Mangalore: Jounalist, Sports Commentator Mijar Dharmaraja No More
Daijiworld Media Network
New Delhi, Apr 26 : Senior sports commentator and retired news director with All India Radio, Moodbidri Mijar - Kanakabettu-based M K Dharmaraja passed away in New Delhi on Wednesday April 25.
Founder member of the South Kanara Club, presided over by Oscar Fernandes in the capital, Dharmaraja promoted art forms of the district like Yakshagana and Bayalata. He had the privilege of being honoured for his contribution to the Tulu language at the Tulu Sammelana in Dharmasthala in November 2009.
His close-knit family includes his sons Dr C K Ballal, a medical specialist in Mangalore, Raja Ballal, a lawyer in Delhi, Col (Retd) S K Ballal who served in the Garhwal Rifles, and daughter Dr Srimanjari, a professor in Miranda House, Delhi University.
He covered Parliament during crucial debates, conferences in the capital every day, and events. He had keen interest in sports and prepared special programmes for the All India Radio.
Dharmarajaa was fluent in English and was commentator for Test cricket in the early years.
He was present in Parliament when Indira Gandhi made the crucial announcement of the surrender of Pakistani forces at Dhaka in December 1971. Soon afterwards, he recorded an interview with the Army Chief, General Sam Manekshaw.
According to his former collegue and senior journalist I Ramamohan Rao, also a Mangalorean, "Honours and awards sat lightly on the shoulders of Dharmarajaa. Only those close to him knew that he was honoured at the World Conference for Religions in the United Kingdom. He was a keen student of Jain philosophy, and was present at events like the Mastakabisheka of Bahubali at Shravanabelagola, Karkala, Dharmasthala and the most recent event at Venoor near Karkala in February this year,"
"I had the opportunity of meeting him last Saturday, when I told him that we would celebrate his 100th birthday, which was only six years away. That was not to be."
'India in World Sports' published by the Publications Division is among the books on sports and religion written by him.