Pearson Surita
Pearson Surita | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| Born | 1913 | ||
| Died | 1995 | ||
| Nationality | Indian | ||
| Citizenship | India | ||
| Occupation |
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Pearson Harvey St Regis Surita (1913–1995)[1][2] was a corporate executive and cricket commentator for All India Radio. Surita hailed from Calcutta (now Kolkata) and was of Armenian descent ("one of the few left in Calcutta after independence").[3] Several articles mention Surita as one of India's most famous and respected radio cricket commentators, often in nostalgic tones.[4][5][6] Henry Blofeld twice called Surita India's "greatest cricket commentator ever".[2] Surita's "big moment" as a cricket commentator is said to have come in 1959,[1] when he was invited as a commentator by the BBC, along with the Maharajkumar of Vizianagram, during Indian cricket team in England in 1959.[7] Surita was also an occasional left-arm spin bowler, having played for University of Calcutta and a team representing the Maharaja of Cooch Behar in the 1930s, in a one-off match against a Australian cricket team in Ceylon and India in 1935–36 lead by Jack Ryder (cricketer).[1]
Surita has been especially noted for his accent and diction, variously described as "plummy" (by Simon Winchester),[8] "posh" (by Brian Johnston),[9] and "curiously old-fashioned" with "more than a hint of the British Raj" (by BlofeldHenry Blofeld|).[10] However, his accent was also said to be "the stuff of many a sarcastic jibe".[11] Christopher Martin-Jenkins has claimed that Surita "sounded like a Maharajah",[12] while Mukul Kesavan has termed Surita's accent "so posh that you wanted to cry".[13] Even when selected by the BBC in 1959, a senior figure within the organisation expressed reservations over Surita, on the ground that he sounded like "a retired Indian colonel".[7] Mark Tully claims that Surita was eventually barred by All India Radio "because his English was too pukka."[14] However, when Surita was dropped as a commentator during Indian cricket team in England in 1974, the matter was raised in Parliament by Indrajit Gupta, an influential politician from Calcutta who later served as Minister of Home Affairs (India).[15]
In his corporate career, Surita worked for tea companies McLeod Russel and later Macneill & Magor[16] (both companies now a part of the Williamson Magor group).[17] Surita also served as president of the Calcutta Cricket and Football Club in 1973[18] and the The Bengal Club in 1984.[19] He further served as a steward of the Royal Calcutta Turf Club,[20] which awards the Pearson Surita Memorial Cup in his memory.[21][22] Surita was educated at St. Xavier's Collegiate School and the St. Xavier's College, Kolkata.[23] He died a bachelor in Calcutta, at the age of 82.[2]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Chaturvedi, Ravi (2019-11-16). Cricket Commentary & Commentators. Notion Press. ISBN 978-1-64429-727-8.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Chatterjee, Utpal (10 October 1995). "Pearson's zest for life defied cliches". The Times of India – via ProQuest.
- ↑ Ghose, Bhaskar (2011-01-01). The Service of the State: The IAS Reconsidered. Penguin UK. ISBN 978-81-8475-575-6.
- ↑ "India's most legendary of figures". Cricinfo. Retrieved 2021-10-26.
- ↑ "The magicians called radio commentators - E R Ramachandran' Blog". News18. 2011-10-19. Retrieved 2021-10-26.
- ↑ Bhagat, Rasheeda. "Nostalgia for cricket in an era gone by". @businessline. Retrieved 2021-10-26.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Woodward, Kath; Goldblatt, David; Wyllie, James (2011), McGlynn, Catherine; Mycock, Andrew; McCauley, James W. (eds.), British fair play: sport across diasporas at the BBC World Service, Oxford: Peter Lang, pp. 171–190, ISBN 978-3-0343-0226-5, retrieved 2021-10-26
- ↑ Winchester, Simon (2019-10-08). "If You Use Tea Bags, You'll Be in Hot Water With This Connoisseur". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-10-26.
- ↑ Johnston, Brian (2012). Another Slice of Johnners. London: Penguin Random House.
- ↑ Blofeld, Henry (2017-10-19). Over and Out: My Innings of a Lifetime with Test Match Special: Memories of Test Match Special from a broadcasting icon. Hodder & Stoughton. ISBN 978-1-4736-7093-8.
- ↑ Bhattacharya, Uddalok (2020-10-17). "Dying of a voice: Kishore Bhimani, a commentator who enlivened sport". Business Standard India. Retrieved 2021-10-26.
- ↑ Martin-Jenkins, Christopher (2012-04-12). CMJ: A Cricketing Life. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-0-85720-083-9.
- ↑ "Desi Radio Commentary". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 2021-10-26.
- ↑ Tully, Mark (2000-10-14). No Full Stops In India. Penguin Books Limited. ISBN 978-81-8475-903-7.
- ↑ "Lok Sabha Debates" (PDF). Parliament of India. December 18, 1974. p. 164.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ Jones, Stephanie. "Short Biographies of 'Merchants of the Raj'" (PDF).
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "The Williamson Magor Group". www.wmtea.com. Retrieved 2021-10-26.
- ↑ "CCFC - History". www.ccfc1792.com. Retrieved 2021-10-26.
- ↑ "Former Presidents | The Bengal Club". Retrieved 2021-10-26.
- ↑ "History". www.rctconline.com. Retrieved 2021-10-26.
- ↑ "[38] The Pearson Surita Memorial Cup --- Rt 41-86 27 November 2017 - Telegraph India". www.telegraphindia.com. Retrieved 2021-10-26.
- ↑ "Andreus tipped for Pearson Surita Cup". Deccan Herald. 2013-12-16. Retrieved 2021-10-26.
- ↑ Namboodiry, Udayan (1995). St. Xavier's, the Making of a Calcutta Institution. Viking. ISBN 978-0-670-86176-7.
External links
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