Calcutta: Kapil Dev, inspirational captain of the 1983 World Cup-winning team, spoke to The Telegraph from the Delhi airport at around 1.00 pm on Monday.

The day marked the 35th anniversary of India's sensational victory over the Clive Lloyd-captained West Indies, which had won the previous two editions - in 1975 and 1979.

Kapil's interaction with this Reporter, which lasted 30 minutes, took place shortly before he boarded an Air India ("I love my country, so the national carrier") flight to London.

Excerpts... .

Q Do you ever have to be reminded about the significance of June 25?

A (Laughs) I'm never allowed to forget the date! This time, too, I woke up to around 100 WhatsApp messages from teammates and well-wishers... Social media is so active nowadays that even if the average cricket fan doesn't remember the significance of June 25, he/she gets a quick reminder through one arm or the other of social media.

Q What did your teammates say?

A Generally, the one overriding sentiment was 'we're 35 years younger'... I just love the spirit of my team... They were incredible then, they're incredible now. We have the '83 Group (on WhatsApp) and included in it is Peter Man Singh, our manager then.

Q The Silver Jubilee celebrations took place in India and in the UK. Shouldn't something have been done to mark the 35th anniversary?

A Yes, we could all have met over dinner, but the problem is each one of us is fairly busy. For example, I'm about to board a flight to London en route to Scotland for my daughter Amiya's graduation ceremony at the University of St Andrews... But I get your point and a get-together once a year, on June 25, would be a nice idea to take forward.

Q It's odd that the International Cricket Council and even the Kolkata Knight Riders tweeted about the 1983 World Cup win before the Board of Control for Cricket in India woke up. Your response?

A People in the Board must have been busy, but why would I expect them to tweet? I don't expect anything from anybody. Frankly, such things do not bother me. Kisi ne tweet kiya to achchi baat hai, nahin kiya ya late kiya to bhi theek hai. Doesn't affect me.

Q What, in your opinion, would be seen as the biggest contribution of that win?

A I believe the 1983 Cup win made India a more confident nation. I sensed that everywhere I went on returning home. The feeling was 'we can do it'.

Q But did you expect that win to have such an enormous game-changing impact?

A I knew how popular cricket was and, so, what followed didn't exactly surprise me.

Q Did the enormity of the achievement sink in immediately?

A No, no... Took me six months to realise what we'd achieved!

Q What did Lloyd tell you after the West Indies got dethroned?

A Don't remember who said what immediately after the final.

Q It's widely believed that India's historic 27-run win over the West Indies in Berbice, a few months before the World Cup, injected a massive dose of self-belief and had a significant bearing. Do you agree?

A Yes, we showed that the reigning World champions weren't invincible. But more than that, what really lifted our confidence was beating the two-time winners (by 34 runs at Old Trafford) in our very first World Cup match.

[Prior to Berbice, the West Indies had only lost an ODI once before at home, to Australia, in 1977-1978.]

Q Turning point?

A One? Probably the match versus Zimbabwe, our second against them, at Tunbridge Wells... When we'd been reduced to 17/5... To have won from that stage gave our campaign renewed confidence... We started to believe we could actually do it whatever the situation.

Q You played one of the greatest ODI innings, 175 not out, at Tunbridge Wells, but chose not to talk about it...

A I won't comment on how great it was. All I'll say is that it was an important innings or a very important innings at that point in time.

Q Is there one performance from any teammate which comes to mind instantly?

A Many. Why would I choose one? Wouldn't be fair.

Q Fair enough... What happened in the dressing room once you entered with the Cup?

A What I remember is that many fans just came in and bottles of champagne were there in plenty. Aur zyada to yaad nahin hai .

Q The team was at the Westmoreland Hotel, across the road from Lord's... What happened there?

A Well... The drinks never stopped and, till today, I don't know who settled the bill for the post-win party... The Westmoreland changed to Hilton and, more recently, to the Danubius. Our names haven't changed, though.

Q Had you been tense in the lead-up to the final and the team under much pressure?

A I don't know how to describe it, but a kind of pressure was certainly there... Maybe, we were more thrilled than under pressure... I didn't note the time, but (wife) Romi told me I'd got up around 4.00 am on the day of the final and kept looking out of the window.

Q A memory from the morning of June 26...

A Listen, I'm not that intelligent as many are. If I was, I would probably have been a doctor. Do you recall what you felt on a particular morning 35 years ago?

Q Your message to the present generation?

A Enjoy what you do and, of course, have that commitment.

Q Would you agree with my list (chronologically) of half-a-dozen of our top achievements in sport: Hockey World Cup win in 1975, Prakash Padukone bagging the All England title in 1980, India winning the 1983 World Cup, Viswanathan Anand becoming the Fide world champion in 2000, India lifting the inaugural World T20 in 2007 and Abhinav Bindra winning India's first individual gold in the Olympics (2008)?

A I'd go along, but would like to add cueists Michael Ferreira and Geet Sethi didn't get their due... Plus, special mention has to be made of the rise of Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu on the global stage. Both girls have made us so proud. Hope they climb higher.

Q Finally... After checking-in for flight AI 111, did the Immigration and Customs staff bombard you with questions going back 35 years?

A (Emotionally) The ones who remembered, yes... One Customs officer said his father was a 'big fan' of mine. I asked the officer if he'd been born in 1983. He replied 'no'. Maine phir kaha do give my regards to your father... Thirtyfive years really is far back in time, so I'm grateful to those who respect me and my team for what we achieved for India. Thank you.