New Delhi: Former Delhi State footballer Mohd. Akram passed  away  on Tuesday evening  at  his East  Delhi  Gagan  Vihar  residence  following  a  prolonged  illness.

Akram, aged 72, is survived by his wife and six daughters including four married.

Akram, one was one of the finest defenders Delhi has ever produced, started his football career with walled  -  city famous Anglo Arabic School in 1955.  He did his graduation from erstwhile Delhi College (now known as Dr.Zakir Hussain College) in 1958.

He regularly represented his school, college and his department. Custom football teams in the state as well as all-India competitions.

He started playing in prestigious Delhi Senior Division league from leading City Football Club and was a prominent figure in Delhi League from 1960 to1980.

He also represented his club in country's prominent tournaments viz., DCM,  Durand,

Rovers Cup, IFA Shield, Stafford Cup etc., during  sixty - eighty era.

He also represented Delhi State in the Senior National Football Championship for Santosh Trophy  on several occasions.

His contemporaries were Sujat Ashraf, Mohd. Aslam, Manzoor Ahmed, Mohd. Yakub,

Taffiq, Lufet Ali, Mohd.  Mohammed, Aziz Qureshi, Pran, Madan Abdul Aziz, Syed Nasir  Ali  etc.

He retired from his department Delhi Customs as Asstt. Commissioner in 2001.

He was buried on Wednesday evening at Motian (situated near Prakash Narain Hospital) Qabristan. A  large  number  of  soccer lovers  including  DSA  officials  were  present  at  his funeral.

The Delhi Soccer Association (DSA) President  Subhash Chopra, MLA and the managing committee members expressed  their heart-felt  condolences  over  his  untimely death.