Veteran sports scribe P. Krishnan passes away

P. Krishnan, former Senior Deputy Editor of Sportstar, passed away in Chennai on October 20.

He was 69 and is survived by a daughter.

To a generation of reporters and sub-editors, ‘P.K. sir’, as he was affectionately known, was perhaps the most patient teacher any journalist could have asked for.

He belonged to the old school of journalism, where editing was never merely about correcting a sentence or tightening a paragraph. He took his time with a story, searching for a better turn of phrase, improving its rhythm and often prising out nuggets from a reporter’s memory that the reporter had not thought worth including.

He was also a master of the headline. Some of Sportstar’s most iconic cover lines, until his retirement in 2020, came from his inventive mind, which at times had a devilish sense of humour.

Krishnan joined The Hindu in August 1980 before moving to Sportstar, where he became the backbone of the editorial desk for more than 30 years.

A thorough professional and a gentleman at heart, he never made a young reporter feel inadequate for getting something wrong. Instead, he showed them how it could be made better.

His contribution went well beyond the pages of the magazine. He was the person colleagues turned to for almost everything — a contact, a clarification on an obscure sporting rule, a second reading of a difficult story or simply some sound advice. He rarely, if ever, said no.

For all his editorial skills, Krishnan never sought the spotlight. His warmth, humour and generosity helped make the Sportstar desk more than a workplace.

For many, it was a family, and he was one of its most reassuring presences.