Former India midfielder Bhupinder Singh Rawat, who played in the 1969 Merdeka Cup in Malaysia died after a brief illness, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) stated. He was 85 and is survived by his wife, one son and daughter. A darling of the crowd for his speed and ability to cut through the rival defence despite his diminutive figure, Rawat was nicknamed "Scooter" by the fans."Bhupinder Singh Rawat was a classy winger and also a prolific scorer, who served the game with distinction," the AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey said in his condolence message.
"I extend my sincerest condolences to his family in this hour of sorrow." A speedy winger of the 1960s and 1970s, Rawat was part of the Indian team that finished seventh in the Merdeka Cup with a win over Western Australia in a classification match. In domestic football, he played for top teams like Delhi Garrison, Gorkha Brigade and Mafatlal. He represented Services and Maharashtra in the National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy. "He was a skillful footballer of his time and the spectators loved to watch him play. On behalf of the Indian football fraternity, I condole his passing away,” stated AIFF secretary general M Satyanarayan.