CD Cricket is really delighted to congratulate Suresh Patel as a recipient of the Queen’s Service Medal in New Zealand’s 2020 Queen’s Birthday Honours.

For many years, Suresh has been the epitome of a selfless player — the first to put his hand up to help out others and the last to seek recognition for his own contributions.

But they have been substantial contributions, both in his Dannevirke community and beyond after a lifetime immersed in sport.

Awarded his QSM for services both to community and sport, Suresh served as Chairman of the Dannevirke Cricket Association from 2002 to 2010, as well as putting in a lengthy innings as President of the Central Districts Indian Sports Club from 1996 to 2010.

He’s a life member of the club, and an Honoured Member of the umbrella New Zealand Indian Sports Association after many years getting involved as a delegate, selector, and organiser to help put together NZISA’s large tournaments for countless others to get on the field and enjoy their favourite sports.

Sport has always been a core part of his life, having played cricket, football, rugby and hockey — and then coaching hockey and cricket, and refereeing rugby in Hawke's Bay and Manawatū until 2002. Suresh represented Southern Hawke's Bay at cricket between 1982 and 1998.

Since 2008, Suresh has also served as a Chairman of the Dannevirke Chamber of Commerce through challenging times, and was made a life member in 2017 after some 18 years working to help others in the small town’s business and retail community succeed.

In the last half dozen years he’s also given his time to help his community as a Justice of the Peace and, despite all this, was bowled over when he found out he had been nominated for the New Zealand Honours system — and had to be convinced by his wife Nayna to accept the nomination.

Nayna was the first person Suresh thanked today, along with his brother Peter Patel. The trio owns Shire’s Fruit and Vege Market in Dannevirke and, as Suresh told Hawke’s Bay Today, “I have been fortunate to be able to do the work I have done because of the incredible support from Nayna, Peter and the extended family, who have always encouraged me. And the staff have always stepped up to help out if I had meetings or functions to attend.”

Our warmest congratulations to Suresh on receiving the Queen’s Service Medal.

Article added: Monday 01 June 2020