Kolkata: Former East Bengal captain Santo Mitra passed away this morning after a prolonged battle with throat cancer, family sources said. Mitra was 75. He is survived by daughter and wife. "He was battling throat cancer since 2009, the year he was crowned as Kolkata Sheriff... He passed away at 7.20 am," according to a family source.

The former East Bengal left-back represented the red- and-gold brigade from 1965-1972 and won all the top tournaments of the country for the club. He was made captain in 1970 when they won the local league, the IFA Shield after defeating Iran's Pas Club and then the Durand Cup defeating arch-rivals Mohun Bagan. Mitra was named in the India squad for the 1968 Merdeka Cup but he never got the opportunity to play for India.

Mitra was also conferred with East Bengal's Lifetime Achievement award in 2012. As a coach, he played an instrumental role during the 1984 Nehru Cup, when he was the assistant coach along with Karnataka's Amjad Khan under Yugoslavian Ciric Milovan. He also coached Bengal in the 1983 Santosh Trophy and the next year he was made India manager at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic qualifiers. Mitra was the football project director during the 2002 Asian Games.

"He was a gentleman to the core, a great human. I have not seen him play but have heard about his achievements... May his soul rest in peace," former Indian captain Biswajit Bhattacharya said in his condolence message.