Angad Bedi and Neha Dhupia go beyond cricket with Bishan Singh Bedi Cricket Coaching Trust

Angad Bedi with wife Neha Dhupia; (right) Indian bowler Bishan Singh Bedi in action on August 2, 1971

Angad Bedi and Neha Dhupia, along with the Bedi family, organised a memorial event in the capital to honour the late Bishan Singh Bedi, the former Indian cricket captain who passed away in October 2023. The gathering, held in the lead-up to his birth anniversary on September 25, brought together notable cricketing figures like Kapil Dev, Yuvraj Singh, and Virender Sehwag to celebrate his legacy.

During the event, the family announced that the Bishan Singh Bedi Cricket Coaching Trust (BBCCT) has been revamped. Founded by Bedi himself, the trust has played a pivotal role in nurturing young cricketing talent. Besides being equipped with modern facilities and expanding its reach to provide opportunities for aspiring cricketers at the grassroots level, the trust will now expand to incorporate other sports. Dhupia said, "When Angad and I started discussing, the idea was to keep alive who Dad was as a person and his legacy, cricket. Apart from the memorabilia, we wanted to take his love for sports forward. Besides being a legendary cricketer, he also wanted to help other sports. Whether it's going to the grassroots or finding new talent, BBCCT wants to help young, talented people from across sporting worlds. We are in phase one. In phases two and three, the idea is to go beyond cricket." The second phase will see the trust supporting young sprinters, footballers, and tennis enthusiasts, among others.

Dhupia and Angad have been emotional about the makeover. "For the friend he was and the legacy he left behind, [the trust] highlights the single-minded focus he brought to sports. He would always say, ‘Zindagi mein do cheezein chahiye hoti hain, junoon aur sukoon [In life you need two things - passion and peace].' That level of passion and peace is hard to achieve. Fearlessness, skill, and hard work are the values we hope to propagate. Through the trust and his name, we hope to help the dreams of young people who want to live their passion of sports and cricket," said Angad.

Being a passionate cricketer who considered his teammates family, Bedi believed in giving back to sports without expecting anything in return. "His philosophy was to remain dedicated and focused. We aim to honour his legacy by continuing his commitment to grassroots cricket and other sports," shared Angad.