RAJAN BALA By: P.R. VISWANATHAN
Rajan Bala and I became good friends on our first meeting itself. That was in Jan 1967 during the India-West Indies cricket Test match in Chennai. It was certainly not a tale of ‘love at first sight’ between two cub reporters. I can, however, say that there was mutual admiration during that first week of our friendship and it lasted for 42 long years without a spell of misunderstanding.
In 2009 we both thought that our friendship might as well celebrate golden jubilee. Rajan said, “Oh. Eight more years! If it happens, we must celebrate it in a grand manner. Hope one us do not get run out.” And he passed away in September perhaps with the idea of celebration looming large on his mental screen.
After that 1967 meeting, Rajan and I used to meet only once in a blue moon depending on our respective assignments. After all, he was based in Kolkata and me in Chennai. But the erratic frequency of our meetings did not keep our minds away. In 1973 I joined The Hindu Bangalore, and, in 1976-77 Rajan joined The Hindu Chennai. That brought us closer.
When Rajan joined Deccan Herald Bangalore in 1980, we started meeting each other on a daily basis. The period 1980-84 saw the best moments of our friendship. Then Rajan left for Chennai (Indian Express) and then to Mumbai (Indian Express) and so our meeting too became rare. But the mutual admiration and affection did not diminish.
Rajan was back in Bangalore in 1998-99 once and for all. He always loved Bangalore. And God was kind enough to see that Rajan breathed his last in this city! Rajan loved Bangalore mainly because the Bangalore Sports journalists reserved a soft corner for him.
During our one-to-one meetings, Rajan used to become emotional whenever we spoke about Bangalore and its sports journalists. “No one loves me as honestly and instinctively as them.” Perhaps Rajan, who has worked in as many Indian cities as possible, would not have found a set of friends as affectionate and considerate as his friends in his favourite city.
While Bangalore sports scribes saw the “MAN” in Rajan Bala, most others might have seen only the “journalist” in Rajan Bala. That must be the reason for Rajan’s love for Bangalore. Rajan often used to recall the “remarkable gesture” shown by the Bangalore sports journalists in 1980. Before he could complete his first year with Deccan Herald the SWAB made him its president. That was mainly because of the fact that Rajan was heading the “largest” sports department in the state.
Rajan enjoyed that ‘decoration’ as there was little or no opposition to that choice. SWAB, no doubt, had better and more popular personalities to be its president. But then SWAB members were matured enough to appreciate the status of Rajan, the sports editor of Karnataka’s prestigious newspaper. Rajan remained grateful to SWAB throughout.
When he settled down in Bangalore in late 1990s Rajan strengthened his relationship with SWAB and its members. Rajan, a journalist with a wonderful work-culture, will ever be remembered as one of the finest cricket writers Indian has ever produced. He was so passionate when it comes to cricket and cricketers. There is indeed a child in all adult male and female. I had often seen the ‘child’ in Rajan Bala. That child made me admire Rajan more than anything else.
P.R. VISWANATHAN