Writing Gaekwad’s book and reading his personality

Aunshuman Gaekwad with Aditya Bhushan

When I started work on Aunshuman Gaekwad's biography back in 2020, I would have never thought that in four years' time, there will be a need to write his obituary. But in the spirit of what he always used to tell me, "Aditya, I am there or not there, you have to go on." So, with a heavy heart, images of him in front of my eyes and his voice which is still reverberating in my ears, I pen this down.

The journey to bring out Aunshu Sir's story was an amazing one which I will cherish forever. I still recall my first visit to Vadodara. As I stepped out of the airport, Aunshuman Gaekwad, the man himself was in the driver's seat of his car. It wasn't as though we had known each other for long, and he surely didn't need to come to pick me up. But then, that was what his principles asked him to do. Over the course of next couple days, I was a guest in his hometown, and he showed me around the city, to places not limited to those that were relevant for the book. When I went to his house for lunch, I was treated like a family guest with everyone taking care of my comfort and what I ate. Before I left the city, he gave me a bag full of popular namkeens from the city for my wife. I was short of words at this hospitality.

Also Read: IN PHOTOS: Mourners bid farewell to Anshuman Gaekwad

Aunshuman Gaekwad's biographer Aditya Bhushan (left) reveals how the late cricketer wanted to wish his collaborator's father on his birthday amidst book work.

With time, as the book moved ahead, I understood that there was a lot to learn from him. One day while speaking to him on the phone, I just mentioned that it was my father's birthday. His immediate response was, "We will talk about the book later, give the phone to your father, I want to wish him." My father was thrilled at this gesture.

He would do good things which he didn't need to do, but when he eventually did, it made your day. Like he had done after the launch of his biography - Guts Amidst Bloodbath. After the function got, I came to inform him that I was leaving. Yet again, he said that he wanted to convey his gratitude to my family. He made it a point to come downstairs and greeted my family members with folded hands. Mind you, all my family members who were present that day were younger to him. He had this ability to touch the lives of people in the most remarkable ways.

There were many occasions when we had a difference of opinion on the contents of the book, but he never turned down my ideas without listening to them. And if he was convinced with mine, he would give me a green signal. With him, it was never the case of ‘my way or the highway'.

Since 2020 till the time he got entangled in the unfortunate world of cancer, we would talk at least four to five times a week. While the writing of the book was going on, he would suddenly whatsapp me an anecdote with the message, "Remind me tomorrow about it." He was so thoughtful to gift my family a painting (made by his wife) of a mother and her daughter when my wife was pregnant.

That photograph is the official photobooth in our house and Aunshu Sir will always remain family to us. As he used to tell me, "Aditya we are a team."

As I reflect upon, I wonder how prophetic the word blood turned out in his life. When he had stepped on the cricket field to bat for the first time, his skipper Tiger Pataudi had been hit and had blood coming from his chin. Then of course, there was lots of blood at Sabina Park in 1976. His biography had the word blood in it, and it was eventually blood cancer which took him away from us. But in between he gave his blood and sweat for cricket in the country.

For me, he was beyond what I could have dreamt ever of - a guide, a supporter and someone whose company I cherished.

Go well and keep blessing us from the heavens, Aunshu Sir!