Indore: Shankar Laxman, the legendary Indian hockey goalkeeper of the 1950s and 60s, passed away in Mhow on Saturday. Laxman, 72, is survived by his wife, son and three daughters.

Laxman, who represented India in three successive Olympics (1956, 1960 and 1964), had gangrene in one of his legs and doctors had advised amputation, family sources said.

But Laxman avoided it and was undergoing alternate treatment.

Born on July 7, 1933, Laxman captained India at the 1966 Asian Games. He was conferred the Padma Shri in 1967.

Meanwhile, former international goalkeeper and current coach of the Bharat Petroleum hockey squad, Romeo James, expressed his shock and sadness over the passing away of Laxman.

“He was very humble and a very simple person. He used to say that goalkeepers need to be agile to compensate for lack of height,” James said. (PTI)