Veteran Sports Journalist Harpal Singh Bedi Passes Away

Harpal Singh Bedi, a prominent figure in Indian sports journalism for over four decades, passed away on Saturday after a prolonged illness. He was 72 years old.
Bedi, the former sports editor of United News of India (UNI) leaves behind a legacy covering eight Olympic Games, countless Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, cricket and hockey World Cups and world championships across Olympic sports.
"Harpal Singh Bedi was a quintessential newsman, loved and respected...His finger was on the pulse of Indian sport and sports administration," said veteran journalist and sports administrator G Rajaraman, who will serve as India's press attache at the upcoming Paris Olympics.
Bedi served as the press attache for India's Olympic contingent at the 2012 London Games. An alumnus of Jawaharlal Nehru University, he mentored countless young journalists with guidance and humour during their initiation to the press box.
A close friend of the late Indian spin great Bishan Singh Bedi, Harpal was often mistaken for BSB due to their long-standing camaraderie. "We are close friends you know, I am BSB, he is HSB. We go back a long way," the former India cricket captain had remarked.
Bedi is survived by his wife Revathi and daughter Pallavi. He was working as a consulting editor at The Statesman newspaper in his latter years.