Kusharida - Rest in Peace

A pall of gloom spread over the entire bridge playing community of India as Pritish Kushari, the top ranked master point player in India succumbed to a particularly virulent attack of the Covid 19 virus.

He was detected Covid-positive on the 27th of April 2021 (despite having taken both vaccine doses) and had to be admitted on the 29th. He had been on a ventilator since 30th April before finally succumbing to the virus yesterday.

Pritish had been a multiple time National Champion in Bridge, and had represented India on many occasions.

He overcame a battle with cancer in 2016 and went on to win both, the Summer and Winter National championships subsequently.

 

His partnership with Manas Mukherjee was the toast of the Indian bridge circuit in the last two decades of the previous century. Both of them, having hailed from DumDum, Kolkata, they won the Singhania BAM trophy in 1983. The partnership won as many as 6  Ruia trophies and 25 national trophies. They represented India in the world championships in 1987, 1990 and 2004.

Kushari was the first player to amass over 10,000 Master Points in the history of Indian Bridge.

 

Words cannot describe the loss felt by the community. Nevertheless, we will pick up a few tributes paid to him over various WhatsApp groups that this author could pick up.

Eulogies

Though he was not as flamboyant as some of his peers, I personally always found him as one of the hardest players to earn IMPs against. His greatness didn't only lie in his playing abilities, he has left back his legacy in some of the best bridge players of present.

Koushik Mukherjee

Whenever i went to any tournament ... anywhere ... I was always sure to meet him. He was a "permanent" member of the Railways team till he retired.

To improve his students, he would partner many of them in major tournaments... but would scold them for mistakes...... sometimes loudly. On one such occasion, I gave him a PP. But he took it with a smile, unlike many who start to argue.

He overcame a great personal tragedy not so long ago.... one that could break most people.... But he overcame it and rebounded. Greatly respected him for that.

He will surely live on in our memories for a long time.

V K Sharma

He was an ocean of bridge. Apart from being one of the greatest exponents of the game, he had the extraordinary capability of adopting the styles of his partners to make them his own.

Not only did he excel at the game, but he also groomed many a talent to don India colors. In this modern era of distractions galore, he also groomed his son Sayantan to become a National Champion in his own right.

Sowmik

Whenever I asked him about any problems related to bridge, he always gave solutions with a smiling face. Some were very important tips that, I will never forget in my lifetime. I can't believe that he is no more with us.

Anupam Ghosh

Memorial to Kusharida

As a mark of respect to our Champion, BridgeFromHome will be hosting a Pritish Kushari Memorial game on Wednesday 12-May-21 at 630 pm.

There will be No Entry Fee. We will be distributing a few free passes to our weekly events as prizes.
We humbly request all of you to come together and remember him!

Click to register