Press Box Ticket

1983

13 January : First day at the office; Career begins with ‘The Telegraph’.
8 March : First article appears on ‘The Telegraph’ on Management Schools.
June : First article appears in ABP Robibasoriyo on Summer School Cricket.
1 July : Joins ABP as Apprentice Journalist.
December : Covers India v West Indies One day international cricket match from Jamshedpur.

With Sunil Gavaskar and a Colleague , Ashis Shukla

1984

Landmark Interviews : Gary Sobers, Denis Lillee
Two National Exclusive Cricket Stories –

Kapil’s impending captaincy loss to Sunny.
Gavaskar’s Declaration Story at the Eden Gardens.

1985

March : Confirmation as an ABP Staffer.
July : First ever overseas tour– to Sri Lanka for coverage of the test and one day series.
Weekly ‘Desh’ column begins – ‘Khelar Khuchro Khobor’.
First write up in an English magazine – ‘Sportsworld’.

1986

Sharjah back to back tournament coverage and Super Exclusive Viv Richards Interview.
First ever Imran Khan interview – little did he know many more were to follow!

1987

Bicentenary Test coverage.
His first World Cup coverage which is hoisted by India and Pakistan.
First write up in the ‘Sunday’ magazine.

1988

Meets Tendulkar. Does the prodigy’s first ever interview in Bengal.
Asia Cup coverage in Bangladesh.
Covers a historical tour to Pakistan.
Starts writing for ‘Cricket Life’ : A London based Cricket magazine edited by Imran Khan.

1989

Covers a historical tour to Pakistan.
Starts writing for ‘Cricket Life’ : A London based Cricket magazine edited by Imran Khan.

1990

Covers his first full length cricket series in England.
Reports on Bengal’s immortal Ranji Trophy triumph.
Does trendsetting Interviews with Bobby Charlton and Amitabh Bachchan.
Covers the US Open and manages to meet Chris Evert.

Lord’s Press Box 2010

1991

Covers Wimbledon with tremendous proficiency and manages to get Jimmy Connors, Stefen Edberg and Peter Graf – three major interviews in his maiden BigW coverage.

1992

A truly remarkable professional calender year in which covers his 2nd World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
In the process interviews
- Bradman
- Miller
- Larwood
His first book gets published – Silly point theke.
Sets off a historical tour to South Africa
with the Indian Cricket Team and makes it all the more memorable by partnering Sunil Gavaskar in a century partnership stand.
Manages the rarest ever interviews with – Nelson Mandela.
‘Desh’ column ends after 7 long years.

1993

Interviews another Nobel laureate Arthur C Clarke in Colombo.
Gets a sensational interview with Viv Richards where Viv confesses that he indeed was the father of Neena Gupta’s child. The article is promptly reproduced by Wisden.

1994

Does a thrilling article for ABP based on his experience inside Dawood Ibrahim’s cabin, at the Sharjah cricket ground.
Wisden reprints his article from ‘Sportsworld’, for the second time. A rare honour for Indian Cricket Writers.
1 November : Leaves ABP Sports after Eleven long years.

1995

15 April : Joins Saturday Special ‘Patrika’ as the Departmental Editor.

1996

Covers his third World Cup. This time from Pakistan.
Does a Landmark Imran Khan Interview for ‘Sunday’ and Pak Parliament takes notice in an agitated manner. ‘Sunday’ faces ban.
Gets threatened by the Karachi betting syndicate for his expose on match fixing.
Appears in a 13 episode TV Series named ‘Slog overs’ as the Co-anchor.

1997

Embarks on his first trip to West Indies and the only Brian Lara interview of the series duly followed.

1998

Two Landmark interviews :

Shah Rukh Khan’s first ever interview to ABP.
Taslima Nasreen’s interview from unknown Dhaka underground destination.

Perth Press Box – 2000

1999

Fourth World Cup Coverage from England.
His Second Tour to Australia.

2000

Starts writing for the high profile magazine ‘Cricket Talk’.
Does Mohd Younis, a future Nobel laureate’s exclusive interview from Dhaka.

Edbagstone Gallery -2011

2001

Starts second stint in television by anchoring ‘Saaf Katha’ and makes waves.
His major book in cricket comes out : Bodyliner Judhdhe.

2002

August 23 : Takes over as the Sports Editor of ABP in addition to the existing Patrika responsibilities.
Covers the Mini World Cup in Sri Lanka.

West Indies World Cup- 2007

2003

South Africa World Cup coverage – his fifth. In which Sourav’s India makes it to the finals.
Covers Steve Waugh’s farewell series in Australia and earns tremedous praise for his sensitive and romantic Steve Waugh exist write ups.

2004

Embarks on a tour to Pakistan which ends on a sad note as he rushes back home after hearing the death news of his brother-in-law.
Goes to USA to take part in a Indo-Bangla cultural functions at Manhattan, New York.
Four books of him are published including ‘Bapi Bari Ja’ which was to become the biggest box office hit.

2005

Breaks the Mother of All Exclusives Stories – Greg Chappell’s E Mail against Ganguly.
Begins Working with ‘Star Ananda’ as a Cricket Analyst.

2006

His Father dies, while covering Sourav Ganguly’s historic comeback series in South Africa. Rushes back home from Durban.
Wins the All India SJFI award for the Best Cricket Story.
Takes over as the President of the Kolkata Sports Journalists’ Club.