Former Indian football team coach Rustam Akramov passed away at the age of 73 in his native place in Uzbekistan.
According to the official website of the National Olympic Committee of Uzbekistan, the legendary coach died on 15th February 2022.
- Akramov was the one to introduce Bhaichung Bhutia to the international game in the 1995 Nehru Cup Match and took the Blue Tigers to their highest-ever FIFA ranking (94th rank) in February 1996. The team came close to this achievement in 2017 and 2018 when it rose to 96th.
Besides Bhutia, the Indian team under Akramov was full of great players like IM Vijayan, Carlton Chapman and Bruno Coutinho.
Akramov was in charge as head coach of the Blue Tigers from 1995 (Nehru Cup in March) to 1996 (World Cup qualifiers in September) wherein he coached India to win the Gold Medal in the 1995 SAF Games in Chennai. India also finished as runners-up in the 1995 SAFF Cup in Colombo during his tenure as the National coach.
The All India Football Federation condoled Akramov's demise.
- "It's sad to hear that Rustam Akramov is no more. His invaluable contribution to Indian Football will never be forgotten. My condolences to his family. I share the grief," said AIFF President, Praful Patel in a statement.
- "Indian Football will always remain indebted to Rustam Akramov. As a coach, he tried to inculcate a fighting spirit among his wards. My condolences to his family. May his soul rest in peace," said AIFF General Secretary, Kushal Das.
Born in 1948 at a place near Tashkent, Akramov was a legend in his country as he was the first coach of the Uzbek national team after independence. During his two-year tenure from 1992-1994, the Uzbek national team won the Hiroshima Asian Games (1994) and the Central Asian Championship.
For his great contribution to the development of Uzbek football, he was awarded the Shukhrat medal and the title of Honoured Coach of the Republic of Uzbekistan by the government.
We at the Su-Niti News pay our deepest condolences.
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