Pal, 78, was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and was admitted at the SSKM Hospital on October 10. He breathed his last around 6.55 am there, sources in Mohun Bagan, his former club, said.
A bachelor, Pal lived with his relatives at Shyamnagar in North 24 Parganas district. The prolific goal scorer of 1950s, Pal was part of the Indian football team in 1952 Helsinki and 1956 Melbourne Olympics. He also represented India in the Asian Games.
In the 1956 Games, Pal played a stellar role under captain Samar (Badru) Banerjee in guiding India to the semifinals. Pal had once been the number one Indian striker, famous for his clinical headers and powerful shooting abilities. Having started off his club football career with Juger Protik (Shyamnagar), Pal represented Bhowanipore Club and was a prolific scorer for Mohun Bagan in the ‘50s.
Deccan Herald is on WhatsApp Channels| Join now for Breaking News & Editor's Picks