Patna: Preeti Kumari, a national football player from Bihar, passed away during treatment at Sahayog Hospital, Patliputra, Patna, on 25th January at 10:00 pm.
Bihar Football Association Secretary, Syed Imtiaz Hussain, shared that Preeti, a resident of Muzaffarpur district, had been unwell for the past 20 days. She represented Bihar in the Senior Nationals for seven years and captained the state team during the 2019 tournament held in Cuttack.
In 2023, Preeti was appointed to a government job in Bihar based on her achievements in sports. She was posted in the Chief Minister’s Secretariat and was on deputation to the Bihar State Sports Authority in Patna at the time of her passing.
Her funeral was attended by notable figures, including Secretary Syed Imtiaz Hussain, Shyama Rani, Afzal Alam from the Bihar State Sports Authority, coach Shatrughan Singh, Shyam Singh, Pinky Kumari, Mohammad Danish, Aftab Alam, Mamta Kumari, Baby Kumari, and Khushboo Kumari.
Preeti’s untimely demise at the age of 34 has left the sports community in mourning. Tributes poured in from various dignitaries, including Raveendran Sankaran, Director General of the Bihar State Sports Authority; Prasanjit Mehta, President of the Bihar Football Association; Vice-President Ravindra Prasad Singh; Dr Intashaarul Haq; and Coordinator of Bihar Women’s Football, Asgar Hussain.
Others who expressed their condolences include Sunil Kumar, Vice-President of Muzaffarpur Football; Dr Faizuddin Faiz; Mohammad Afzal from the Bihar State Sports Authority; international football player Shyama Rani; football coaches Shatrughan Singh, Mohammad Danish, Shyam Chaudhary, and Santosh Kumar; and Mohammad Naushad Alam, Secretary of the Rohtas District Football Association. Officials from various sports associations, football players, and coaches also paid their respects, remembering Preeti as a dedicated athlete who made significant contributions to football in Bihar.
