Kolkata: Former Indian footballer and one of the most celebrated soccer coaches of India, Subhash Bhowmik passed away in Kolkata on Saturday. He was 70 and survived by his wife, son and daughter.
Bhowmik was the key man in guiding East Bengal to ASEAN up in the year 2003. He was also a member of the bronze-winning Indian soccer team in the Asian Games in the year 1970. He was admitted to a private hospital in Kolkata for the last few days following kidney-related ailments. He was even supposed to undergo kidney transplantation.
In 2005, Bhowmik, a central excise officer, was shrouded with controversy after he was caught red-handed while accepting bribes by the sleuths of the anti-corruption wing of the Central Bureau of India investigation. At the time of arrest, Bhowmik entered into a brawl and skirmish with the sleuths of CBI.
Bhowmik originally hails from north Bengal. Almost the entire part of his soccer career was spent with the East Bengal club. He became famous in the soccer circuit of Kolkata as a "bulldozing striker." He retired from active football life in 1979 and started his coaching career in 1991.
