Olympian footballer and a FIFA international referee, Syed Shahid Hakim, passed away on Sunday morning at a private hospital in Gulbarga, Karnataka. He was 82 and is survived by wife and two daughters.
Popularly referred to as Hakim saab, he was part of the Indian squad in the 1960 Olympics. He was also a FIFA international referee and supervised many matches in AFC Asian Cup 1988 at Doha.
At the domestic level, he was part of the triumphant Services’ Santosh Trophy squad in 1960. He was also part of the squad from 1960/66.
At the club level, he played for City College Old Boys (Hyderabad), and Indian Air Force.
A former assistant coach of the Indian national team, he also coached Mahindra and Mahindra in 1998/99, and guided them to win the Durand Cup in 1998. He also coached Salgaocar SC, Hindustan FC, and Bengal Mumbai Club.
He was conferred the Dhyan Chand Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017.
In his condolence message, All India Football Federation (AIFF) president Praful Patel said, “It is devastating to hear that Hakim saab is no more. He was a member of Indian football’s golden generation who played a stellar role in popularising the sport in the country. His contribution to Indian Football can never be forgotten. I share the grief.”
AIFF general secretary, Kushal Das said, “Hakim saab’s legacy will live on. He was a legendary footballer who has been an inspiration for so many generations. My condolences to his family. We pray for his soul to rest in peace.”
