Amritsar, Oct 23 (PTI) Former India captain and one of the greatest left-arm spinners, Bishen Singh Bedi was born and brought up in Amritsar where he also did his early education. Bedi’s old house still exists in Amritsar.

       Bedi died on Monday at the age of 77 after battling prolonged illness. He is survived by his wife Anju, son Angad, and daughter Neha.

      Congress Municipal Councilor Surinder Chowdary said, “Bishan Singh Bedi’s father Gian Singh Bedi was a politically well known personality in Amritsar and remained attached with Congress party. Gian Singh Bedi, who died around 32 years ago was a good friend of mine.”      Chowdary said, “Bishan SIngh Bedi was born in Putlighar locality in Amritsar and his old ancestral house that originally belonged to his father still exists there. Bishan Singh used to come here off and on. Last time he visited here around two years back.”          Presently, the old house is in a dilapidated condition, he said.

       Chowdary said that Bishan Singh Bedi’s sister Vidaya Bedi ran a private school next to his house which was later taken over by the Punjab Education department and the land that belonged to Bedi’s family was donated to the Education department.         Born in Amritsar in 1946, Bedi played 67 Tests for India and took 266 wickets with 14 five-wicket hauls and one 10-wicket haul.

He was the part of Indian cricket’s golden quartet of spinners, whose other memebrs were Erapalli Prasanna, Bhagwat Chandrasekhar, and Srinivas Venkataraghavan.

The four made the core of India’s bowling unit for more than a decade between 1966 and 1978.

Source: PTI News