Nirmal Shekar, former Sports Editor of The Hindu and former editor of Sportstar , passed away here on Wednesday night. He was 60.
Nirmal, who was one of India’s most widely read sportswriters in a career that spanned more than three decades, joined The Hindu in 1980 and was with the institution till he retired on September 30, 2015.
He became The Hindu’s Sports Editor in 2003 and took independent charge of Sportstar in early 2012. In the early 1980s, Nirmal studied in the United States on a fellowship. He was part of the visiting faculty in the Asian College of Journalism in Chennai.
Nirmal became synonymous with The Hindu’s coverage of tennis, especially Wimbledon. He also reported extensively on big-ticket events like the Australian Open and the Davis Cup.
His despatches on tennis particularly, and on sport at large, evoked the big picture, dwelling on the personalities of the sportspersons and the aesthetics of their game. His rich prose had a legion of admirers. Many years ago, in an interview about his approach to writing, he said: “I don’t restrict myself to sports, but try and bring in a life’s perspective; try understanding the psychology of sports and fit sports into the wider context, rather than stick to the backhands and the cover drives alone!”
After his retirement, he remained a columnist with The Hindu . In his last published piece on January 28, Nirmal concluded with these lines: “But the truth is, nothing may be forever – except perhaps Bradman’s Test batting average of 99.94 – immune to evolution. And, sport is no exception.”
Nirmal is survived by his mother, wife, son and daughter.
Nirmal Shekar's articles and columns can be read here
