New Delhi/IBNS: Veteran sports journalist Harpal Singh Bedi died on Saturday after a prolonged illness.

Bedi, renowned for his extensive coverage of Indian sports over a career spanning more than four decades, was 72, and leaves behind his wife Revathi and daughter Pallavi.

Harpal Singh Bedi, the former sports editor of United News of India (UNI), served as a consulting editor for the Statesman newspaper.

Bedi was the press attaché for India’s Olympic contingent in 2012, endearing himself to colleagues and newcomers alike in the media box.

According to reports, the veteran sports journalist's remarkable career included on-ground coverage of eight Olympic Games, countless Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, World Cups in cricket and hockey, and numerous world and national championships in athletics and other major Olympic sports.

Bedi was an alumnus of Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) where he earned a Masters and an M.Phil from the School of International Studies.

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Bedi, who was considered a father figure in sports journalism, witnessed the transformation of the country's sporting landscape, from P.T. Usha's fourth-place finish in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics to Abhinav Bindra's historic gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Games.

Bedi's popularity extended beyond Indian borders as he became a beloved figure among Pakistani journalists during his tours with the Indian cricket teams in 2004 and 2005.