B. Sivanthi Adityan, owner of Dina Thanthi , one of the largest circulated Tamil daily, and well-known sports administrator, died here on Friday after a prolonged illness.
He was 76 and is survived by wife, a son and a daughter.
Younger son of S.B. Adityan, a barrister-turned-newspaper baron and politician, who became the speaker of Tamil Nadu Assembly, Sivanthi Adityan was the president of the Indian Olympic Association and Volleyball Federation of India.
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The Sun Paper Mills owned by him has volleyball and kabaddi teams. He also constructed a state-of-the art indoor volleyball stadium in the Adithanar College, Tiruchendur, where the Indian team used to practise.
He was a philanthropist and funded the renovation of many temples. In the southern districts, there are many sports clubs bearing his name. Though his father was with the DMK and once ran his own political party ‘Naam Tamilar’, Mr. Adityan kept away from politics.
Chief Minister Jayalalithaa expressed deep sorrow over Mr. Adityan's death. Besides being one who popularised the habit of reading newspapers among the common people, he was a keen sportsman.
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She recalled that he was the vice-president of the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu and had functioned efficiently in that capacity during her previous regime. He was also a recipient of Padma Sri.
Ms. Jayalalithaa also described Mr. Adityan's death as a loss to both the media and sports.
MDMK general secretary Vaiko and the Chennai Press Club condoled Mr. Adityan's death.