Cricket players, administrators condole the demise of Raj Singh Dungarpur, who passed away in Mumbai after a protracted illness.

BCCI President Shashank Manohar: Condoling the death of his predecessor Dungarpur, Manohar termed it as a great loss for the game in the country.

"It is a great loss to Indian cricket. Rajbhai served Indian cricket diligently and with distinction, in several capacities. He was a self-effacing individual who always put the sport, and Indian cricket in particular, above everything else," Manohar said in a statement.

BCCI secretary N Srinivasan: Srinivasan recalled how Raj Singh, as the chief selector, picked champion batsman Sachin Tendulkar at the tender age of 16 on the tough tour of Pakistan in 1989-90.

"He had several stints as national selector, and headed the All-India Selection Committee in the late 1980s. As chairman, he was instrumental in defying skeptics and picking a 16-year-old boy for India's tour of Pakistan in 1989-90. The boy has since become a legend," the BCCI secretary said.

"Rajbhai, as he was affectionately addressed by the cricketing community, was a right-arm fast-medium bowler who represented and then led Rajasthan successfully in the Ranji Trophy in the 1960s. He dedicated his post-retirement life to cricket administration. Among the many Indian teams he managed was the side that won a Test series in England in 1986," Srinivasan said.

Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) President Jagmohan Dalmiya: Dalmiya condoled the passing away of Dungarpur describing him as an "institution of cricket".

In a condolence message, Dalmiya said the void left by the death of Dungarpur would be hard to fill in Indian cricket.

"No one can take away his contribution to Indian cricket. His association with the game was for fifty years," the former ICC president said.

"In fact, he was an institution of cricket himself. We spent great moments together," added Dalmiya.

Former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar: Vengsarkar paid tribute to Dungarpur, saying he was yet to meet a more passionate cricket lover than the ex-Cricket Board chief.

"I am yet to come across a more passionate cricket lover than Rajbhai who breathed and ate cricket," said Vengsarkar.

Recalling Dungarpur's stint as manager of the Indian teams that toured overseas and of which he was a member, the the ex-chief selector said the departed cricketer-turned-administrator was hugely popular in those countries.

"I was a member of the teams to Pakistan and England (1984-85, 1986) when he was the manager. He was hugely popular in those places, especially at Lord's which he used to visit regularly," Vengsarkar said.

"He was also an able administrator who did everything for the betterment of cricket. He loved the cricketers' company," he added.

Former Test stalwart, Bapu Nadkarni: Nadkarni termed Dungarpur's death as a personal loss. "He was a dear friend of mine and Polly (Umrigar)," he said.

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly: Ganguly said Dungarpur's death is a loss to country's cricket.

"It is very sad to know that Dungarpur is no more. His death is a loss to the Indian cricket," Ganguly told reporters.

Ganguly said that Dungarpur spent several years of his life for promotion of the game.

"He had made a great contribution to Indian cricket," he said.

Former PCB Chairman Shaharyar Khan: Shaharyar Khan has paid rich tributes to deceased cricket administrator, saying that he was instrumental in revival of cricket ties between India and Pakistan.

"He was one of the finest human beings and persons I have known. And he was the one who was very instrumental in revival of cricket ties between the two countries when Sharad Pawar came to power," Shaharyar said.

"Raj Singh gave Pawar positive advise on cricket ties with Pakistan," Shaharyar added.

Shaharyar suggested that a cricket series involving India and Pakistan should be named after Dungarpur.

"Given the sort of role he played in removing doubts and encouraging Indo-Pak cricket relations certainly he deserves this token of appreciation from both the Boards," he said.

Shaharyar recalled that after Pakistan were beaten by India in the 2003 World Cup, Dungarpur came to him and made some suggestions.

"He told me that Pakistan team was not performing as it had four captains and only that team could perform which had one captain. And he was right because then we had Wasim Akram, Rashid Latif, Saeed Anwar all former captains besides the then captain, Waqar Younis in the team," he said.

Rajasthan Governor SK Singh: He termed Dungarpur's death as a great loss for the sport.

"Dungarpur played a key role in promoting sports, and he would be remembered as a player and a sports administrator," Singh said in his condolence message.

Former BCCI secretary Jaywant Lele: Indian cricket has suffered a great loss in Raj Singh Dungarpur's death, Jaywant Lele said while recalling his close association with him during their tenure in the BCCI.

"There was perfect chemistry when I was secretary and he was president between 1997 and 99 though he operated from Mumbai and I was in Vadodara," Lele said.

Lele described Dungarpur as a down-to-earth person.

"Rajbhai was down-to-earth and a strict disciplinarian. He used to remain in constant touch with me every day to discuss all necessary matters," he said.

"He had perfect knowledge of cricket and had been manager of the Indian cricket team on the tours to Pakistan and England," the former Board official said.

As president, Dungarpur never interfered in the selection of the team and as a selector he was dot on in picking up the right talent, Lele asserted.

Lele pointed out selection of Sachin Tendulkar in the Indian team when the champion batsman was just 16-years old as a good example.

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha L K Advani: Advani said Dungarpur would be remembered for his contribution as a first class cricketer.

He said the passing away of 'Rajbhai' is a great loss to the Indian cricket. "I spoke to Jahnavi Dungapur, his niece, this morning and conveyed my condolences to the family."

"Shri Dungarpur's passion for cricket was well known.

He will always be remembered for his contribution to the Indian cricket as a first-class player and an able administrator," the BJP leader said.

Advani said Dungarpur was also credited with the selection of young Sachin Tendulkar, who has grown to become a legend.