@KR Nath,

Sri Belliappa desrves double salutation. Perhaps more. Not for this essay. But for his vision & efforts during early 90s, that made the btc no-1 in India as far as tote collections.

The political leaders were still having some common sense & fairness in tact those days. So also the club officials. 2.5% tax + commission was an excellent offer to the punters to ditch the bookies.

But sadly, current day punters are finding bookies quote much more attractive than the tote. O K. We can not force them. But the club officers, meekly and shamelessly accepted the pittance from the bookies towards tax + commission and turned a blind eye to the rampant looting by the bookies.

1800 cr sales at the tote & less than 50 cr sales from bookies! God save the turf clubs. My modest estimate is sales at bookies is much much higher than the sales at tote.

It is highly disappointing that after Belliappa jee vacated his post, the club did not find suitable and equally dynamic person to replace him. And, I as well as like minded punters only hope that come GST there will be a common tax structure, common tote & no bookies.

My big applause to the great job done by Belliappa jee during his tenure!