Aloof yet witty, plain but direct, regal yet casual. He was so many opposites that eventually you stopped trying to classify him.
These words describe best the character of Nawab Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi. He was a former Indian Test cricketer, regarded as one of the best captains ever. He was born on 5th January 1941, into the royal household of Pataudi, at Bhopal in the present-day state of Madhya Pradesh. His father Iftikhar Ali Khan, was the eighth Nawab of Pataudi, whom Mansur succeeded to become the 9th Nawab of Pataudi (junior). His mother, Sajida Sultan was the former “Begum of Bhopal”.
Pataudi was appointed India’s cricket captain at the age of 21 and is renowned as the “best fielder in the world” of his time by commentator John Arlott and former England captain Ted Dexter. At the age of only 20 years, Pataudi’s misfortune led him to a tragic car accident. He lost almost all vision in his right eye, in the crash, a shattering blow for a rising cricketer like him. Just six months after the tragic accident, he was called up to represent India in December 1961. He made his debut against England, scoring 13 and 61 in the two innings of his debut in Delhi. Pataudi was the first international cricketer who taught India to win matches away from home. For his immense contribution and dedication in the field of cricket, Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi was awarded the prestigious Arjuna Award in 1964 and was also honoured with the ‘Wisden Cricketer of the Year’ in 1968. Not just cricket, but he was involved in politics as well as editor for the magazine Sportsworld.
In his memory, an existing road in B-Block, Vasant Vihar -which was his Delhi residence, was renamed after his demise in 2012. Delhi’s love for the former captain is not just limited to the street, but a world-class sports complex is named after him in the capital as well. Nawab Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi Sports Complex belonging to Jamia Millia Islamia University in New Delhi was host to a one day international during the 1997 Women’s Cricket World Cup, with the Netherlands defeating Sri Lanka by 47 runs. In 2005, the ground hosted its first Test match, the match, a women’s match between India and England, was drawn.
Anything about Tiger is incomplete without mention of his wife-the evergreen actress Sharmila Tagore and their Pataudi Palace. Situated a few kms away from Delhi, the mansion is also known as Ibrahim Kothi. The chief architect of Lutyens Delhi- Robert Torr Russell, was the designer of the palace. So, within the palace, you will find the essence of Delhi. Fondly called “Tiger” in the cricket fraternity, and whose flair and acumen inspired a generation of cricketers such as Kapil Dev during the 1983 World Cup, breathed his last on 22nd September 2011.
