Former India and Mumbai opener Ramnath Parkar passed away yesterday in Lokmanya Tilak Memorial General Hospital, Mumbai. Parkar was 52. Parkar has been in a coma for about three years now, following a scooter accident on New Year's Eve in 1995. Parkar was riding on his scooter when he was knocked over by a bus. Since then, all efforts to revive him from his vegetative state have been in vain. Doctors at the Lokmanya Tilak Memorial General Hospital said that he suffered a hepatitic failure and died due to cardiac arrest at 8.15 p.m. Parkar is survived by his wife and two children.

Ramnath Parkar played two Tests for India against Tony Lewis' Englishmen in 1972-73. Opening the batting, Parkar made 80 runs fron 4 innings, with a highest score of 35. Parkar was well known as a brilliant cover-point fielder, often being called to sub in the field when Tests were played in Mumbai. Parkar's First Class career for Mumbai spanned ten years, and he scored over 2800 runs at an average close to 40, including a highest score of 197 versus Hyderabad.