New Delhi: : IOC recoganized Indian Olympic Association (IOA) today condoled the death of its former President B. Sivanthi Adityan, saying the country has lost an able sports administrator.
 
“The sporting fraternity will miss his guidance,” IOA acting president Vijay Kumar Malhotra said in a condolence message.
 
“I have lost a personal friend whose advise I always valued,” Prof Malhotra said.
 
Adityan, who was also the president of Volleyball Federation of India, owner of Dina Thanthi, one of the largest circulated Tamil daily, died in Chennai on Friday after a prolonged illness. He is survived by wife, a son and a daughter.
 
Prof Malhotra recalled his old association with Adityan saying the former IOA chief was always keen to help the sportspersons and wanted that India should emerge as a big sporting force at the International arena.
 
He said that though Adityan was a big businessman, he always worked for the betterment of sports. The Sun Paper Mills owned by him has volleyball and kabaddi teams. He also constructed a state-of-the art indoor volleyball stadium in the Adithanar College, Tiruchendur, where the Indian team used to practise.
 
“I pray to God to give his family the strength to bear this loss and may he rest in peace,” Prof Malhotra added.