Former India defender Ilyas Pasha dead, AIFF, East Bengal condole

NEW DELHI/KOLKATA: Former India and East Bengal defender Ilyas Pasha died on Thursday after a prolonged illness.

He was 61. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, and two sons.

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) condoled the death of Pasha, who was one of the best footballers to have come out of Karnataka.






A committed and soft-spoken footballer, Pasha carved out a distinguished career in an area of the field that demanded resilience and composure - defence.

Primarily operating as a right wing-back, he was renowned for his impeccable sense of timing, calm demeanour, and ability to read the game astutely.

Rarely flustered under pressure, Pasha's disciplined positioning and well-judged tackles ensured that opposing left wingers found little joy on his flank, while goalkeepers behind him operated with added confidence.

At the international level, Pasha made his senior India debut on January 27, 1987, against Bulgaria in the Nehru Cup at Kozhikode.

He went on to earn eight international caps, featuring in two editions of the Nehru Cup (1987 and 1991), the 1991 SAF Games, and the 1992 Asian Cup qualifiers.

Pasha began his football journey with Vinayaka Football Club, Vyalikaval, in north Bengaluru, where he also resided.

His consistent performances soon earned him a move to Indian Telephone Industries in the mid-1980s, a period that marked his emergence at the national level.

From 1987 onwards, he became a regular feature for Karnataka in the Santosh Trophy, representing the state at the tournaments held in Kolkata in 1987, Quilon (now Kollam) in 1988, and Guwahati in 1989.

His performance in Guwahati stood out, as Karnataka narrowly missed out on a final berth. He also won two Santosh Trophy titles with Bengal in 1993 and 1995.

On the back of his domestic exploits, Pasha was signed by Mohammedan Sporting, where he continued to enhance his reputation, winning the Sait Nagjee Trophy and the Nizam Gold Cup in 1989.

He later joined East Bengal, a move that ushered in the most defining phase of his club career. Representing the iconic red and gold from the early 1990s through the end of the decade, Pasha became an integral part of one of the club's most successful eras.

He captained East Bengal during the 1993-94 season and was a trusted figure under the late coach Subhas Bhowmick.

With the Red and Gold Brigade, he won the Calcutta Football League on five occasions (1991, 1993, 1995, 1996 and 1998), the IFA Shield five times (1990, 1991, 1994, 1995 and 1997), and the Durand Cup four times (1990, 1991, 1993 and 1995).

His trophy cabinet also included two Rovers Cups (1990, 1994), the Federation Cup (1996), the historic Wai Wai Cup in Kathmandu (1993), Airlines Trophy titles in 1990, 1992, 1995 and 1997, the Bordoloi Trophy (1992), ATPA Shield (1992), Kalinga Cup (1993), McDowell Trophy (1995, 1997), and the Super Cup in the 1996-97 season.

He was also a member of East Bengal's celebrated triple crown-winning side in 1990 and captained the team to its first international title at the Wai Wai Cup in 1993.

He also wore the captain's armband when East Bengal registered a sensational 6-2 victory over Iraq's Al Zawraa SC in the 1993-94 Asian Cup Winners' Cup.

He got a special Lifetime Achievement Award from East Bengal in 2012.

The AIFF said it has joined the Indian football fraternity in mourning the loss of Pasha, a defender of rare composure and consistency, to honour his lasting contributions to the game.

In Kolkata, the East Bengal flag was kept at half-mast on the day, while the club's Under-16 team observed a minute's silence before training.

Former East Bengal skipper Falguni Dutta, who played alongside Pasha for two years, remembered him fondly. "I came to know early in the morning. I was shocked.

"When I came to the club in 1997, I was a raw talent and he was there to guide me as a mentor. He played in the same position as me, but I never saw any jealousy in him. He was like an elder brother -- a guide and a coach. He inspired us," Dutta said.

East Bengal Club bid a final farewell to Pasha at his Bengaluru residence.

Working committee member Dipten Bose paid his respects, while former players Saravanan, Thomas and Feroz were also present.

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