India won the cricket World Cup 1983

BCCI didn't have sufficient money to honour players with

Lata Mangeshkar hosted a concert, raising Rs 20 lakh

In these days of cricket, it is the BCCI that rules the roost. It is the cash cow of the game. However, when India won the 50-over World Cup for the first time in 1983 by beating West Indies, the BCCI didn’t have enough money to honour the cricketers. 

So, the then president of the BCCI, NKP Salve approached legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar to hold a concert in order to raise money. 

And when she did, the organisers were able to raise Rs 20 lakh, which helped each cricketer get a lakh each. 

Incidentally, it was her brother Hridayanath Mangeshkar, her brother, who composed a special song in honour of the team. 

The song – Bharat Vishwa Vijeta – was sung not just by the nightingale of India, but also by the cricketers. 

Though the cricketers were blessed that amount, a princely sum at that point in time, Lata took not even a penny for the show, thus exhibiting her altruism. 

In the final played in London, India scored a paltry 183 but it turned out to be a match-winning one as West Indies were bowled out for 140. 

Mohinder Amarnath was declared the Man of the Match.