Kolkata, 5 January. Former world billiards champion Manoj Kothari died of a heart attack at a hospital in Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu on Monday. This information was given by a member of his family.

The 67-year-old Kolkata-based billiards ace’s bereaved family includes his wife and son Saurav Kothari. He had undergone a liver transplant 10 days ago at Kauvery Hospital in Tirunelveli, 600 km from Chennai.

A family member of Manoj Kothari said, ‘The surgery was successful and on the third day he was sitting and talking. But a few days ago he developed a lung infection and died of a heart attack at 7.30 am today.

Kothari won the World Billiards Championship title in 1990. His son Saurav is also a former world billiards champion, who won the title in 2025. Saurav has also reached the heights of this sport by training under his father.