Swapan Sadhan Bose, the former president of Mohun Bagan Super Giant and one of the most influential figures in Indian football administration, passed away late on Tuesday after suffering a cardiac arrest. He was 78 and had been undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Kolkata for multiple health complications.

Known affectionately as “Tutu Babu” in Kolkata’s Maidan circles, Bose played a defining role in shaping Mohun Bagan’s modern era. He served the club in various capacities for more than three decades, including as secretary and president, and became synonymous with the green-and-maroon institution.

Under his leadership, Mohun Bagan navigated several financial and administrative challenges while also embracing transformative decisions, including the induction of foreign players and the club’s corporate partnership era.

With Tutu Bose’s death, Mohun Bagan loses one of the last surviving administrators who bridged the club’s old guard and modern era. For generations of supporters in Kolkata, his presence had become inseparable from the identity and politics of the Maidan.