MUMBAI: UK pubcaster The BBC has appointed Mihir Bose as its first Sports Editor. he used to be a sports columnist for the Daily Telegraph. Bose will provide analysis and context to the major sports news stories across the BBC's news programming.

Having concentrated on business journalism in his early years, he subsequently specialised in investigative sports reporting and moved to the Daily Telegraph in 1995, where he started the paper's Inside Sports column.

His journalism has won a number of awards, including Business Columnist of the Year, Sports Story of the Year and Sports News Reporter of the Year.

He has also presented on radio and television, including BBC Radio 4's Financial World Tonight, South Asia Report on BBC World Service and What the Papers Say for Channel 4.

He said, "I was brought up on the magical World Service, and believe that the BBC is the greatest broadcaster there is. It's a wonderful challenge and I can't wait to start. However, I must add that I've had 12 very happy years with the Telegraph and will miss working with some of the finest print journalists there are."

The BBC's head of newsgathering Fran Unsworth said, "This is a terrific appointment for us. Mihir brings an encyclopaedic knowledge of sport, together with an unbridled passion for the subject. Add to that his ability to explain the most complex of stories and a fantastic catalogue of contacts."