Despite his global stardom, Pillay never lost touch with Brazil. He was married three times and had at least seven children. Despite living in a time of rampant racism, Pillay commanded an enormous amount of respect. His great grandparents were slaves. Never an activist, just by being himself, he was the embodiment of black dignity.
From Pelé, the “king of football”, to Britain’s longest-reigning queen, our editors and correspondents reflected on the accomplishments of many notable figures who died this year. But our obituaries editor shone a light also on the lives and legacies of lesser-known figures.
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