Doubles specialist shuttler CD ‘Baba’ Deoras passes away

 

 

FORMER international badminton player and coach Chandrakant Deoras (CD) alias Baba, who ruled the courts playing men’s and mixed doubles during 1960s and 70s, has left for his heavenly abode. A resident of 66, SE Railway Colony, Pratap Nagar, Deoras passed away due to old age on Wednesday. He was 93. He is survived by his wife Usha, sons Parag, Sameer, and daughter Vaishali. Deoras was nephew of late Balasaheb Deoras, Sarsanghchalak of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. The last rites were performed at Ambazari crematorium in evening.

 

Deoras forged a great partnership on the court with Nandu Natekar and the duo was quite a respectful figure in badminton world. A national champion for several years Deoras, among India’s all time greats, was known for his wrist play. He was known for his base line and net play and his wrist moved smoothly, flowing like water. His men’s doubles partnership with India’s top singles player Natekar was very famous. The pair won first title at the 1960 National Championships. However, Deoras had won his first national title in the 1957 tournament. It was mixed doubles crown partnering Sushila Kapadia. After that, he had won the title in men’s doubles and mixed doubles for almost 11 years. After winning the title with Natekar in the 1960 tournament, he had won the mixed doubles title playing with Prema Parashar.

 

When he won the mixed doubles title again at the 1962 National Championships, Manda Kelkar was his partner. In 1963, Deoras again won the men’s doubles title with Natekar and in 1964, he won the mixed doubles title with Meena Shah. In 1965, ace shuttler partnered Suresh Goyal and in 1968, Raman Ghosh was his partner. He also participated in the 1960 All England Championships but lost in the first round. He was part of the Indian team for the 1966-67 Thomas Cup. After retiring from the game, he also worked as a coach for some time. Nagpur District Badminton Association President Kundatai Vijaykar paid rich tributes to the departed soul.

 

“He was a fine player and we used to reach YMCA much before the scheduled start to get a good place to sit in and watch him play. We had family relations and he was like an elder brother to me. This is a huge personal loss as well as void is being left in the badminton fraternity,” said Kundatai while talking to ‘The Hitavada’. Recalling her association with Deoras, Kundatai added, “I was very junior to him but once in absence of his regular mixed doubles partner, I had an opportunity to partner him at an event.

 

We ended being champions without playing a single match. Right from the first round, we got walk-overs till the final.” City’s international player and a reputed coach Kiran Makode feels blessed to have got some tips from the best in the business then. “During a junior camp, CD Sir encouraged and motivated us along with giving some tips to improve the game. He might have been in his fifties but was very fit and still had that power in his strokes. Being a champion, he knew that mental strength was very important at top level and used to say, ‘mann pakka kara re’ asking as to be positive all the time. “I had very good relations with him as his younger son Sameer and I were in the same Nagpur University team that finished All India runners-up.”