The sad demise of G Force Cricket Academy Head Coach Gopal Jasapara’s mother

By K.R. Nayar in Rajkot

Cricket tours are fun but at times it can also give us sad memories reminding us that happiness and sadness are both an integral part of our lives. We are also reminded that life is highly unpredictable and that death often walks in like an uninvited guest. On the night of December 22, G Force Cricket Academy’s Head Coach Gopal Jasapara’s mother, who had travelled with us from Dubai and was staying with us at the Four Seasons hotel in Rajkot, died in a car accident. She was returning to the hotel after meeting her relatives in their native village in Rajkot. Pramilaben Pranjivan Jasapara was 78 years old.

 

Pramilaben Pranjivan Jasapara 

It was with great happiness that she had travelled with us all the way from Dubai on December 19, proudly watching her son Gopal steering a contingent of 40 on the Rajkot cricket tour. The plane was almost full with her son’s academy students. 

 

Gopal Jasapara with his late father Pranjivan Jasapara

Gopal’s late father, Pranjivan Jasapara, always took great pride over his son’s ability to groom youngsters. It was just four months ago, on August 12, 2022, that Gopal's father, at the age of 84, had passed away.

 

Gopal Jasapara performs the last rites 

It is almost difficult to digest the fact that a person who  had spoken to you just a few hours before and bid good bye never returns. In the morning of that fateful day, she had waved good bye to some of the parents accompanying their children on the tour at the hotel reception and got into the car. I was reminded of the death of coach Bob Woolmer during the tour of the West Indies for the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup. I had met him just a few days before in Dubai when he was there for a camp, and then again when he landed in Montego Bay for the opening ceremony as coach of the Pakistan team for the World Cup. We spoke for a while at Montego Bay and he then bid goodbye telling me that he would catch up with me in Jamaica. Fate had it that he passed away on March 18, 2007, following a massive heart attack. Like Gopal’s mother, he too had waved good bye little knowing that is was his last goodbye to me. Like Gopal’s mother’s smiling face, his face too will live with me forever.

 

Gopal Jasapara with his brother Madhav performing the last rites 

Gopal and I had worked hard on the book ‘A travel into the world of G Force Cricket Academy’, which was published recently.  I used to be at Gopal’s place in Dubai for hours discussing the contents of the book. Gopal’s father would very often sit with us and listen to our discussions, while his mother’s first remark on seeing me would be: “Please don’t leave without having food with us.” She was extremely hospitable and always carried a smile with her.

Two days ago, while having dinner, she had asked me about the hotel food and whether I was eating well. That was then I realised why Gopal makes it a point to check with every student on the tour as to what they had eaten and whether they had eaten enough.

 

A touching bye from Gopal Jasapara 

Gopal’s mother was also gearing up to celebrate his birthday on Sunday (December 25). Two days ago she was singing a song sitting alongside some of the parents on this tour. She had asked even requested Neil Siddharth’s mother Rema to dance for her. The news of Gopal’s mother’s demise has been heartbreaking for all of them.

 

At the crematorium 

When Gopal addressed the boys on Friday announcing his mother’s demise, many of the boys could not control their emotions. But he continued to motivate them and promised them that all activities planned of the tour would go on as scheduled and urged everyone to give their best. “My mother wanted the tour to go very well, and for her sake this tour should be another success,” said Jasapara.   

 

The final journey 

One is reminded of the famous saying: “Mother’s hold their children’s hands for a while, but their hearts forever.” Gopal’s mother’s love will live forever through Gopal who has always held the hands of many budding cricketers while guiding them to more success.