P. Krishnan passes away: ‘When PK sir handed me an envelope’s worth of faith in a good cause’

P. Krishnan, former Senior Deputy Editor at Sportstar, passed away in Chennai on Tuesday, October 20, aged 69. | Photo Credit: Special arrangement

When I joined Sportstar in 2018, I was one of the youngest writers to walk through the hallowed halls of the famed 859-860 Kasturi Buildings, full of enthusiasm and, like most people starting a new job, convinced that I had a lot to offer.

P. Krishnan, then the Senior Deputy Editor, was affectionately known to us as ‘PK sir’. He was one of the kindest souls around, though it took me some time to fully appreciate the many ways in which he would leave a lasting impression on me.

There is a certain (over)confidence that comes with being on the right side of one’s 20s, and I knew no better. PK sir understood that.

He had his own way of dealing with journalists like me. He would wait for the other senior colleagues to leave the cabin before calling you in. There were no public dressing-downs and no need to establish authority in front of others. He would sit you down, explain his point of view and patiently reason with you about why he thought his approach made more sense. Only then would he move on to introduce the necessary changes.

Looking back, I realise how much that mattered. He could have simply asked for the corrections to be made, expecting all of us to fall in line. But he didn’t. For a young scribe still finding his feet, that was a valuable lesson in both the craft and conduct of journalism.

He was equally particular about the work itself. I remember him poring over archives for photographs to accompany our magazine stories, meticulous about finding just the right one in the database. “The one picture that would bring the story to life” is what he would call it.

And then there was his love for cricket, particularly the craftsmanship of the legendary Gundappa Viswanath.

He would have made quite the advocate for Vishy, getting into spirited arguments with senior colleagues who had watched Viswanath play and defending his greatness with the sort of conviction that suggested he could go to war over it.

In fact, the very last piece he wrote for our website before calling it a day was dedicated to the indomitable crisis-man.

But the memory of PK sir that I will carry with me longest has little to do with journalism or the game he loved. Instead, it has everything to do with the person he was away from the pressing matters of the newsroom.

My then-significant other used to organise campaigns around festivals such as Durga Puja and Christmas, collecting voluntary contributions to help people in need. I would occasionally share her appeals with friends and acquaintances, hoping that more people might come forward to support the cause.

One such appeal went out on the office group. Nobody responded. I let it go. I was new to the workplace and had not expected anyone to contribute in the first place. People had their own lives and commitments, and there was no reason to believe that a message from the youngest cub would suddenly inspire a flurry of donations.

A few days later, however, PK sir was leaving the office when he called me outside. He fished a few crisp banknotes out of his wallet and slid them into the pocket of my kurta. I shall leave the amount unmentioned, but it was substantial, more than what she had ever received from a single donor for her efforts.

What struck me most was not the amount. It was the simplicity of the gesture. PK sir had neither asked for a detailed account of the campaign nor demanded assurances or asked how the money would be used. He had simply chosen to believe that someone was trying to do something worthwhile and decided that he wanted to help.

Before leaving, he asked me to convey a message to her. “Tell that little girl that she is doing a wonderful job and should keep at it. The world needs more people like her. If there is anything else that I can do, please do let me know.”

There was no attempt to draw attention to his generosity. My partner did reach out to him later to thank him for the contribution. He was just as warm and gracious to her as he had been to me.

I have thought about that incident many a time since. In a profession where we spend so much of our time worrying about deadlines, edits, headlines and the next story, it is easy to measure a colleague’s influence by what they teach us about our work. And yes, PK sir certainly taught me a handful of things about the profession.

But that day, without making a speech or offering any grand lesson, he taught me something about people: kindness does not need an audience.

PK sir, who passed away in Chennai on Tuesday, October 20, aged 69, leaves behind memories and the example of a man who could be exacting about his work while remaining gentle with those around him. I had the privilege of working with such a man.

Published on Oct 21, 2026

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