Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi Profile

Full Name: Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi
Born: January 5, 1941, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
Major teams: India, Delhi, Hyderabad, Oxford University, Sussex
Batting style: Right-hand bat
Bowling style: Right-arm medium



Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, the scion of erstwhile royal household of Pataudi, is considered one of the greatest Indian captains ever. Mansoor Ali Khan, popularly known as Nawab of Pataudi Junior or Tiger Pataudi, followed in the footsteps of his father Nawab of Pataudi Senior who captained India in 1946.

Making his Test debut for India against England at Delhi in 1961-62, Mansur Ali Khan aggregated 2,793 runs in 46 matches till 1974-75. Pataudi took over the reins of the Indian team on his first tour of West Indies in 1962, when captain Nari Contractor found himself at the receiving end of a Charlie Griffith snorter.

All of 21, Pataudi stood up to the task at hand and went on to become one of India's most successful captains. He made his fellow cricketers believe in themselves and led India to their first overseas Test victory against New Zealand in 1967.

"The problem is that the Indians see so much of poverty around them that I fear they confuse the plight of the tribals with those of beggars. The conflict can only be addressed if the Government decides to make the forests a friendlier place for the masses," he says. "Education, right through school to university is a perfect opportunity and place to create this fervour for our wildlife and environment. Proper and sustained awareness in this stage of the minds of the Indian youth is without doubt the most effective tool that we possess. Television is also a media that goes to most villages in India. A concerted campaign on both fronts will make the difference."

Television brings us to entertainment. And if entertaining education is a tool, then "Wild Tales from the Wild" will certainly go some way in that direction.