A LEGENDARY VOICE in the realm of Indian football will never be heard again.
Novy Kapadia, one of the foremost football writers in India, who covered the sport as a journalist for almost half a century and was a regular commentator and studio guest for Indian football matches, passed away earlier today.
Kapadia, who also worked as a professor at SGTB Khalsa College and served as Deputy Proctor of Delhi University, has written books on a number of topics ranging from literature, culture to his long standing passion - Indian football.
In 2017, Penguin published his book "Barefoot to Boots: The Many Lives of Indian Football" which remains one of the most compelling account of the evolution of the sport in India over the last century.
A lifelong fan of the sport, he grew up watching the best clubs in the country compete at the Durand Cup in his hometown Delhi. Later in life he travelled across the country, as well as beyond, to watch and cover the Indian national team and Indian clubs play.
He also worked as a commentator in some of the major TV networks. A regular on Zee Sports (Later Ten Network) and Doordarshan, he also commentated during Premier League matches on Star Sports.
His decades of passionate association with the sport and in-depth knowledge had earned him the moniker of 'The Encyclopedia of Indian Football.'
For many of the young football fans in India today, Novy Kapadia's voice is one of the first entry points into the diverse world of the sport.
He passed away after suffering from a rare type of motor neurone disease that left him bedridden. After news of his passing broke, several people who work in Indian football and sports media in general weighed in with their tributes to the man who will forever be remembered as one of the leading personalities of the sport.