Former captain of the Indian women’s hockey team Elvera Britto died on Tuesday as a result of age-related issues. She was 81 years old at the time.
From 1960 through 1967, Elvera, the eldest of the three legendary Britto sisters (the others being Rita and Mae), commanded the home circuit, leading Karnataka to seven national titles. She was India’s representative in a match against Australia, Sri Lanka, and Japan.
In 1965, Elvera became only the second women hockey player to be conferred with the Arjuna Award after Anne Lumsden (1961).
Regret to inform that the passing of Elvera Britto, a former International Hockey Player and Arjuna Awardee recipient in 1965.
— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) April 26, 2022
May Her Soul Rest In Peace!#IndiaKaGame #HockeyIndia @CMO_Odisha @sports_odisha @IndiaSports @Media_SAI pic.twitter.com/PQAGPQpBlf
“It is saddening to learn about the passing away of Elvera Britto. She was ahead of her times and achieved so much in women’s hockey and continued to serve the sport as an administrator with the state,” Hockey India president Gyanendro Ningombam said in a statement, as reported by PTI.
“On behalf of Hockey India and the entire hockey fraternity, we would like to express our deepest condolences to her family.”