BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya passes away in Kolkata

New Delhi: The President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Jagmohan Dalmiya has passed away on Sunday night following a massive cardiac arrest. He was 75.

The BCCI boss had suffered heart attack on Thursday and was under observation after undergoing a heart surgery KM Birla hospital in Kolkata. His condition was reported to have remained stable for close to three days, was declared dead today. Dalmiya is survived by his wife Chadralekha, his son Abhishek and daughter Vaishali.

Regarded as one of the greatest Indian sports administrators, Dalmiya became the BCCI president for a second stint in March this year, taking over from N Srinivasan. During BCCI's Annual General Body Meeting in March, he had emerged as a consensus candidate and was elected president unopposed.

But with deteriorating health, the Kolkata-based businessman had been keeping away from the board meetings except for the very important ones. He had Alzheimer's disease and several other health complications.

The Indian cricket board condoled the “sudden demise” of the president.

BCCI condoles the sudden demise of our president Shri Jagmohan Dalmiya

— BCCI (@BCCI) September 20, 2015

Paying rich tribute to the departed soul, BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur hailed Dalmiya as “the greatest sports administrator of India” and termed the loss a personal one for him.

The greatest sports administrator of India has passed away,an era ends. A personal loss to me & Indian cricket. @BCCI #RIPDalmiyaJi — Anurag Thakur (@ianuragthakur) September 20, 2015

I knew Dalmiya Ji for over 15 years. He was a mentor to us all & a true lover of the game. His guidance & passion was immense. @BCCI — Anurag Thakur (@ianuragthakur) September 20, 2015

Dalmiya had been president of the International Cricket Council, and held different offices in the Indian cricket board, and occupied top posts in the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) in a career that began in 1979.

In a fruitful association of over three decades with cricket, Dalmiya helped BCCI become one the strongest and richest boards in the world. He was instrumental in bringing the 1987 Reliance World Cup in India. In 1996, he teamed up with IS Bindra to organised the World Cup in the Indian sub-continent.

Born on May 30, 1940 in Kolkata into a Marwari business family, Dalmiya was a wicket-keeper before entering administration. He joined BCCI in 1979, and in 1983, became treasurer of the board. Besides occupying the top post of BCCI in numerous occasions, he also served as ICC president for three years, from 1997 to 2000.