N.K.P. Salve, ex-minister and former BCCI chief, dead

New Delhi, April 1 (IANS) N.K.P. Salve, a former union minister and Congress veteran who worked with Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi and headed the Indian cricket board, died here early Sunday due to age-related problems, family sources said. He was 91.

A widower, Salve is survived by his son Harish and daughter Arundhati. Harish Salve is a leading lawyer and a former solicitor general of India.

Salve's body will be taken to Nagpur, where the funeral will take place Monday. The Maharashtra government has announced a state funeral for Salve.

He served the central government with distinction in various capacities. Associated with the Congress for over 60 years, Salve, born in Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh March 18, 1921, was a cricketer at heart.

He was also a chartered accountant, with an active practice from 1949 to 1982. He was considered an authority on direct taxes. He, however, gave up active practice after joining the central cabinet in 1982.

Salve took part in the freedom struggle even as a student leader. Even in college days, he was an outstanding orator, both in Hindi and English.

He was elected to the Lok Sabha for the first time in 1967 and was in the house till 1977. Thereafter he was elected to the Rajya Sabha for four terms (1978 to 2002).

As MP, Salve represented the government in various forums and conferences.

He was deputy leader of the Congress in parliament under the leadership of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1980-82 and later when Rajiv Gandhi was prime minister (1984-89).

Salve was a minister of state (information and broadcasting) in 1982-83, an independent minister of state in charge of steel and mines in 1983-84, and minister of state for parliamentary affairs in 1984.

Salve served as a cabinet minister (power) from January 1993 to May 1996. During his tenure he pioneered the participation of private investors in the power sector.

A front ranking orator, particularly on public finance, taxation, macro economics and constitutional issues, he headed the joint parliamentary committee on taxation laws in 1975.

He was chairman of the Privileges Committee of the Lok Sabha from 1975 to 1977.

Salve was appointed chairman (with cabinet rank) of the 9th Finance Commission.

He held cricket close to his heart. In the early years, he played club cricket for Modi Club of Nagpur in Maharashtra. He umpired several first class matches, including Ranji Trophy and Commonwealth matches.

He became president of the Vidarbha Cricket Association, one of the affiliates of the Board of Control for Cricket (BCCI) in India, from 1967 to 1977. In 1982, he was elected BCCI president. He held the post till 1985.

Along with Air Marshal Noor Khan of Pakistan and the late Gamini Dassanaike of Sri Lanka, he was instrumental in constituting the Asian Cricket Council. He was elected its first chairman in 1983-84.

He was chairman of the India-Pakistan Joint Management Committee which organised the Reliance World Cup of 1987 in the Indian subcontinent.