New Delhi, Feb 7 (IANS): Twitter was flooded with condolences for veteran cricket journalist Raju Bharatan who passed away on Friday morning in Mumbai. Bharatan, who also used to write on film music, was 86.

Condoling Bharatan's death, former Indian cricketer Bishan Singh Bedi tweeted: "Raju Bharatan of Illustrated Weekly is no more...he reported on cricket and films with equal elan and commitment...RIP Raju!"

Cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle wrote: "Undiluted lover of our game. Those issues Clayton talks of played a part in seeding my love for cricket. Thank you Raju Bharatan."

"One of India's finest cricket and music writers Raju Bharatan, 86, is no more. Those cricket Illustrated Weekly of India issues which he edited were nothing short of brilliant. Covered India's 1952 tour of England as a teenager. Rest in peace, sir," tweeted one user.

Another tweet read: "Sad to hear of Raju Bharatan's passing. Prolific writer on films, music and cricket. Would write a very popular column on film nostalgia for Mid Day and of course various other publications."

"RIP Raju. His writing on cricket and films is still remembered and respected by two generations," read another tweet.

He worked for a weekly features magazine, The Illustrated Weekly of India, and an Indian films weekly newspaper, Screen.

Bharatan in his career authored six books, the first of which was "Rivals in the Sun"(1952), followed by "Indian Cricket - The Vital Phase" (1977). His other books include "Lata Mangeshkar - A Biography" (1995), "A Journey Down Melody Lane" (2009), "Naushadnama: The Life and Music of Naushad" (2013) and "Asha Bhosle- A Musical Biography" (2016).