He was one of the most promising defenders in the history of Indian football, whose style of play was a source of inspiration for many. Ilyas Pasha started his career with Bangalore based ITI team. He joined Mahamedan in 1989 and within a year of playing opened the door to club football in Calcutta. East Bengal in 1990. 17 won the hearts of the fans in a short time as a right back in the red and yellow jersey. His ability to overlap and defend was a challenge for opponents.

Playing for East Bengal from 1990 to 1998, he scored two goals for the club, including one in the Kolkata derby. It wasn’t easy to find a place in the starting XI in the strong East Bengal side of the nineties with stars like Manoranjan Bhattacharya and Tarun Dey, but Pasha achieved it. Teammate Tarun Dey said, “The ability to play the game without taking risks and the match reading was amazing was Pasha’s speciality.”

Pasha has won various trophies, such as Kolkata League, IFA Shield, Bardalui Trophy, Federation Cup, Durand Cup and DCM. He also won the Santosh Trophy for Bengal. Although successful in club football, he did not get many opportunities in the country’s jersey. Turned down job offers while playing and was also under financial pressure late in life, which was resolved by the East Bengal club. His death cast a shadow of mourning on the football field.