Former All India Football Federation secretary Ashoke Ghosh died of a massive heart attack at his residence here in the wee hours of Thursday. Ghosh, 78, has a son and a daughter.
According to family sources, Ghosh had a severe chest pain at around 2 am and breathed his last before he could be rushed to hospital. Instrumental in organising the Nehru Cup in 1982, Ghosh was a very popular figure in the sporting fraternity.
Regarded as one of the greatest sports administrators, Ghosh was also at the helm of Bengal Olympic Association (BOA) for two decades (1984-2004), besides holding several important portfolios in various social and sports associations during the last 40 years.
He was last holding the vice-president's post of the BOA. Ghosh, who represented the Town Club, was with the state football association (IFA) and AIFF for eight years (1980-88), an eventful tenure during which he was instrumental in successful organisation of the Nehru Cup where the Uruguay side took part.
"He brought India into world football map by organising the Nehru Cup. He was also instrumental in bringing the South Asian Games (formerly SAF) to Kolkata in 1987.
"He also organised the State Games in 1999. He was a true gentleman, sportsperson and did not belong to any political party," BOA secretary Kamlesh Chatterjee told PTI. Ghosh was also a former committee member of the Cricket Association of Bengal.