Aid comes pouring in for billiards legend Jones

However, a day after the champion’s plight was highlighted by The Indian Express, reactions — well wishes and financial aid — have been pouring in.

While Jones’ students from the city trudged in late today, people from far-off places like Delhi, Nagpur and Pune were much quicker to react.

• General secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Pramod Mahajan, immediately directed the treasurer of the Maharashtra BJP unit, Pratap Ashar, to hand over a token amount of Rs 20,000.

• Nusli Padamjee, Wilson’s former schoolmate at St Vincent High School, Pune, sent across Rs 10,000.

• In the evening, Subhash Agarwal, eldest of the Agarwal brothers, came with a cheque of Rs 25,000 and promised to set the ball rolling at various other clubs and organisations. ‘‘I am not helping out. It is my duty,’’ Agarwal insisted.

• Secretary of the Billiards and Snooker Players Association of India (BSPAI) and Asian Billiards champion Devendra Joshi, and BSPAI vice-president Ghulam Vahanwati handed over a cheque of Rs 20,000 and spoke to Jones.

• Even as the state governing body, the Billiards and Snooker Association of Maharashtra (BSAM), was contemplating its plan of action, the Billiards Snooker Federation of India, the national body, announced aid of Rs 21,000. The Delhi state body also pooled in Rs 11,000.

• Girish Parikh, president of the BSAM said that they had also decided an amount of Rs 10,000, ‘‘but it will take time.’’

• Raj Singh Dungarpur, personal friend of Jones, also gave Rs 10,000 on Tuesday.

Incidentally, Maharashtra Chief Minister Sushilkumar Shinde had donated Rs 1 lakh from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund last week. ‘‘The money from the Chief Minister went directly to the hospital (Bhatia Hospital),’’ son Geoffrey Jones said.

Meanwhile, Peggy, Wilson’s wife, broke down every time she got a cheque or received news of other initiatives.

(Readers and well-wishers, who want to send their good wishes to the ailing Wilson Jones, can either send it directly to Wilson Jones, Sportsfield, Worli Seaface, Mumbai – 400025. Or contact: 24947753. For sending wishes through The Indian Express, e-mail to mumbainewsline@expressindia.com)