Mumbai: World's oldest cricket statistician Anandji Dossa died today in USA. Last week only he turned 98.
Dossa was associated with the All India Radio (AIR) as cricket statistician from 1956-57 to 1972-73.
"I was fortunate enough to speak to him last night. My father had cough and cold problem since last few days and was unable to breathe properly. He seems to have died in the sleep but it was indeed a peaceful death", his daughter, Anjana Dossa, an architect by profession said over telephone from Florida.
"I am on my way to New York where the final rites will be performed at my sister's (Kinjabala Ashar) place", she added.
"Here in USA, the body is taken to morgue and then electric crematorium", she added.
"We all follow father's good wishes".
"Yes, my mother (Gunavanti ben) has lost her companion at 90 but we all are here to be with her in this difficult time".
"We request all his followers in India to pray for his departed soul", the daughter concluded.
Dossa was an inspiration:
In the commentary box his contribution to the commentators like late Vijay Merchant, Anant Setalvad and late Suresh Saraiya was immense.
Sudhir Vaidya, Yeshwant Chad and many more statisticians and scorers learnt a lot from him.
"He was a pioneer of cricket statistics and all figures were ever ready with him. I have lost my best friend and nobody can ever fill the void", Vaidya said from Pune.
He was the chairman of the Indian cricket board's statistical committee for a few years from 1973. When the Association of Indian Cricket Statisticians and Scorers (ACSSI) was formed in the 1980s, he served as its first President.
The association's yearly award for the best scorer and the C. C. I. library at the Brabourne Stadium are named after him.
Before moving to USA to stay with his two daughters, he donated all his records and books to the CCI library.
