KOCHI: Former Kerala footballer Babu Devanand passed away on Tuesday. Devanand, who was one of the finest defenders in Indian football, was a member of the team that won the first Santosh Trophy for Kerala. Devanand's leg was amputated on April 16. He died after suffering from a heart attack on Tuesday.

His leg was amputated on the day of the first match of the Santosh Trophy in Malappuram this year. (The news was first reported by Kerala Kaumudi). He was resting at his flat in Thrippunithura. Devanand suffered a heart attack at around 10 am on Tuesday.

The funeral took place at Mattancherry Tirumala Devaswom Saraswat Association Cemetery at 4 pm.

He had been battling the disease limb Ischemia for the past few years. He had his leg amputated recently at Kalamassery Medical College.

Devanand was a defender in the Kerala team that won the Santosh Trophy for the first time at the Maharaja's Ground in Ernakulam in 1973.

Devanand, who grew up through the Kannur Brothers Club, joined the Mumbai Tatas team after the 1973 Santosh trophy victory. He was also part of the Indian team that shared the Asian Youth Football Championship with Iran in Bangkok the following year. He played most of his games for Tata. He retired from football in 1983. He was the personal manager at the Taj Hotel in Mumbai. He retired from work in 2011.