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Former India and East Bengal defender Ilyas Pasha died connected Thursday (January 22, 2026) aft a prolonged illness.
He was 61. He is survived by his wife, 2 daughters, and 2 sons.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) condoled the decease of Pasha, who was 1 of the champion footballers to person travel retired of Karnataka.
A committed and soft-spoken footballer, Pasha carved retired a distinguished vocation successful an country of the tract that demanded resilience and composure — defence.
Primarily operating arsenic a close wing-back, helium was renowned for his impeccable consciousness of timing, calm demeanour, and quality to work the crippled astutely.
Rarely flustered nether pressure, Pasha's disciplined positioning and well-judged tackles ensured that opposing near wingers recovered small joyousness connected his flank, portion goalkeepers down him operated with added confidence.
At the planetary level, Pasha made his elder India debut connected January 27, 1987, against Bulgaria successful the Nehru Cup astatine Kozhikode.
He went connected to gain 8 planetary caps, featuring successful 2 editions of the Nehru Cup (1987 and 1991), the 1991 SAF Games, and the 1992 Asian Cup qualifiers.
Pasha began his shot travel with Vinayaka Football Club, Vyalikaval, successful northbound Bengaluru, wherever helium besides resided.
His accordant performances soon earned him a determination to Indian Telephone Industries successful the mid-1980s, a play that marked his emergence astatine the nationalist level.
From 1987 onwards, helium became a regular diagnostic for Karnataka successful the Santosh Trophy, representing the authorities astatine the tournaments held successful Kolkata successful 1987, Quilon (now Kollam) successful 1988, and Guwahati successful 1989.
His show successful Guwahati stood out, arsenic Karnataka narrowly missed retired connected a last berth. He besides won 2 Santosh Trophy titles with Bengal successful 1993 and 1995.
On the backmost of his home exploits, Pasha was signed by Mohammedan Sporting, wherever helium continued to heighten his reputation, winning the Sait Nagjee Trophy and the Nizam Gold Cup successful 1989.
He aboriginal joined East Bengal, a determination that ushered successful the astir defining signifier of his nine career. Representing the iconic reddish and golden from the aboriginal 1990s done the extremity of the decade, Pasha became an integral portion of 1 of the club's astir palmy eras.
He captained East Bengal during the 1993-94 play and was a trusted fig nether the precocious manager Subhas Bhowmick.
With the Red and Gold Brigade, helium won the Calcutta Football League connected 5 occasions (1991, 1993, 1995, 1996 and 1998), the IFA Shield 5 times (1990, 1991, 1994, 1995 and 1997), and the Durand Cup 4 times (1990, 1991, 1993 and 1995).
His trophy furniture besides included 2 Rovers Cups (1990, 1994), the Federation Cup (1996), the historical Wai Wai Cup successful Kathmandu (1993), Airlines Trophy titles successful 1990, 1992, 1995 and 1997, the Bordoloi Trophy (1992), ATPA Shield (1992), Kalinga Cup (1993), McDowell Trophy (1995, 1997), and the Super Cup successful the 1996-97 season.
He was besides a subordinate of East Bengal's celebrated triple crown-winning broadside successful 1990 and captained the squad to its archetypal planetary rubric astatine the Wai Wai Cup successful 1993.
He besides wore the captain's armband erstwhile East Bengal registered a sensational 6-2 triumph implicit Iraq's Al Zawraa SC successful the 1993-94 Asian Cup Winners' Cup.
He got a peculiar Lifetime Achievement Award from East Bengal successful 2012.
The AIFF said it has joined the Indian shot fraternity successful mourning the nonaccomplishment of Pasha, a defender of uncommon composure and consistency, to honour his lasting contributions to the game.
In Kolkata, the East Bengal emblem was kept astatine half-mast connected the day, portion the club’s Under-16 squad observed a minute’s soundlessness earlier training.
Former East Bengal skipper Falguni Dutta, who played alongside Pasha for 2 years, remembered him fondly. “I came to cognize aboriginal successful the morning. I was shocked.
"When I came to the nine successful 1997, I was a earthy endowment and helium was determination to usher maine arsenic a mentor. He played successful the aforesaid presumption arsenic me, but I ne'er saw immoderate jealousy successful him. He was similar an elder member -- a usher and a coach. He inspired us,” Dutta said.
East Bengal Club bid a last farewell to Pasha astatine his Bengaluru residence.
Working committee subordinate Dipten Bose paid his respects, portion erstwhile players Saravanan, Thomas and Feroz were besides present.
