23 September,2011 07:17 AM IST | | Astha Saxena
After battling severe lung infection for nearly three months, Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi breathed his last at Delhi's Sir Ganga Ram Hospital on Thursday
After battling severe lung infection for nearly three months, one of India's cricket captains Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi (70), breathed his last at Delhi's Sir Ganga Ram Hospital on Thursday.u00a0 He passed away at around 6.30 in the evening.
Endgame: Scene outside the hospital after the news of Pataudi's death
broke. Pic/Subhash barolia
Pataudi was admitted to the hospital on August 29 with interstitial lung disease, which affects the tissue and space around the air sacs of lungs. His condition deteriorated yesterday and he failed to recover. According to doctors, despite best efforts, his lungs had stopped responding to oxygen. "His health started falling sine last evening. He was suffering from a severe lung disease, and was unable to maintain his oxygen level. He had been in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for the last five days," said Dr Neeraj Jain, senior consultant and Chairman, Pulmonology (chest medicine), Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.
Doctors said this kind of 'usual interstitial pneumonitis' is known to worsen rapidly in spite of the best treatment available. "His condition seemed to stabilise in the first week of treatment, but then he stopped responding to any treatment," said Dr Jain.
He was being treated by a team of pulmonologists and critical care specialists. He is survived by his wife, veteran actor Sharmila Tagore, and three children - daughters Soha and Saba Ali Khan and son Saif Ali Khan.
According to sources, Sharmila, Soha, Saba, Saif and his girlfriend Kareena Kapoor were by his side during the last moments.
At the tiger's lair
Pataudi: Cricketing legend, Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi will be buried in Pataudi village in Gurgaon district on Friday afternoon. "The burial will take place at 2.15 pm. I will be representing Chief Minister, Haryana, Bhupinder Singh Hooda at the burial," Gurgaon Deputy Commissioner PC Meena told media persons. However, sources close to the family said the ceremony may start earlier, at around noon. Pataudi village is about 25 km from Gurgaon in Haryana where the former captain's palace, a portion of which is managed by a group owning luxury resorts, lies. When this reporter reached there late at night, there was an uneasy calm in the area. No one was to be seen, except a battery of media persons, many of them resting in their vehicles. No one was being allowed inside the palace compound.
-Inputs from Anurag Jadli
