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Dronacharya awardee and renowned cricket coach Tarak Sinha succumbed to cancer early Saturday. He was 71. (More Cricket News)
Sinha was admitted to Rajiv Gandhi cancer hospital in New Delhi. He was critical due to multi-organ failure after battling cancer for some years.
The founder of Sonnet Cricket Club was a guiding force in the lives of many international cricketers. He shaped the game of students like Surender Khanna, Randhir Singh, Raman Lamba, Manoj Prabhakar, Ajay Sharma, K. P. Bhaskar, Atul Wassan, Ashish Nehra, Sanjeev Sharma, Aakash Chopra, Shikhar Dhawan, Anjum Chopra, and Rishabh Pant.
His pupils Aakash and Wassan took to Twitter to pay their respects.
"Ustaad Ji is no more. Dronacharya Awardee. Coach to over a dozen India Test cricketers. And scores of first-class cricketers. Both men and women. Without any institutional help. Your service to Indian cricket will be remembered, sir. May your soul R.I.P. Om Shanti," Chopra wrote along with a picture of Sinha.
"Sad day for me and all sonnetians as we have lost our ustaad ji today . Toiled for decades and shaped careers but never took centre stage . Cricket fraternity has lost a gem . God bless the departed soul . Rip," Wassan said.
The Sonnet Cricket Club issued a statement.
"It is with a heavy heart we have to share this tragic news of Shri Tarak Sinha, the founder of the Sonnet Club, who has left for his heavenly abode at 3 am on Saturday after a brave battle with lung cancer for two months. He has been the soul of Sonnet Cricket Club which has given India and Delhi cricket so many gems.
"We want to thank each and everyone who has been by his side in these trying times and prayed for his recovery. We also want to appreciate the efforts put in by the doctors in Jaipur and Delhi who worked tirelessly to revive him.
"Tarak sir's pride was his students and his support through this period kept him going. He was only thinking about grooming young talent during this battle. Even at the age of 70, he was enthusiastic about getting to the field and working on young cricketers.
"He was in good spirits till his last breath, believing he could still get up on his feet! It's a heavy day for all of us at Sonnet Club, the cricket fraternity and most importantly the students who have always seen him as a guardian.
"May his soul rest in peace and continue to bless us to carry his legacy forward! Om Shanti!"
Sinha was the only fifth cricket coach after Desh Prem Azad, Gurcharan Singh, Ramakant Achrekar, and Sunita Sharma, to be bestowed with the Dronacharya award.
