Former Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) executive member Lalman Kowlessar has passed away.
Kowlessar, who received the Hummingbird Medal (Gold) in the field of sports administration, exerted influence in several areas of cricket in Trinidad and Tobago.
A former history teacher and cricket coach at Presentation College (Chaguanas), Kowlessar shaped the careers of several West Indies and Trinidad and Tobago cricketers, including Dinanath Ramnarine and Adrian Barath.
For over 30 years, he was instrumental in assembling teams to take part in the Sir Garfield Sobers Cricket Tour to Barbados.
As an administrator, Kowlessar rose to become Second Vice President of the TTCB, also serving as Chairman of the Central Zonal Council.
He was also a former president of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Umpires Council and a former president of the Secondary Schools Cricket League.
Some of the organizations he represented have paid tribute to Mr. Kowlessar.
The West Indies Cricket Umpires Association (WICUA) said Kowlessar was “one of the stalwarts in the umpiring fraternity in Trinidad and Tobago”.
“Mr Kowlessar has left a long history and legacy of service to Trinidad & Tobago and Cricket and West Indies Cricket in his many decades of distinguished and dedicated service. On behalf of WICUA, I wish to express condolences to his bereaved family. and the T&TCUC family on this untimely passing of our beloved colleague. May his soul rest in peace and may the light always shine upon his soul,” WICUA Secretary Vivian Johnson said in a social media post social.
The Trinidad and Tobago Umpires Council (TTCUC) offered condolences, stating that Kowlessar was “an absolute gem and icon of the cricketing and umpiring fraternities”.
“Mr Kowlessar’s commitment to cricket in Trinidad and Tobago was outstanding and he will be sorely missed,” the TTCUC added.
The Central Zonal Council paid tribute to Kowlessar in a Facebook post.
“He was a sitting member of the Central Zonal Council, the father of the Deputy Chairman of the Central Zonal Council and a supporter of Trinidad and Tobago cricket as well as Central Zone Cricket,” the statement said.
The Secondary Schools Cricket League stated that “his insight and dedication to the game will be missed. We celebrate the legacy he has left behind.”
One of the cricket clubs where Kowlessar also had a big impact was the Esmeralda Sports Club in Central Trinidad and they also paid tribute to him.
“He was instrumental in the development of Esmeralda Sports, Central Zone, Caroni Cricket Association, Umpires Brotherhood and many, many others, PIP Lal and continue to fly high,” club member Rafi Ali wrote.
