Vivek Bendre, senior Sportstar photojournalist passes away

Vivek Bendre, The Hindu and Sportstar's senior Mumbai-based photojournalist, lost his battle against COVID-19 on Sunday morning.

Bendre had been working with the bureau of The Hindu and Sportstar since 1995 and was among the senior-most members of the newspaper’s Mumbai team.

Vivek Bendre,  The Hindu  and  Sportstar's  senior Mumbai-based photojournalist, lost his battle against COVID-19 on Sunday morning. He was 59 and is survived by his wife.

Bendre had been working with the bureau of  The Hindu  and  Sportstar  since 1995 and was among the senior-most members of the newspaper’s Mumbai team. He was also one of the most experienced and well-known photojournalists with cricket being his forte.

Bendre was admitted to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s Bandra Kurla Complex jumbo COVID-19 centre since April 17 after his oxygen levels dropped. He was kept on oxygen supply since then, but continued to face difficulties in breathing. He was later taken to an observation room from his ward on April 23.

Bendre was president of the Mumbai news photographers’ association and undertook a number of welfare measures for his colleagues on the field. A cheerful personality, Bendre regularly covered cricket, hockey, tennis and all other sporting events in Mumbai and the western India, and was much loved by sports personalities.