By Anand Philar
CHENNAI, March 23, 2026 — A one lifetime lesson I imbibed from my long association with Subramanyam Thyagarajan, the doyen of hockey writers, was – First In, First Out. This is in reference to the Press Box, be it at a local stadium or an international venue. It probably best characterises Thaygarajan (Thyagu to his friends and Mr T in international hockey circles) whose commitment to journalism and hockey was simply beyond reproach. Indeed, he was the ultimate professional.
His passing away on Monday in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, at the age of 85, leaving behind wife and two daughters, has cast a pall of gloom among his long-time colleagues and the sporting fraternity. The ripple effects are felt both in Indian and international hockey circles, for such was his stature that was built on his love for sports in general and hockey in particular, besides the sublime prose that described a match to its smallest detail.
Back in the day when a thousand-word piece was more a norm than an exception, Mr T, being a voracious writer, fitted into the system nicely. In fact, anything less than that would cause a stir amongst us juniors who looked up to him in awe. The size of his copy, in fact, was his trademark, as it were.
Having started his career in 1961 with the Indian Express in Chennai, Mr T joined The Hindu the following year and rose to the position of Associate Editor by the time of his retirement in 2014. Through the decades, he showcased his proficiency not just in hockey, but also athletics, tennis, table tennis, badminton and motorsports. Blessed with a phenomenal memory, he could recall incidents and anecdotes of the past at the drop of a hat. In fact, the many evenings I spent with him during our assignments at home and abroad, he would regale me with anecdotal stories laced with humour.
His dedication to hockey was unmatched among his contemporaries. Be it a local game or an international match, Mr T would always be the first to seat in the Press Box,usually at the furthest end of the row to avoid chatter so that he could focus on the match. He would arrive about 20 minutes before the start, set up his equipment (initially the typewriter and then the laptop), his notebook and pen, and be ready for the match to start. Being a quick writer, he would also be the first to leave the Press Box after filing his copy.
He followed this procedure from the first match to the last and from Day 1 to the final at every single tournament, and through six Olympic Games, nine Asian Games, nine hockey World Cup and a host of other international tournaments besides about 20 National championships.
Often reserved and one who liked to keep his counsel, Mr T was just the opposite once you got to know him. He remained modest about his writingskills despite enjoying a huge following comprising the players, officials, organisers and fellow journalists.
Off the field, Mr T headed the Media Commission of the Asian Hockey Federation; was the Chairman of the Field Hockey Commission in the AIPS from 1998 to 2006;a member of the erstwhile Communication Committee of the International Hockey Federation (FIH), and the President of the Sports Journalists Federation of India (SJFI) from 1996 to 1998.
In his passing, an era in sports journalism has ended. Rest well, Sir.
(Anand Philar is a former National Sports Editor of The New Indian Express and a senior hockey, billiards/snooker, badminton and motorsports writer with four decades of experience, having covered the Olympics, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games besides World Cups in various sports. Presently based in Bengaluru as a Media consultant).
