Cricket Vibes magazine launching.
Cricket Vibes Magazine
By Ravendra Madholall In Toronto
A cricket magazine in honor of former Guyana national youth player Shivanandan Madholall was officially launched on Saturday at Twilight Restaurant and Bar in Scarborough, Toronto.
The left-handed batsman Madholall passed away last September at his home in Reliance, Guyana, owing to illness (Malaria) at the age of 30. The senior Essequibo inter-county cricketer represented Guyana at both the under-15 and 19 levels.
The name of the 28-page 11.5 by 8.5 magazine is Cricket Vibes initiated and edited by his elder brother and Sports Journalist Ravendra Madholall, who is currently residing in Toronto.
The late Shivanandan Madholall.
At the simple function, Honorable Consul General for the Republic of Guyana Consulate in Toronto, Sattie Sawh, was expected to give the feature address but was unavoidably absent due to overseas work commitments.
However, president of the Ontario Softball Cricket League (OSCL) Albert Ramcharran was on hand to make a few remarks since the book made exclusively on cricket topics.
He conveyed his congratulations to the publisher and was very ecstatic to see the many highlights of both hard and softball cricket from different parts of the world. Ramcharran also took the opportunity to express sincere condolences to the Madholall’s family on the sudden death of Shivanandan Madholall.
“I would like to congratulate Shivanandan’s bigger brother Ravendra for publishing this magazine; it is [indeed] a great way to remember him and at the same time promoting the gentleman game of cricket,” Ramcharran declared.
Kim Sue, another avid cricket lover and one of the current executives (Treasurer) on the OSCL, also expressed similar sentiments and felt with the buzz of T20 cricket happening around the globe, Ravendra has done a terrific job to help promote the game, players among other facets of it.
She was full of sympathy to the Madholall’s family since she experienced the death of her loving father, Norman Sue last year. Norman was a stalwart in the business community and was an ‘unstoppable’ supporter to sports generally in Toronto.
In Ravendra’s remarks, he firstly thanked the advertisers and then secondly the writers for their contributions towards the publication of this inaugural cricket magazine.
“When I first initiated this project, I had mixed emotions: one I was very saddened after never really anticipating of doing something like this for one of my brothers and two, I was very excited to give back something tangible to this glorious game of cricket; I am indeed indebted and owe a great deal of gratitude to the advertisers, writers, and all who have contributed in a meaningful way to the success of this book,” Ravendra explained.
Shivanandan’s eldest brother Rovendra, another former Guyana under-19 batsman, was also at the gathering. Rovendra is a Canadian citizen as well and stated that he still cannot believe his younger sibling departed at such young age, and more unhappily leaving two young babies behind.
Some of the writers who inked their names in the book are: veteran journalist Frederick Halley, Roger Sawh, an avid cricket follower and ESPNCricinfo correspondent, teacher Raul Khan, former senior inter-county Essequibo skipper Elroy Stephney and administrator and writer of cricket Roger Persaud. Madholall, who also penned two articles, was very thankful to the generosity shown by the following sponsors: Veda Lall of RE/MAX Realtron Realty Inc., Brokerage, Nu Path, (Twilight, Starlite Restaurant and Bar, Paradise Travel), Norman Sue Bakery, S&E Travel Services, PRIMERICA, Windies Restaurant and Bar, G. Prasad Caribbean Oriental, Baksh Bro Cartage INC, Laparkan Shipping, Aster Fashions, Joe Jaglall (Homelife), Pakaraima, Hawaiian Arctic and Mortgage Insights.
All proceeds will go towards the two children, four-year-old Anisa and 11-month-old Marko who are living in Guyana.