‘Celebrate his identity’: Pune school hosts 3-day football tournament in memory of teenage star Aariz Shaikh

The school officially announced that Aariz’s No. 7 jersey has been permanently retired. The jersey was presented to his parents, and the school confirmed that no other player would ever wear it. Also, the boys’ football team has printed Aariz’s initials, ‘A.S.’, on the sleeves of their uniforms.

Aariz’s parents were in attendance, starting the inaugural match by shaking hands with both teams. A moment of silence was observed, exactly seven minutes into the match.

Generally playing on the left wing, Aariz’s talent has awed and inspired his teammates and juniors alike. “I really looked up to him. He was truly an amazing player and such a genuine guy,” said Ethan Mendes, his junior teammate.

“He would never make us feel bad for making mistakes and always knew how to lighten the mood. His juniors really admired him.”

‘His death was unfair’

His schoolmates shared stories about how he would playfully share food, make them laugh at events, and serve as the school’s stress reliever. “I met him only a year ago, but he made me feel so welcome that it felt like I had known him forever,” said Ridhima Rukari, the current sports captain, who connected with Aariz through their shared love for football.

Friends recounted that he was on his way to play badminton when the accident occurred on April 5. “His death was just unfair,” said close friend Shreyas Das. “He was supposed to give us a treat after returning from a trip. When he didn’t show up, a stranger answered his phone to tell us he was in the hospital. We all rushed there as soon as we heard. The sight of his family was shattering.”

Remembering her last moments with him, practising free-kicks on the ground, his close friend Siah Rane said, “Losing him is like losing a piece of my heart, a piece of my daily routine.”

Inspired by his memory, the Bishop’s Camp team “played as Aariz would have wanted,” securing a 4-1 victory against The Bishop’s School, Kalyani Nagar, on the opening day.

Ira Kharshikar is an intern with The Indian Express.