Kishore Bhimani, the man who wrote famous articles on Indian cricket, passed away in Kolkata after contacting COVID-19.
Kishore Bhimani was 80 and was also suffering from heart disease, advanced Parkinsonism and Hypertension. It is indeed disheartening to know that the man who was once considered an encyclopaedia of sports suffered from severe Alzheimer as well.
Kishore Bhimani’s family migrated to Kolkata in the pre-independent days when his grandfather resourced funds for Indian freedom fighters. Educated in St Xavier’s College and London School of Economics, Bhimani joined The Statesman in 1964. It was the number one English daily in Kolkata and Eastern India during that time and Bhimani wrote numerous cricketing articles with his flawless and elegant dictum.
Former Indian Cricket captain, Bishan Singh Bedi tweeted:,”… he was one of the good Old Fashioned Crkt writer who took Crkt writings like a player who takes to playing…Condolences to his Spouse Rita & Son Gautam.. GodBless All Always… Fondly.”
Bhimani covered 157 Test matches and 203 One Days among which were tours of West India in 1976 and England in 1986, Sunil Gavaskar’s milestone Test match in which he reached 10,000 runs and the final over of India-Australia Test match in 1986. “The man who called the 1986 tied Test is no more. Rest in peace, Kishore Bhimani,” reacted noted sports journalist Clayton J Murzello.
Kishore Bhimani covered cricket with the perspective of life. The literary flavour in his reportage was always unique and subjective. While commentating, he often referred anecdotes from his personal encounters with cricketers. These digressions and diversions added colour to his words.
He compiled several books including one on India’s tour of West Indies in 1976 titled ‘India’s Caribbean Adventure’. But his most well-known novel was a non-sports novel titled ‘The Accidental Godman’. He was closely associated with the Calcutta Sports Journalists’ Club and served as its president from 1978 to 1980.
Kishore Bhimani was extremely fond of Horse Racing. In the 70s, he was the official commentator at the races. “He owned his first horse Time and Tide in the early 70s,” said Pritheesh Verma, a judge at Royal Calcutta Turf Club (RCTC). Later, Bhimani was also appointed the steward of RCTC.
Bhimani quietly passed his legacy to his son, Gautam Bhimani who is a leading cricket commentator in present times. Kishore Bhimani will forever be remembered as a man who prospered cricket reports in his life and ahead of his times.
