Jones was master of the three-ball game

Former World billiards champion Wilson Jones, who passed away in Mumbai on Saturday after a prolonged illness, was a humble and disciplined person who rose to stardom with sheer with grit and determination.

The first Indian to don the tag of 'World champion' in any sport, Jones, who passed away in Mumbai on Saturday after a prolonged illness, was master of the three-ball game. He never compromised on hard work during his playing days and even after leaving the billiards scene.

Born on May 2, 1922 in  Pune, Jones marched his way to success despite financial constraints. He hit the headlines after he won the World amateur billiards championship at Kolkata, way back in 1958. After being forced to settle for the runners-up trophy in 1962, in the next edition of the tournament in Australia, he regained his crown in 1964, in New Zealand.

A 12-time national amateur billiards champion, Jones also won the national amateur snooker title five times. He had a distinction of playing an exhibition match at Buckingham Palace in England in 1951 and also displayed his skills in front of the first President of India, Dr Rajendra Prasad, in New Delhi.

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Named `Sportsman of the Year' in 1950, he was honoured by the Government of India with the Arjuna award in 1962 and Padma Shri in 1965. He was also Maharashtra state billiards champion eight times and six-time snooker champion.

After quitting the game in 1967, Jones gave everything he had to groom champions like Subhash Agarwal, Ashok Shandilya, Devendra Joshi, Nalin Patel, Kamal Tulshan and many others.

While Subhash Agarwal and Ashok Shandilya went on to become professional World champions, Devendra Joshi held the world No. 2 ranking.

Thirty-four years after being conferred the Arjuna award in 1962, he was honoured with the Dronacharya award in 1996.

He will always be remembered as India's first world champion, who also won hearts by his displays on the green baize but also with his charisma.