Veteran sports journalist Harpal Singh Bedi passes away
New Delhi (PTI): Veteran sports journalist Harpal Singh Bedi, who covered several highs and lows of Indian sports in a career spanning over four decades, served as the national Olympic contingent's press attache in 2012 and charmed the media box with his inimitable wit and warmth, died after prolonged illness here on Saturday.
He was 72 and is survived by his wife Revathi and daughter Pallavi.
The former sports editor of the United News of India (UNI) was among the tallest figures in Indian sports journalism and was working as a consulting editor of the Statesman newspaper for the last couple of years.
His awe-inspiring work experience included on-ground coverage of eight Olympic Games, "hard to count" Asian Games, the Commonwealth Games, World Cups of cricket and hockey, and world and national championships of athletics and other major Olympic sports.
Not to be forgotten was his ability to be a mentor to young journalists in the press box. He could make nervous newbies comfortable with his trademark humour.
"Harpal Singh Bedi was a quintessential newsman, loved and respected...," said veteran journalist and sports administrator G Rajaraman as he paid tributes to his former colleague.
"His finger was on the pulse of Indian sport and sports administration," Rajaraman, who will be India's press attache at the upcoming Paris Olympics, told PTI.
A close friend of Bishan Singh Bedi, he was also often mistaken for the late Indian spin great.
"We are close friends you know, I am BSB, he is HSB. We go back a long way," the former India captain, who passed away in 2023 after battling multiple health problems, had told this correspondent once.
An alumnus of the prestigious Jawahar Lal Nehru University, where he did his Masters and M. Phil from the School of International Studies, Bedi was considered a father figure in sports journalism by his colleagues.
He was witness to the change and growth in the country's sporting landscape from the time P T Usha attained worldwide fame with her fourth place finish in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics to the epoch-making gold medal that Abhinav Bindra won in the 2008 Beijing Games.
Bedi's fame also transcended borders and he became a popular figure with Pakistani journalists when he toured the country with the Indian cricket teams in 2004 and 2005. He quite literally became a story for the local journalists for his jovial personality.
"His understanding of the Indo-Pak relationship was at par with the best foreign affairs experts," Rajaram recalled.
Senior Pakistani sports journalist Rasheed Shakoor was among those who befriended Bedi during these tours.
"Unke paas khabron ke saath saath lateefon ka bhi khazana hota tha (He was a treasure trove of both news and jokes)," Shakoor told PTI.
"His was such a jolly personality. It was so easy to become his friend. I once wrote a piece about how he was mistaken for Bishan Singh Bedi and was interviewed by a TV channel.
"I called him for a comment and I remember he laughed so much and made fun of me for writing about it. Bohot hi pyaare insaan, jo respect dete the, aur badle mein unhe bohot respect milti thi (He was a lovely human being. He gave respect to others and also earned a lot of respect)."
The only recorded instances of Bedi not being his jovial self in the press box were the times when the Indian hockey team performed poorly.
A passionate follower of the sport, Bedi could be seen muttering under his breath in frustration while furiously typing his reports much to the amusement of his colleagues.
"The only journalist I knew who could laugh at himself. The press box will not be the same without him," said Vijay Lokapally, the former senior editor of 'The Hindu'.
However, Bedi's health had deteriorated in the past one year and he mostly kept to himself.
"Harpal Singh Bedi ji, the most cheerful among sports journalists, is no longer among us. Rest in peace," 2008 Olympic bronze-winning boxer Vijender Singh posted on his social media page, offering his tributes.
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UAE announces complete withdrawal of forces from Yemen amid rift with Saudi Arabia
Abu Dhabi: The United Arab Emirates on Tuesday declared that it would withdraw its remaining forces from Yemen, bringing an end to what it described as its “counterterrorism” mission, amid escalating tensions with Saudi Arabia over developments in the country’s south.
The announcement followed a demand by Yemen’s internationally recognised government, led by the Saudi-backed Presidential Leadership Council, that Emirati forces leave Yemeni territory within 24 hours. Riyadh publicly supported the call, deepening a rare public rift within the Saudi Arabia-led coalition that has been fighting Houthi rebels since 2015.
In a statement, the UAE Ministry of Defence said it had conducted a “comprehensive assessment” of its role in Yemen and decided to terminate the mission due to recent developments and their implications for the safety and effectiveness of its personnel. It said the withdrawal would be carried out in a manner ensuring the security of its forces.
Al Jazeera reported that the decision came hours after Saudi-led coalition aircraft struck the southern port city of Mukalla, targeting what Riyadh claimed was a weapons shipment linked to the UAE and intended for the separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC). Saudi Arabia said it viewed recent STC advances in the Hadramout and Mahara provinces as a threat to its national security, accusing Abu Dhabi of exerting pressure on the group to carry out military operations.
The STC, which had earlier fought alongside the internationally recognised government against the Houthis, launched a major offensive this month, seizing control of large areas of southern Yemen, including provinces bordering Saudi Arabia. The advances ended years of relative stalemate and triggered sharp warnings from Riyadh.
Saudi Arabia said any threat to its security was a “red line” and that it would take all necessary measures to counter such risks. Its concerns were echoed by Rashad al-Alimi, head of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, who accused the UAE of directing and supporting the STC’s actions. Following the Mukalla strike, al-Alimi announced the dissolution of a defence pact with the UAE and ordered Emirati forces to leave within a day.
The UAE rejected the accusation, saying it was surprised by the Saudi air strike and maintaining that the shipment targeted in Mukalla did not contain weapons and was meant for Emirati forces, not the STC. It reiterated its commitment to Saudi Arabia’s security and said it was seeking a solution to prevent further escalation.
The Mukalla strike, which caused damage but no casualties, exposed widening fractures within the coalition formed nearly a decade ago to counter the Houthis. Emirati troops first deployed in Yemen in 2015, but the UAE had already drawn down most of its forces in 2019, retaining only a limited presence in government-held areas.
Saying both Saudi Arabia and the UAE reflected a commitment to regional stability and the principles of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Qatar welcomed their statements. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan also held calls with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar to discuss regional developments.
The STC spokesperson, Anwar al-Tamimi, said there was “no thinking about withdrawal” from areas it had seized, warning that any move against its forces would be met with a response. Meanwhile, Yemeni authorities imposed temporary air, sea and ground restrictions following the escalation, as uncertainty continued to surround the future balance of power in southern Yemen.
