India’s first woman commentator Chandra Nayudu no more

Chandra Nayudu

India's first woman cricket commentator, Chandra Nayudu passed away in Indore on Sunday.

The daughter of India's first Test captain Col CK Nayudu, 88, lived at Manormaganj, close to the Holkar Stadium, where her father scored tons of runs.

In 1995, she wrote a book entitled, CK Nayudu: A Daughter Remembers.

Chandra, a professor in English at the Government Girls College in Indore, first commentated in the MCC v Bombay game in the 1976-77 season.

Renowned cricket commentator Sushil Doshi said from Indore: "The only regret Col Nayudu had was that he had no money to get Chandra married. Chandra was a very good Hindi commentator. She was an English teacher but had equal command over our national language.

"Like her father, she wanted to be the first to do something. She inherited some of her father's traits. Chandra was a very brave and courageous lady. She would never accept defeat easily in her life," said Doshi who considered Chandra as his elder sister.

"I was inspired by her in my commentary career. When I was travelling to Australia (in 1977-78) for commentary, she dropped me off the airport. My parents were very anxious about my first overseas trip and Chandra used to keep them company."

Chandra was bed-ridden in her last few days. Her financial condition was very poor. Sadly, the Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association or the BCCI could not help her," added Doshi.