Syed Shahid Hakim, a Rome 1960 Olympian, dies at 82
A former footballer and a veteran sports administrator, Hakim suffered a stroke and was being treated at a hospital in Gulbarga.
Former Indian footballer and Olympian Syed Shahid Hakim passed away at the age of 82 in Gulbarga, Karnataka, on Sunday morning.
SS Hakim, who represented India at the 1960 Rome Olympics, was being treated at a hospital after suffering a stroke two days back.
“He suffered a cardiac arrest at 8 AM today and passed away at 8:30 AM,” Sadia Syeda, wife of Hakim, told Sportstar.
SS Hakim played an integral role for the development of football in India both as a footballer and a coach. He was awarded the Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sports and Games in 2017.
Born in Hyderabad, SS Hakim was the son of legendary coach Syed Abdul Rahim, who guided India to two Asian Games gold medals and the semi-final of the 1956 Melbourne Olympics
During his playing days, SS Hakim won the Santosh Trophy in 1960 while plying his trade for Services football team and continued to play till 1966. He also played for City College Old Boys and Indian Air Force at club level.
The highlight of SS Hakim’s international career was the 1960 Rome Olympics. The Hyderabadi was a member of the Indian team, coached by his father.
India failed to make it past the group stages at Rome but famously held France to a 1-1 draw.
SS Hakim turned to coaching after his playing days, following the footsteps of his father.
A former assistant coach of the Indian national team, Hakim managed the Durand Cup-winning side of Mahindra and Mahindra in 1998 and also coached Salgoacar and Bengal Mumbai FC.
Along with coaching, the Hyderabadi was a FIFA referee and officiated at the 1988 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar.
A former squadron leader of the Indian Air Force, Hakim also held the role of Regional Director of Sports Authority of India, Kolkata.
Hakim ‘saab’, as he was fondly called, is survived by his wife and two daughters.