New Delhi, 3 Dec

Legendary squash player Raj Manchanda, the Arjuna Award recipient and winner of six national titles, died here on Sunday, sources close to his family said. He was 79.

Manchanda, one of the most recognisable faces in the Indian squash fraternity, was the undisputed national champion from 1977 to 1982 and won an unprecedented 11 titles for the Services.

He also represented India in the Asian Championships and world-level tournaments during this period and made his presence felt through his patented use of the lob accompanied by a nagging accuracy of shots all around the court. He was awarded the Arjuna Award in 1983.

He started to make his presence felt when he was captain with the Electrical and Mechanical Engineer Corps (EME) of the Indian Army, winning his first national title at the age of 33.

In 1981, at the Asian Championships, he faced the legendary Jahangir Khan who would go on to dominate the world stage in the 1980s.

He captained the Indian team on several occasions, including when the country won silver at the 1981 Asian Team Championships in Karachi. His best individual performance was a fourth-place finish at the 1984 Asian Championships in Jordan where the team, led by him, won a bronze medal.