Noted sports commentator M K Dharmaraja passes away

Mangalore, April 26: Noted sports commentator and veteran journalist M K Dharmaraja breathed his last after a brief illness in New Delhi on Wednesday. 94-year-old Dharmaraja is survived by his wife, three sons and a daughter.

Hailing from Mijar – Kanakabettu in Karkala taluk, Mr Dharmaraja had joined the All India Radio during the World War years. He headed the Radio Newsreel Unit of the organisation for a number of years.

A member of the Indian Information Service, he rose to become the News Editor of the All India Radio

An alumnus of St. Aloysius College in Mangalore, Dharmaraja and passed out with a Masters in Economics from Loyola College, Madras (now Chennai) in 1938. He began his career at All India Radio as a sub-editor.

For many decades, he was present in the Parliament of India during crucial debates, at conferences in the capital every day, watching events and reporting them. He took special interest in sports and prepared special programmes for the All India Radio.

Dharmaraja, who was, fluent in English, did commentaries for Test Cricket in the early years.

A devout Jain, Dharmaraja would finish his meals before sunset. His close-knit family includes his son Dr C.K. Ballal, a medical specialist at Mangalore, Raja Ballal, a lawyer in Delhi , Col (Retd) S. K. Ballal who served in the Garhwal Rifles, and a daughter Dr Srimanjari a Professor in Miranda House, Delhi University.

A founder member of the South Kanara Club, presided over by Oscar Fernandes in the capital, he 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 Dharmastala in November 2009.

Honours and awards sat lightly on the shoulders of Dharmaraja. 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 Sravanabelagola, Karkala, Dharmastala and the most recent event at Venoor near Karkala in February this year.

Among the books on sports and religious written by him are "India in World Sports", published by the Publications Division.