Monday, November 23, 2020

Gurumurthy Pillay no more

 

 


Principal Correspondent


Nov 23, 2020
GurumurthY Shivlingam Pillay,  former international hockey umpire and Technical Director and resident of Sadar, passed away on Monday. He was 83. PIllay, who also played international hockey matches against visiting Japan and East Germany teams in 1960, leaves behind wife Geeta, son Yogesh, daughter-in-law Komal, daughter Bhuneshwari Mudliar, son-in-law Venkatesh Mudliar and host of relatives to mourn the loss.
The last rites were performed same day at Mankapur Ghat.
Pillay officiated matches in London (England) in the four-nation hockey tournament in 1985. The tournament comprised teams from India, The Netherlands, England and USSR.
A no-nonsense man, Pillay, who served as the incharge secretary of Vidarbha Hockey Association for more than three decades, was instrumental in conducting Baidyanath Hockey League continuously for decades. He was the man because of whom the VHA ground was saved from encroachment. As a player Pillay, a VHA life member, represented Vidarbha in many a national meets held all over the country. Pillay, who served Central Railways, Nagpur till his retirement, was also part of the Central Railways Headquarters hockey team in 1964.
He also has the credit of officiating matches between India and Pakistan in 1998-99.
Pillay dedicated his life to hockey and produced several hockey umpires from entire Vidarbha.

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