Former Indian captain Shashi Bala passes away

Vehicle in which Shashi Bala was travelling

Former Indian captain and member of 1998 FIH Women World Cup Shashi Bala passed away today after meeting with an accident. Shashi Bala was travelling with her son Agrim Thakur and daughter Varnika when they met with an accident on Ropar-Nawanshahr-Phagwara area today. In the accident both Shashi Bala and her son Agrim passed away along with the driver Attar Singh. Shashi Bala was travelling with her son, daughter and the driver to Chandigarh when the accident took place. The car they were travelling in was hit by Light Commercial Vehicle. Shashi’s daughter Varnika (20) was critically injured and was rushed to the local hospital for treatment.

45-year-old Shashi Bala made her international debut in 1987 and was a member of the national team in the 1998 FIH Women World Cup in the Netherlands. She was captain of the national team during the 1997 FIH Women World Cup Qualifier held in Harare, Zimbabwe.  After her playing career, she coached India Railways' hockey teams and later become a Selector of Hockey Punjab. She was currently serving as coach of RCF Kapurthala.

Hockey India President Narinder Batra expressed condolences on untimely death of Shashi Bala saying, “Hockey India would like to express its condolence for the unfortunate demise of Shashi Bala and her son with great grief and sorrow. It’s a sad day for Indian hockey fraternity. May her soul Rest in Peace”