10 facts you must know about BCCI chief N Srinivasan

N Srinivasan, regarded as the world's most powerful cricket administrator, offered to step down as Board of Control for Cricket in India president on Thursday in the wake of a spot-fixing and betting scandal surrounding the Indian Premier League.

Earlier in the week, the Supreme Court had suggested that the Tamil Nadu strongman, who is regarded as the world's most powerful cricket administrator, must quit as chief of the Indian cricket board to ensure a fair investigation into the scandal, in which his son-in-law, Gurunath Meiyappan, has been indicted for illegal betting.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court said former India captain Sunil Gavaskar could replace Srinivasan, and Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals should be kept out of the IPL pending completion of the probe due to the two franchises' role in the scandal.

As Srinivasan prepares to step aside, here are some key facts about the veteran administrator:

1. Naryanaswami Srinivasan was a member of the Prime Minister's Council of Trade and Industry (1996–2001).

2. He was Sheriff of Madras for two terms, from 1989 to 1991.

3. He entered cricket administration in 2001 as an ally of erstwhile Board of Control for Cricket in India president A C Muttiah.

4. He took over as the 30th president of the BCCI from Shashank Manohar in 2011 after serving as its secretary and treasurer. He is due to take over as the first chairman of the International Cricket Council in July. 

- Please click NEXT for more on Srinivasan..

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com

5. The 69-year-old is also president of the Tamil Nadu Golf Federation and All India Chess Federation.

6. He is known to be superstitious. It is believed that he restored a Ganesh temple outside the M A Chidambaram stadium in Chennai because he felt it watched over his Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) of which he is president.

7. Professionally, he is managing director of India Cements, which owns Indian Premier League franchise Chennai Super Kings.

- Please click NEXT for more on Srinivasan..

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com

8. Srinivasan's younger brother, N Ramachandran, is also involved in sports administration. He heads the Tamil Nadu Squash Rackets Association, and is president of the Indian Olympic Association and World Squash Federation.

9. He served as president of the Madras Chamber of Commerce and Industry from 1996 to 1998 and is also a member of the Executive Committee of Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).

10. Australian newspaper Daily Telegraph described him as "cricket’s most destructive figure". His favourite novel is Mario Puzo's The Godfather.

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com