New Delhi, Jun 10 (IANS): Mukesh Rehani, 52, a former India No.2 billiards player, passed away here on Friday after suffering a heart attack. He leaves behind his wife and two sons.

His sudden passing away sent shockwaves through the Indian cue sport fraternity.

Former World champion Geet Sethi heaped praise on Rehani's commitment to the sport and coaching profession while recalling their days together as juniors.

"I have had a long association with him. I clearly remember playing Mukesh in the 1981 Nationals in Chennai where I won three titles. I played him in the junior snooker semi-finals. He led 3-1, but I eventually won 4-3.

"Basically, he was a non-interfering and a good human being. In the past 10 years or so, he was actively involved in coaching, especially in Delhi and north India.

"He was very comitted to the game and Indian cue sport will be definitely miss Mukesh. I am yet to get over the shock after hearing the news," said Sethi from Ahmedabad.

Bangalore-based Pankaj Advani, the seven times World champion and the country's No.1 billiards player, said: "I just can't believe Mukesh is no more with us. It is difficult to imagine that one so young has left us.

"He used to attend the national coaching camps (as a BSFI appointed coach). I remember him as a friendly person and I got along well with him."

Rehani, who was runner-up to Sonic Multani in the 1995 billiards national championship, was known as a risk-free player that perhaps went contrary to his potential.

"Mukesh and I grew up together in the Railway colony in Mumbai. We started off our careers at the Railway Institute where Subhash Agarwal was coaching. Mukesh was a very simple, non-interfering type of person who preferred to go with the flow. But he was always a dangerous opponent whose performance unfortunately was dictated by his mood swings," said Ashok Shandilya, a former world and mational billiards champion.

National coach Manoj Kothari, also a former world billiards champion, was at a loss of words when contacted in Kolkata.

"In the recent times, we used to be together a lot during the National coaching camps. He was one of the most knowledgeable pool coaches and indeed, his passing away is a huge loss for Indian billiards.

"I can say that few showed the kind of passion and commitment for the game as Mukesh. He was involved with a junior development programme in Delhi and if I am right, quite a few of his wards won titles," said Kothari.