of Control for Cricket in India]]
| term_start1 = {{Start date|2015|03|02|df=yes}}<ref>{{cite web|title=Dalmiya becomes president, Thakur secretary|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/story/841893.html|publisher=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=22 September 2015}}</ref>
| term_end1 = {{End date|2015|09|20|df=yes}}
| predecessor1 = [[Shivlal Yadav]]
| successor1 = [[Shashank Manohar]]

| term_start2 = {{Start date|2013||}}
| term_end2 = {{End date|2013||}}
| predecessor2 = [[N. Srinivasan]]
| successor2 = [[Shivlal Yadav]]

| term_start3 = {{Start date|2001||}}
| term_end3 = {{End date|2004||}}
| predecessor3 = [[A. C. Muthiah]]
| successor3 = [[Ranbir Singh Mahendra]]

| office6 = 3rd [[List of International Cricket Council presidents|President of International Cricket Council]]
| term_start6 = {{Start date|1997||}}
| term_end6 = {{End date|2000||}}
| predecessor6 = [[Clyde Walcott]]
| successor6 = [[Malcolm Gray]]

| office4 = 14th [[Presidents of the Cricket Association of Bengal|President of the Cricket Association of Bengal]]
| term_start4 = {{Start date|1992||}}
| term_end4 = {{End date|2006|12|27|df=yes}}
| predecessor4 = B. N. Dutt
| successor4 = [[Prasun Mukherjee]]

| term_start5 = {{Start date|2008|07|29|df=yes}}
| term_end5 = {{End date|2015|09|20|df=yes}}
| predecessor5 = [[Prasun Mukherjee]]
| successor5 = [[Sourav Ganguly]]

| occupation = Co-owner of M. L. Dalmiya & Co.
| nationality = [[Indian people|Indian]]
| spouse = Chandralekha Dalmiya
| children = 2
}}

'''Jagmohan Dalmiya''' (30 May 1940 – 20 September 2015) was an Indian cricket administrator and businessman from the city of [[Kolkata]]. He was the [[List of Board of Control for Cricket in India presidents|President]] of the [[Board of Control for Cricket in India]] as well as the [[Cricket Association of Bengal]]. He had previously served as the [[List of International Cricket Council presidents|President of the International Cricket Council]].

==Early and personal life==
Dalmiya was born into a [[Marwari people|Marwari]] family<ref>{{cite news |last1=Choudhury |first1=Angikaar |title=Jagmohan Dalmiya (1940-2015): The man who symbolised India's clout in world cricket |url=https://scroll.in/field/756893/jagmohan-dalmiya-1940-2015-the-man-who-symbolised-india-s-clout-in-world-cricket |access-date=12 November 2019 |work=Scroll.in |date=21 September 2015}}</ref> of the ''Baniya'' (tradesman) caste, originally hailing from [[Chirawa]], [[Jhunjhunu district]] in [[Rajasthan]] and based in [[Kolkata]] for many decades.<ref>{{cite news|title=When will the Brahmin-Bania hegemony end?|url=http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/3u2QUPuXBEFPaBQXU2R8mJ/When-will-the-BrahminBania-hegemony-end.html|work=[[Mint (newspaper)|Livemint]]|date=28 Aug 2009}}</ref> His father, Arjun Prasad Dalmiya, was a businessman based in Kolkata.<ref>[http://www.marwar.com/people/tribute/jagmohan-dalmiya.html Biography]</ref> Dalmiya studied at the [[Scottish Church College, Calcutta]].<ref>''Some Alumni of Scottish Church College'' in ''175th Year Commemoration Volume''. Scottish Church College, April 2008. page 589</ref> He started his career as a [[wicketkeeper]] and also opened the batting, playing for one of the leading cricket clubs in [[Calcutta]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Jagmohan Dalmiya: Cricket's face of change|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/sport/cricket/733289.stm|publisher=[[BBC News]]|access-date=22 September 2015|date=2 May 2000}}</ref> After his father's death, Dalmiya took charge of his father's firm ML Dalmiya and Co at the age of 19.<ref name=iconoclast>{{cite web|last1=Ugra|first1=Sharda|title=Cricket's canny iconoclast|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/india/content/story/922183.html|publisher=[[ESPNcricinfo]]|access-date=22 September 2015}}</ref> The firm constructed Calcutta's [[Birla Planetarium, Kolkata|Birla Planetarium]] in 1963.<ref name=teleg/>

Dalmiya was married to Chandralekha Dalmiya (née Ghose), who was born into a land-owning [[Bengali people|Bengali]] family of [[Pathuriaghata]] belonging to the [[Kayastha]] caste. They have a son and a daughter.<ref name="asiatimes">{{cite news|url=https://asiatimes.com/2015/09/indian-cricket-board-president-dalmiya-dies-at-75/|title=Indian cricket board president Dalmiya dies at 75|work=Asia Times|date=20 September 2015|access-date=22 September 2015}}</ref> His son, Avishek, took over from his father both in business and at the BCCI. Dalmiya's daughter, [[Baishali Dalmiya|Baishali]] (born 1969), shortly after her father's death, joined the [[Trinamool Congress]] in 2016, and was immediately given the ticket to contest the assembly election from the [[Bally, Howrah|Bally]] constituency. Subsequently, she was elected to the state assembly.

==Career==
Dalmiya joined the [[Board of Control for Cricket in India]] (BCCI) in 1979 as a representative of [[Cricket Association of Bengal]], and became its treasurer in 1983 (the year India won the [[Cricket World Cup]]).<ref name=iconoclast/> Along with bureaucrat [[Inderjit Singh Bindra]] and cricket administrator [[NKP Salve]], Dalmiya proposed the hosting of 1987 World Cup in the Indian subcontinent. The proposal received opposition from England, which had hosted all three previous World Cups. However, in 1984, with support votes from Associate nations, the proposal passed through [[International Cricket Council]] (ICC) with a huge majority. The 1987 World Cup was the first time the Cricket World Cup was held outside England, and paved way for rotation system for hosting the tournament.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Mathur|first1=Amrit|title=The World Cup leaves England|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/wctimeline/content/current/story/812593.html|publisher=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=21 September 2015}}</ref> Dalmiya ensured the final was played at Kolkata, renovating its clubhouse in time.<ref name=teleg>{{cite news|title=Checkmated, master of board game|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1051130/asp/nation/story_5540450.asp|work=[[The Telegraph (Calcutta)|The Telegraph]]|access-date=22 September 2015|date=30 November 2005}}</ref>

Dalmiya proposed the re-entry of South Africa to international cricket in 1991 and ensured South Africa's [[South African cricket team in India in 1991–92|three-match ODI tour]] of India the same year. Dalmiya's role is said to have been important, as the then ICC President [[Clyde Walcott]] was not in favor of discussing South Africa's re-entry to cricket. In November 1991, South Africa played their first international match since their suspension from international cricket in 1970, an ODI at Kolkata's [[Eden Gardens]] in front of over 100,000 spectators. This match also marked South Africa's return to international sports ending their [[Sporting boycott of South Africa during the Apartheid era|sporting boycott]].<ref name=saban>{{cite web|last1=Bose|first1=Soumitra|title=South Africa, Bangladesh Mourn Death of Jagmohan Dalmiya, a Friend For Forever|url=http://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/news/248885-south-africa-bangladesh-mourn-death-of-jagmohan-dalmiya-a-friend-for-forever|publisher=[[NDTV]]|access-date=21 September 2015}}</ref>

In 1993, Dalmiya along with Bindra won a legal battle against broadcaster [[Doordarshan]] for selling the television rights of cricket matches in India. The outcome of the legal battle was that Doordarshan had to pay the BCCI for acquiring the rights to televise Indian matches. In 1995, the rights were ruled by the [[Supreme Court of India]] as a commodity owned by BCCI and could be sold to the highest bidder. The ruling allowed BCCI generate more revenue and strengthened BCCI's position in the global marketplace.<ref name=iconoclast/><ref>{{cite news|title=Jagmohan Dalmiya - The rajah of cricket|url=https://www.economist.com/blogs/gametheory/2015/09/jagmohan-dalmiya|work=[[The Economist]]|date=28 Sep 2015}}</ref>

With the help of Dalmiya and the then BCCI President [[Madhavrao Scindia]], the Indian subcontinent secured the hosting rights for the 1996 World Cup, turning the tables on the favorites England. The victory was described in ''[[The Times]]'' as, "Asian tiger twists [[Lord's]] by the tail."<ref name=teleg/> However, Australia and West Indies refused to play in terror-scarred [[Sri Lanka]] during the tournament. Dalmiya, who was then the Secretary of BCCI, created a united India-Pakistan team (called the Wills XI) in a matter of days to play a goodwill match against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Thawfeeq|first1=Sa`adi|title=India, Pakistan team up in solidarity gesture|url=http://feedsuk.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/WORLD_CUPS/WC96/ARTICLES/FEB1996/12FEB1996/WC96_IND_PAK_GESTURE_12FEB1996|publisher=[[ESPNcricinfo]]|access-date=22 September 2015|date=12 February 1996|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923085745/http://feedsuk.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/WORLD_CUPS/WC96/ARTICLES/FEB1996/12FEB1996/WC96_IND_PAK_GESTURE_12FEB1996|archive-date=23 September 2015}}</ref> With a record-breaking deal for TV rights being signed for the World Cup, the tournament went on to become a major commercial success.<ref name=fortunes>{{cite web|last1=Williamson|first1=Martin|title=How the World Cup became a commercial hit|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/wctimeline/content/current/story/824079.html|publisher=[[ESPNcricinfo]]|access-date=22 September 2015}}</ref><ref name=finest/>

In 1996, Dalmiya received 23 votes to 13 for Australia's [[Malcolm Gray]] in an election for Chairman's post of the ICC, but failed to attain the two-thirds majority necessary under the ICC Constitution. However, in 1997 he was unanimously elected President of the ICC (as the position had been renamed), the office of which he held for three years.<ref name=finest>{{cite news|last1=Srivastava|first1=Suyash|title=Jagmohan Dalmiya: Indian cricket loses its finest administrator|url=http://zeenews.india.com/exclusive/jagmohan-dalmiya-indian-cricket-loses-its-finest-administrator_1799913.html|publisher=Zee News|date=21 September 2015}}</ref> He thus became the first Asian and the first non-cricketer at the helm of ICC.<ref name=iconoclast/> During his tenure as President, Dalmiya's support was instrumental in awarding Bangladesh the Test status. Bangladesh went on to play their first Test match in November 2000 against India at Dhaka. He had also supported Bangladesh in winning the hosting rights of the first-ever [[1998 ICC KnockOut Trophy|ICC Knockout Trophy]] in 1998.<ref name=saban/> He brought about a major overhaul in the ICC and is credited with helping ICC generate more revenue. The profits made from World Cup were directed to the ICC instead of the host nations, strengthening ICC's power over the World Cup. Since the 1999 edition of the tournament, the World Cup has been officially called "ICC World Cup".<ref name=fortunes/> When Dalmiya took over as ICC President in 1997, ICC had funds of £16000 and when his term ended in 2000, it had over $15 million.<ref>{{cite web|title=Jagmohan Dalmiya 1940-2015: The man who transformed cricket|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/toi-cri/top-stories/Jagmohan-Dalmiya-1940-2015-The-man-who-transformed-cricket/articleshow/49039473.cms|publisher=[[Times of India]]|access-date=25 September 2015}}</ref>

After his stint as ICC President, Dalmiya was elected the President of BCCI for the first time in 2001. Later the same year, he was involved in a major row with the ICC over what was called the '[[Mike Denness and Indian cricket team incident|Denness Affair]]' in which the ICC match referee and former England captain [[Mike Denness]] found [[Sachin Tendulkar]] guilty of a technical breach of the rules (misreported in the Indian media as an allegation of ball-tampering) and gave him a fine and suspended sentence, while also banning [[Virender Sehwag]] for one match for claiming a catch off a bump ball.<ref name="espncricinfo">{{cite news|last=Williamson|first=Martin|title=The Denness Affair|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/496743.html|publisher=ESPNcricinfo|date=9 February 2013}}</ref> There was a major argument about the issue and questions were asked in the [[Indian Parliament]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Staff Reporter|title=Ball tampering controversy aired in the Indian Parliament|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/india/content/story/108185.html|publisher=[[ESPNcricinfo]]|date=9 February 2013}}</ref> Dalmiya demanded a right of appeal from the ICC, which was refused, and also demanding that Denness be replaced as match referee for the following test or it would be cancelled.<ref>{{cite news|title=ICC will not overrule Denness decision|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/108163.html|publisher=[[ESPNcricinfo]]|date=9 February 2013}}</ref> Ultimately, as Denness was not permitted to referee the final match of the series by the BCCI and the UCBSA, the match was stripped of Test status by the ICC.<ref>{{cite news|title=Tour Match: South Africa XI vs India XI|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/106790.html|publisher=[[ESPNcricinfo]]|date=9 February 2013}}</ref> Contracts to Indian team players, and pensions to former cricketers and umpires were first awarded in 2003 when Dalmiya was the Board's President.<ref name=fortunes/>

In the 2005 BCCI board elections, Dalmiya's candidate [[Ranbir Singh Mahendra]] was ousted by Indian government minister [[Sharad Pawar]] as the head cricket official of India. Later the following year, Dalmiya was expelled from the board for alleged misappropriation of funds and refusing to provide certain documents.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/india/content/current/story/272911.html |title=Dalmiya expelled from BCCI |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |date=16 December 2005|access-date=3 June 2013}}</ref> However, in May 2007, when he challenged the decision in the [[Bombay High Court]] and then the Supreme Court, he was exonerated as the BCCI was unable to prove their charge of financial irregularities against him.<ref name=Comeback>{{cite news|title=I'LL CLEAR MY NAME AND MAKE A COMEBACK IF REQUIRED|date=4 August 2007|work=[[Tehelka]]}}</ref>

In July 2010, the [[Calcutta High Court]] dismissed charges against Dalmiya, and allowed him to contest the presidency of the Cricket Association of Bengal, which he subsequently won.<ref name=Comeback/>

In June 2013, Dalmiya was appointed as the interim president of the BCCI after [[N. Srinivasan]] stepped aside till the probe on Srinivasan's son-in-law's alleged involvement in [[2013 Indian Premier League spot-fixing case|spot-fixing]] in the [[2013 Indian Premier League]] was completed. Srinivasan resumed the presidency in October 2013. On 2 March 2015, Dalmiya returned as BCCI President after a 10-year gap replacing Srinivasan.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/news/238376-after-10-year-gap-bengal-tiger-jamohan-dalmiya-returns-as-bcci-chief|title=After 10-Year Gap, Bengal Tiger Dalmiya Returns as BCCI Chief|publisher=[[NDTV]]|date=2 March 2015}}</ref>

==Awards and recognition==
In 1996, the [[BBC]] described Dalmiya as one of the world's top six sports executives.<ref>{{cite news|title=Jagmohan Dalmiya passes away: Some facts on the designer of the rise of Indian cricket|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/education/story/jagmohan-dalmiya/1/478734.html|work=[[India Today]]|date=21 September 2015}}</ref> In 2005, he was awarded the International Journal of the History of Sports Achievement award for administrative excellence in global sport.<ref>{{cite news|title=Dalmiya receives IJHS award|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/india/content/story/213643.html|publisher=[[ESPNcricinfo]]|date=17 July 2005}}</ref>

Dalmiya was often cited in the media as the man responsible for commercializing cricket and making BCCI the richest board in the world.<ref>{{cite web|title=Jagmohan Dalmiya's contribution to Indian cricket finds no parallel|url=http://www.ibnlive.com/cricketnext/news/jagmohan-dalmiyas-contribution-to-indian-cricket-finds-no-parallel-550161-78.html|publisher=IBNLive|access-date=25 September 2015|date=20 September 2015}}</ref> He was also credited with breaking Australia and England's "monopoly" of ICC and establishing the presence of Indian subcontinent in international cricket.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Choudhury|first1=Angikaar|title=Dalmiya: The man who symbolised India's clout in world cricket|url=http://www.dawn.com/news/1208406|publisher=Dawn|access-date=25 September 2015|date=21 September 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=How Dalmiya And Bindra Played Cricket|url=http://www.businessworld.in/opinion-columns/how-dalmiya-and-bindra-played-cricket|publisher=[[Businessworld]]|access-date=25 September 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925183805/http://www.businessworld.in/opinion-columns/how-dalmiya-and-bindra-played-cricket|archive-date=25 September 2015}}</ref> He was nicknamed in the media the "Machiavelli of Indian cricket", the "master of realpolitik", the "king of comebacks".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-06-03/news/39714110_1_indian-cricket-bcci-president-n-srinivasan |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130610013119/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-06-03/news/39714110_1_indian-cricket-bcci-president-n-srinivasan |url-status=dead |archive-date=10 June 2013 |title=Jagmohan Dalmiya is king of comebacks |work=[[The Times of India]]|date=3 June 2013}}</ref>

Australian cricketer and commentator [[Ian Chappell]] has said of Dalmiya: "He has a vision for the game’s progress that I haven’t heard enunciated by any other so-called leader among cricket officials."<ref>{{cite news
| url = http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=df680445-99b0-40b6-aa7d-051a30821772
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070930032434/http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=df680445-99b0-40b6-aa7d-051a30821772
| url-status = dead
| archive-date = 30 September 2007
| title = Jagmohan Dalmiya, the Machiavelli of Indian cricket
| date = 31 July 2006
| work = [[Hindustan Times]]
}}</ref>

==Death==
Dalmiya began his second term as BCCI president in March 2015. But he was ailing since then, and his health deteriorated further in September. On 17 September 2015, he suffered a massive [[heart attack]] and was admitted to the B.M. Birla Hospital in [[Kolkata]]. He remained at the [[Intensive Care Unit]] and a five-member medical board was set up for his treatment. He died on 20 September 2015 after he had also undergone a coronary angiography.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/74794/bcci-president-jagmohan-dalmiya-passes-away|title=BCCI President Jagmohan Dalmiya passes away|work=[[CricBuzz]]|date=21 September 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/news/248713-bcci-president-jagmohan-dalmiya-suffers-heart-attack|title=BCCI President Jagmohan suffers heart attack|publisher=[[NDTV]]|date=21 September 2015}}{{Dead link|date=January 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The cause of death was reported to be gastrointestinal bleeding and organ failure.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://asiatimes.com/2015/09/indian-cricket-board-president-dalmiya-dies-at-75/|title=Indian cricket board president Dalmiya dies at 75|work=[[Asia Times]]|date=20 September 2015}}</ref>

After his death, Dalmiya's eyes were donated to Vanmukta Eye Bank in the city. On 21 September 2015, Dalmiya's body was taken from his house in [[Alipore]] to the Cricket Association of Bengal office at the [[Eden Gardens]]. Several dignitaries arrived in Kolkata, including former India skipper [[Sourav Ganguly]], to pay their last respects to him.<ref name=ndtv>{{cite web|title=Jagmohan Dalmiya Donates His Eyes as Cricket's Who-Who Turn Up For Last Rites|url=http://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/news/248889-jagmohan-dalmiya-s-last-journey-begins-to-be-cremated-at-3pm|publisher=[[NDTV]]|date=21 September 2015}}</ref>

Among those who sent condolences for Dalmiya's death were President of India [[Pranab Mukherjee]], Prime Minister [[Narendra Modi]], Chief Minister of West Bengal [[Mamata Banerjee]], current and former cricketers, ICC and various national cricket boards.<ref name=ndtv/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.dalmiya.com/ Dalmiya.com]
* {{ESPNcricinfo|id=28609}}

{{s-start}}
{{succession box|
before=[[Clyde Walcott]]|
title=[[List of ICC presidents|President of the ICC]]|
years=1997–2000|
after=[[Malcolm Gray]]|
}}
{{s-end}}

{{Presidents of ICC}}
{{Presidents of BCCI}}
{{Presidents of CAB}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dalmiya, Jagmohan}}
[[Category:1940 births]]
[[Category:2015 deaths]]
[[Category:Marwari people]]
[[Category:Cricketers from Kolkata]]
[[Category:Indian cricket administrators]]
[[Category:Scottish Church College alumni]]
[[Category:University of Calcutta alumni]]
[[Category:Presidents of the International Cricket Council]]
[[Category:Presidents of the Cricket Association of Bengal]]
[[Category:Presidents of the Board of Control for Cricket in India]]

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Jagmohan Dalmiya