Mahesh Lotlikar

The sturdy Mahesh Lotlikar formed an excellent central defensive pairing, first with Nicholas Pereira, and later with David D’Souza, to provide the steel in Dempo’s rearguard. The former international from Chinchinim took time initially to get his act together but made rapid strides as a wiser head grew on his broad shoulders. He represented Dempo for a long spell and despite his advancing years, remained as redoubtable as ever. Defenders don’t typically boast of a catalogue of goals but Lotlikar was different from the rest of the pack. Among the memorable ones he scored were the match winner against his former team, Mormugao Port Trust, in the Bandodkar quarter-finals, and, more importantly, in the Scissors Cup final in 1992 against Indian Telephone Industries which Dempo won 2-1.