Rahul Dravid, moved by Ashwath’s dedication, has penned the foreword
Bengaluru: With fate cruelly snatching away the lives of the Kodava brothers, Ashwath Aiyappa and Akil Kuttappa, the former, a cricketer and the latter, a doctor, with both tragically drowning back in April 2014, their heartbroken parents Raghu and Anitha have attempted to ensure their sons’ memories stay on, launching Ashwath’s book, When God Bowls A Googly in the city on Thursday.
Ashwath 30, a cricketer, died a hero trying to save his elder brother Dr. Akhil, 31 from drowning at the Chiklihole Reservoir, Kodagu on Election Day in April 2014.
Former Indian Test captain Rahul Dravid, moved by Ashwath’s dedication, has penned the foreword. “These are some really insightful thoughts and I am sure the book will benefit a number of youngsters.
It is a sensitive topic and one that needs to be handled with care, which Ashwath has done admirably well. I must say it is wonderfully written,” says Dravid.
Nine months after their sons’ demise, their parents released the book, poignantly at the M. Chinnaswamy stadium, Ashwath’s favoured place, on Thursday.
Ashwath had written the book following an in-depth research on cricket and is tailor-made for those who have been unable to don the India colours despite sacrificing their lives for cricket. It took more than two years for the cricketer to finish the book.
Ashwath, a wicketkeeper as well as an opener, rightly points out only a tiny percentage of aspiring cricketers actually make it to the big league. While some manage to play for their state and salvage a bit of pride, the rest, he says, ‘languish in sporting hell.’
Ashwath has shared his life as a cricketer and how he was able to look beyond societal conditioning while tackling his psychological demons.
The cricketer, whose life was cut short cruelly, played the game with passion for 14 years representing several clubs in the city such as Jawahar Sports Club, Swastik Union Cricket Club before moving on to DY Patil Sports Academy in Mumbai.
Though he was named in the Karnataka Ranji team probables at the tender age of 16, Ashwath's state career didn't take off. He represented Karnataka at the U-16 level but went on to represent zonals teams until U-22 and even turned out in the 2009 edition of the Karnataka Premier League.
A Bachelor of Computer Application (BCA) graduate from the St. Joseph’s College of Arts & Science, his commitment to the sport was such that he sold his stake after co-founding a very successful web solutions firm – Myndset Technologies to concentrate on his game.
When nearing 30s, Ashwath realised he could not make it to the next level in the game and began to focus on training youngsters.
He undertook coaching assignments at the Peepal Grove School in Sadum, Andhra Pradesh, where he was much loved and adored by the youngsters.
