One of India’s greatest hockey players of all time, Mohammad Shahid, passed away at the Medanta Hospital in Gurgaon on Wednesday.
The 56-year-old former captain and Olympic medallist was battling a severe liver condition and had been in intensive care unit at Medanta for the last three weeks.
“Last night, he slipped into coma and was subsequently put on a ventilator. After suffering multiple organ failure, he could never recover,” a source at Medanta said.
Shahid’s compromised kidney function had prevented a liver transplant.
A dribbling wizard, he was part of the Indian team that won a gold medal at the 1980 Moscow Olympics. The legendary player was also a part of the national team that won a silver medal in the Delhi Asiad in 1982, and bronze in the Seoul Asiad in 1986.
Shahid was conferred the Arjuna Award in 1981 and the Padma Shri in 1986. He was employed in the Diesel Loco Works factory in Varanasi since 1996.
Last month, the sports ministry announced a grant of Rs 10 lakh for Shahid. The Indian Railways also announced they would pay for his medical expenses.
The hockey wizard was rushed to Sir Sunder Lal Hospital in Varanasi last month after complaining of stomach ache. On June 29, he was shifted to Gurgaon.
After displaying initial signs of improvement, Shahid developed jaundice due to low immunity, which further complicated his treatment and led to acute appetite loss and low blood pressure.
He is survived by his wife Parveen Shahid and twins Mohammad Saif and Heena Shahid.
