Former Indian women hockey captain Shashi Bala passed away along with her son following a road accident in Punjab today.

Shashi Bala's 15-year-old son Agrim Thakur was with her and was also fatally injured in the accident which happened at Ropar-Nawanshahr-Phagwara area.

"Hockey India is deeply saddened by the untimely demise of former India Women Team captain Shashi Bala and her 15- year-old son Agrim Thakur. The entire Indian Hockey fraternity expresses its grief on losing a prominent personality who was known for her immense contribution towards Indian Hockey," Hockey India President Narinder Batra said in a release.

45-year-old Shashi Bala made her international debut in 1987 and was a member of the national team in the 1998 FIH Women World Cup in the Netherlands.

She was captain of the national team during the 1997 FIH Women World Cup Qualifier held in Harare, Zimbabwe. After her playing career, she coached India Railways' hockey teams and later become a Selector of Hockey Punjab.