Well known hockey player and coach Jeyasekaran of Chennai has passed away. The ever energetic, grassroot level coach has suffered a heart attack on Friday.

Jeyesekaran, 56, played many national championships, and also represented India in a Test Series. He was formerly coach of the Sri Lankan team too. During that spell, India in the opening match of the South Asian Federation Games struggled to defeat his side.

Besides, Jeyasekaran, a Indian Railways employee, spared all his time in coaching youngsters.

This writer saw him training slum boys and girls near Marina grounds, with passion. A visiting French television crew, with which I was attached, filmed his work. The crew was wonder struck how with such a mean resources boys and girls from poorest of the poor section of the society are benefited.

The tall Jeyesekaran is always seen at the Mayor Radhakrishnan stadium, always part and parcel of Chennai’s hockey.

The city has certainly lost a great hockey promoter. We lost a nice gentleman who is always smiling and ready with hockey anecdotes.

It is very sad that he is no more when hockey needs his services.

Jeyasekaran is brother of V. Baskaran, former India coach.