KOZHIKODE: Veteran football journalist, author and former footballer Bhasi Malaparamba, 85, died on Tuesday following age-related ailments.
A familiar name in Indian football journalism, Bhasi carved out a distinct place for himself by covering eight FIFA World Cups, from Spain in 1982 to Brazil in 2014, with official FIFA accreditation. His coverage of international football also included Euro 2008. He worked with several Malayalam newspapers and Asianet TV.
Over the years, Bhasi met and interviewed some of the biggest names in football, including Pelé, Peter Shilton, Bobby Moore, Bobby Charlton and Franz Beckenbauer. His encounters with Brazilian legend Pelé in 1982 and 1990 remained among the most memorable moments of his career.
Born and raised in Malaparamba, Kozhikode, Bhasi’s association with football began at an early age. He developed a passion for the game after watching the Sait Nagjee Football Tournament, which began in 1952. He later played for district and club-level teams. Alongside football, he pursued civil engineering and served in the public works department.
He appeared as a footballer and also worked as a coach in the 1972 Malayalam film ‘Football Champion’, directed by A B Raj and starring Prem Nazir.