Farewell Mr Bindra, a cricket mover, shaker and doer

For a person whose career and life were defined by sport, IS Bindra saab (Inder to close friends) rarely talked cricket. He loved the game but wasn't a fan, and rarely bothered to discuss its tradition, history, memorable moments or great players. He chose to stay away from cricket's technicalities, but few ran the game better. As an administrator he strengthened Indian cricket and was in a class of his own .

What interested him was cricket's influence to inspire and connect, its soft power and hard commercial muscle. At a cricket ground he preferred to look at the frenzied fans, not the scoreboard.

When I first met him at the BCCI, its leadership group consisted of giants. The main team comprised Fatehsinghrao Gaekwad, MA Chidambaram, Madhavrao Scindia, PM Rungta, BN Dutt, Raj Singh Dungarpur. Next in line were the regional heads - PR Mansingh, C Nagaraj, Judge Anant Kanmadikar. Bindra saab was one in a group of emerging stars, among them Ranbir Singh Mahendra, Niranjan Shah, Jaywant Lele and Jagmohan Dalmiya.

Soon he formed a formidable partnership with Dalmiyaji (Jaggu to Bindra saab). The two were similar in some ways, yet poles apart in others. Dalmiyaji, with his business background, understood numbers and was driven by detail. He looked carefully at the fine print and was a master at micro management. Bindra saab, a career bureaucrat, understood power, authority and influence. He looked at the larger picture and was dismissive of detail. He had an opinion and a strong voice to get his point across and was never shy of confronting or clashing with someone during an argument.

Very early he grasped the economic potential of cricket and fought for the BCCI's right to control and unlock its value. I remember attending a meeting in Pune where he introduced Trans World International, the broadcast company to Mr Scindia, the BCCI president then, pushing for breaking away from state broadcaster Doordarshan's monopoly over cricket broadcast. Years later, working with him during the organisation of the 1996 World Cup, it was fascinating to see him navigate the complex play of creating a new subcontinental power bloc in international cricket, and securing the best sponsorship and media deal to ensure commercial success .

I vividly recall the marathon meeting at Lord's in early 1992 where we sat in the Long Room, waiting anxiously to find out who would be awarded the 1996 World Cup. Also multiple meetings at Gaddafi Stadium, the PCB headquarters, later, about the organisation of the event. Bindra saab shared a special relationship with Pakistan because of his previous experience with them as a key player during the 1987 World Cup.

Those days international cricket was run on bilateral arrangements. The ICC played only a peripheral role, largely limited to holding an annual meeting at Lord's, where members discussed cricket, but all major decisions were left to the individual national boards. Given his excellent networking skills and warm personal relationships with ICC members, Bindra saab was a key figure in international cricket .

Partly this was due to his personality. He was a true saab, one who wore designer tweed, drank the best whiskey, and fussed over his cup of tea at breakfast - just two drops of milk in light Darjeeling. At a personal level he was always warm, large-hearted, generous, and a great host. Everyone would look forward to attending matches in Mohali because the overall experience, the hospitality and attention were at a different level.

In Indian cricket's inner circle, Bindra saab was a powerful presence for a long time. He enjoyed the confidence of various board presidents and stalwarts, from NKP Salve saab to Sharad Pawar saab. He made deals, organised major events, built consensus and got things done .

Among his last big contributions was the launch of the IPL. Bindra saab backed Lalit Modi and ensured he had the space and support to get the project through. He knew it was a potentially game-changing initiative, the ultimate magic mantra for cricket's commercial success.