To the average Indian sports fan, the name Wilson Jones will not mean much. But before the likes of Pankaj Advani ruled the world of billiards, this man was the one who put us on the map in the sport.
Wilson was the first Indian to be a World Champion in any sport. That happened in 1958 and he followed it up with a second title in 1964. In addition to this, he has been national champion on 12 occasions. He took up the sport pretty early, even before becoming an adult, and his natural talent made him highly successful.
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The man also coached players who would do well in later years like Om Agarwal, Subhash Agarwal, and Ashok Shandilya. His contribution to the sport was immense.
The Government of India awarded him the Arjuna Award in 1963, the Padma Shri in 1965, and the Dronacharya Award in 1996. But sadly he hardly got any support, be it financial or any other kind from the authorities once his playing days were done.
Wilson died of a heart attack in 2003. He died forgotten and most people have no idea who he is. His legacy is hard to match, but his name is in the footnotes of our sporting history when it should actually be right up there.
His is the tale of the forgotten hero, the sad story of the Indian sportsperson. In life we could not help him, it is time we preserve his legacy after his death.