Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 28 (Agency) Legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has been awarded the gold medal of Sports Journalists Federation of India (SJFI) at a function here on Tuesday.The SJFI gold medal was presented by former BCCI Secretary SK Nair and BCCI Joint Secretary Jayesh George. A citation and honorary life membership of SJFI were also awarded. The event was presided over by SJFI All India President and senior journalist A. Vinod.Former Indian cricketer, coach and prominent commentator Ravi Shastri was also felicitated on the occasion.
Honorary life membership was also given to Ravi Shastri.Sunil Gavaskar said the contribution of journalists to his rise as a cricketer is immeasurable at a time when sports were gaining importance in society.He also said media, sports personalities and authorities should work together and it will take the sport to new heights. Even when there was no television, it was print media that established his name in the minds of the people. He recalled that he couldn’t sleep the night his name appeared in the newspaper for the first time.