East Bengal legend and Olympian Ahmed Khan dies at 91

Ahmed Khan, who played in the 1948 and 1952 Olympics, was perhaps the most famous of the legendary quintet of forwards called the ‘Five Pandavas’ who played for East Bengal.

Ahmed Khan, the former India and East Bengal forward and Olympian, died in Bangalore on Sunday. He was 91 and is survived by wife, son and daughter.

Ahmed Khan was a part of the football team that represented India at the 1948 and 1952 Olympics. (Twitter)

Khan, who played in the 1948 and 1952 Olympics, was perhaps the most famous of the legendary quintet of forwards called the ‘Five Pandavas’ who played for East Bengal in an India that had just become an independent nation. He played for East Bengal from 1949-1959.

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Khan was also the last surviving member of that frontline that had Dhanraj, Appa Rao, Saleh and Venkatesh‎. With them, East Bengal won the IFA Shield, the Kolkata league and the Rovers Cup in 1949 and became the first Indian club to win the Durand Cup in 1951.

Such was East Bengal’s dominance in those days that they were invited on a tour or Europe with Khan being a top draw. Khan was skipper of the East Bengal team that toured USSR in 1954.