• India

Image: X@/g_rajaraman Chennai, Veteran Indian sports journalist S Thyagarajan, who carved a niche for himself with his extensive coverage of hockey, died here on Monday after battling age-related ailments. He was 85. He is survived by his wife and two daughters. His cremation took place in Chennai on Monday. Thyagarajan, who covered six Olympics and nine Asian Games, served ‘The Hindu’ newspaper from 1962 to 2013 before his retirement. He started his career with ‘The Indian Express’ in 1961. “S. Thyagarajan, veteran sports correspondent and doyen of hockey writing, who worked with The Hindu for many decades, passed away,” ‘the Hindu’s sports editor K C Vijaya Kumar posted on ‘X’.Israel Iran WarUS-Israel-Iran War News Live Updates: Iran vows tit-for-tat strike after Trump’s 48hr ultimatum, threatens to hit US-Israel energy facilityIf America strikes us, we should attack Indian cities like Delhi and Mumbai: Ex-Pak envoyTrump Pauses Planned Strikes: US halts Iran attack plan for 5 days; talks called very good and productive Thyagarajan also served on the media and communications-related committees of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) and the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) during his journalistic career. He was a former president of both the Sports Journalist Federation of India and the Tamil Nadu Sports Journalists Association. Former India captain-cum-coach and 1980 Olympic gold medallist Vasudevan Baskaran was heartbroken as Tyagarajan, commonly known as “Thyagu” covered his entire career and supported him throughout. “When I started hockey in 1969 he was covering the sport and used to cover collegiate hockey for the Hindu. That’s basically how he came into prominence. His dedication, love and knowledge of the sport was impeccable,” Baskaran told PTI. “It’s a very sad for Indian sports as he was a great athletics correspondent as well besides hockey. His contribution to Indian hockey was immense,” he added. Senior journalist and hockey historian K Arumugam was at loss of words for Thayagarajan’s demise. “I knew him for more than 30 years. He was rare, an all-rounder journalist. He was master of all aspects not just hockey. He was a story teller,” Arumugam said. “He was globally very well respected, his knowledge was very well recognised,” he said. Senior Indian sports journalist S Sabanayakan, a former president of the Sports Journalist Federation of India (SJFI) who has worked with prominent newspapers like The Hindu and The Telegraph, termed Thyagarajan’s death as an “irreparable loss” for the fraternity. “The passing of S Thyagarajan is an irreparable loss to sports journalism. An expert in field hockey, Thyagu as he is well known, groomed a lot of youngsters in the profession. A fluent writer, his writing style was racy and unique,” he said. “He was the president of Sports Journalists’ Federation of India for one term of two years in 1996. He also headed the Tamil Nadu Sports Journalists’ Association for many years. He was also the Chairman of the Field Hockey Commission of AIPS from 1998 to 2006. “He covered 6 Olympics, nine Asian Games, nine hockey World Cups and 20 hockey nationals in his illustrious career. In October 2024, he was felicitated by SJFI for his contribution to sports journalism,” he added The Sports Journalists Federation of India condoled the demise of Thyagarajan. President Saraju Chakraborty said the passing away of the doyen of sports journalism was an irreparable loss to the fraternity.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos‘Your Kindness Won’t Be Forgotten’: Iran Thanks Kashmir Donors For War Relief’India Shining Speech’: Oppn Hits Out At PM Modi’s Remarks On West Asia, Demands Discussion In Parl’India Deserves Deepest Respect: Russia Praises Delhi’s Strategic Autonomy, Confirms PM Modi’s VisitIndia Busts Major Spy Network With 50 Locations Targeted, Minors Among 18 Held From Kashmir To DelhiTransgender Bill Sparks Massive Backlash As Activists Say Identity Cannot Be Decided By The StateAmid Hormuz Crisis, PM Modi Promises Fuel From All Sources As Indian Ships Navigate War Zone’West Asia Crisis Poses New Challenges For India’: PM Modi Warns On Economy Energy And SecurityJaishankar Pushes India-Russia Trade Expansion With Focus On 100 Billion Target And New DealsIndian National Sustains Injury As Missile Debris Falls In Abu Dhabi’S Al ShawamekhIndia Replacing China? US-Based Journalist Fareed Zakaria’s Big Statement On Global Power Shift123PhotostoriesHow to make Amla Turmeric Juice at home and 3 reasons to drink it before your breakfast dailyInside Axar Patel’s Luxury Car Collection: Top 3 cars owned by the cricketer7 science-backed reasons soaked walnuts are great for your brain and heart, and beyond5 signs you might be a toxic co‑workerMaharashtra’s top 5 Tier III cities attracting real estate investors and home buyers in 2026Harbhajan Singh and Geeta Basra’s ₹7 crore bungalow in Jalandhar, Punjab is a personalised sanctuary rooted in cricket, memories and family valuesTOISA 2025 winner list (part 2): Sheetal Devi, Samrat Rana, Vaibhav Gautam, and more lead the honoursLessons you need to learn from Goddess Durga based on your birth dateWhy your eyes feel tired even without much screen time: Hidden causes and ways to reduce strain5 traditional ways to prevent milk from curdling in summer123Hot PicksIran newsStock Market todayLaGuardia AirportGold rate todayIncome Tax CalculatorPublic holidays March 2026Bank Holidays MarchTop TrendingBSEB Class 12th ResultJason GarrettBengaluru MurderKochi Vaduthala Family IncidentBengaluru Pink MetroConor McGregor Next FightSilver Rate TodayHDFC Bank ShareDonald TrumpBihar Board Science Topper