Photographer Saleem passes away

The smaller Associations were always dependent on him for photographs. He pleased everyone from sportspersons to officials. He even covered the State Assembly proceedings.

Hyderabad: He was always present at all sports functions. From kabaddi to tenni-koit to kho kho to handball, he was a familiar figure. Camera around his neck and an affable smile on his face, the beetle-chewing Mohammed Saleem will not be around anymore. He passed away on Sunday morning after a brief battle with Covid-19. He was 63. He is survived by his wife and three sons.

The smaller Associations were always dependent on him for photographs. He pleased everyone from sportspersons to officials. He even covered the State Assembly proceedings.

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Very humble, Saleem would even go to all newspaper offices to deliver the day’s photographs in the past. But with technological advancements, he started to send pictures through email to meet newspaper deadlines.

Veteran sports journalist Valentine Wilson said Saleem was a gentle human being.”He would then ring up all offices and enquire whether they received the photographs. Age had not slowed him and enjoyed a good rapport with other photographers. In fact he was popular with other cameramen,’’ he said.

Former All England badminton champion Pullela Gopichand said Saleem was one of the energetic sports photographers of the city. “We grew up watching Saleem taking photographs of all sports events. He was humble and had a smiling face,’’ he said.

K.Jagadishwer Yadav, secretary of Telangana Olympic Association & Telangana Kabaddi Association, said Saleem was one of the top photographers of the city. “He would not miss a single event in the city, big or small. It is a common practice for all the associations to ring up Saleem and he would never say no. He obliged all the associations. He covered all the big events like National Games, Nationals, Afro-Asian Games in 2003,’’ he said.

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