14/10/2022
Dear Members of the ICA and my fellow Cricketers,
You may be aware that I have filed my nomination for the post of “ICA Representative Nominee to IPL Governing Council”.
As such I would like to mention some of my past contributions to the cause of the Cricketers. I was the first person in India to float the idea of forming a players association which I did in Hyderabad much before the HCA or BCCI contemplated it .
This Association floated the idea of providing LIC policies for former players for which we collected the premium from the HCA. Many former players and their families benefitted from it.
We held get togethers and meetings for players and their spouse every year and raised funds for medical bills from the members.
My initiative has benefitted several former players even though at which time there was no contribution from the BCCI or local association for more than a decade.
Some of you may be aware of my writing columns in various news paper publications and interview in tv channels on the cause of the rights of the players.
As a player I have contributed immensely to the teams I represented namely Mumbai and Hyderabad. I was member of the Ranji Trophy winning team twice for Mumbai and once for Hyderabad for whom I scored an unbeaten Double hundred in the finals against Delhi when Hyderabad won after 49 years.
Apart from the above in my professional field I have administrative experience.
In the first year whe IPL was instituted I was the Manager of the Deccan Chargers franchise and have first hand experience in setting up a franchise team and management.
I was Chairman of Travel Agents Association of India; President SKÅL International; International Director SKÅL International; Chairman of the SKÅL World Congress which I brought to India for the first time.
All this because of my profession of being the Managing Director of Sameera Travels and Tours Pvt Ltd a travel and Tourism enterprise since 1988.
I have made myself available to serve the players cause and hope that you would find my above mentioned credentials suitable for the post.
I request all members to vote for me when the voting site opens between 27th and 29th of October.
Till then thanking you in Advance for your support.
Vijay Mohan Raj
Candidate ICA Representative Nominee to the IPL Governing Council
