Gostha Behari Pal was an Indian footballer who played primarily as a defender. Nicknamed "the Chinese wall", Pal was the first captain of the India national team, played during the 1920s and 30s.
The IFA Shield is an annual football competition organized by the Indian Football Association, the football governing body in the Indian state of West Bengal. The IFA came into existence in 1893, and named after the association, the IFA Shield tournament was started in the same year. It is the third oldest football tournament in India, after Durand Cup and Trades Cup, and is among the oldest football competitions in the world.
Subimal "Chuni" Goswami was an Indian professional footballer and first-class cricketer. As footballer, he played as a striker or winger, captained both the Mohun Bagan club and the India national team. He also served as the Sheriff of Kolkata. Goswami scored nine goals in 30 international appearances. He was an Olympian, represented India national team at the 1960 Summer Olympics. He also led the team to achieve the gold medal at the 1962 Asian Games, and earn the runners-up position at the 1964 AFC Asian Cup.
Pradip Kumar BanerjeeFIFAOM was an Indian professional footballer who played as a striker for the India national football team. He also captained the national team and later on became the coach of the national team. He represented India in 45 official matches and scored 15 official goals for the country. He was one of the first recipients of Arjuna Award, when the awards were instituted in 1961. He was awarded the prestigious Padma Shri in 1990 and was named Indian Footballer of the 20th century by IFFHS. In 2004, he was awarded the FIFA Order of Merit, the highest honour awarded by FIFA.
Syed Nayeemuddin, known as Nayeem, is an Indian football coach and former player. He played for and captained the India national team. He later managed Mahindra United, Brothers Union, Dhaka Mohammedan, and Bangladesh national team.
Krishanu Dey was an Indian footballer from Kolkata, India. He was an attacking midfielder and was known as the "Indian Maradona" among his fans due to his footballing skills and playing style.
Havildar Peter Thangaraj was an Indian football player and a non-commissioned officer in the Indian Army. Thangaraj played for the Indian national side at the 1956 Melbourne and 1960 Rome Olympics. He was voted Asia's best goalkeeper in 1958. Thangaraj was a recipient of Arjuna Award for the year 1967.
Sheoo Mewalal was an Indian footballer in Kolkata. He played as a striker and was known for his fitness, bicycle kicks, and goal-scoring abilities, especially using the rabona kick.
Amal Dutta was a former Indian footballer, coach and football manager. Born in Calcutta, then Bengal Presidency, he is considered as the first professional football coach in the country. A finest thinker of the sport, Dutta had a rivalry with Pradip Kumar Banerjee during his coaching days in Kolkata club football.
Aryan Football Club is an Indian professional multi-sports club based in Kolkata, West Bengal, known predominantly for its association football section. The club competes in the Calcutta Football League, oldest league in Asia.
Samar "Badru" Banerjee was an Indian footballer who played primarily as a striker for the India national football team. He captained India at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, where they achieved fourth place.
Hyderabad City Police FC was an Indian institutional football club, being the most famous and powerful team in Hyderabad, affiliated to the Hyderabad Football Association (HFA). The club was associated and affiliated with Hyderabad City Police during reign of the Nizam of Hyderabad. From 1939 until the merger of Andhra, and Hyderabad Football Associations, the club shaped the sporting culture in the province.
Balaidas Chatterjee was an Indian footballer and football manager, who played predominantly as defender. He became the first head coach of the India national team and guided them at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London. During his playing days, Chatterjee played for Mohun Bagan in various domestic competitions.
Tulsidas Balaram, also known as Tulsidas Balaraman, was an Indian footballer. Balaram represented India in multiple international tournaments, including the Asian Games, the Mederka Cup and the Olympics. Along with P. K. Banerjee and Chuni Goswami, Balaram was part of an acclaimed trio of players that helped propel India into what is widely regarded as its golden age of football during the 1950s and 60s.
Shyam Thapa is a retired Indian footballer who played for the India national football team and was the bronze-medallist at the 1970 Asian Games. He later went on to manage the Nepal national football team. Coached by P. K. Banerjee, Thapa became one of the finest and aggressive strikers of the country during the 1970s, known for his bicycle-kicks.
Jarnail Singh Dhillon was a former Indian football player, who played as a centre-back. He was the captain of the India national football team from 1965 to 1967. He was given the Arjuna Award in 1964 for his achievements as a football player. He also competed in the men's tournament at the 1960 Summer Olympics. Considered as one of Asia's best defenders in the 1960s, he spent most of his career in Mohun Bagan.
Runu Guha Thakurta was a former Indian association football player. He was part of the squad that played at the 1952 Summer Olympics against Yugoslavia, but he did not play in the match. He played for both the Calcutta Football League side George Telegraph SC, and Mohun Bagan AC.
Isaiah Arumainayagam is an Indian former footballer. He represented India internationally.
Bengal Nagpur Railway Football Club is an Indian institutional football club based in Kolkata, West Bengal. Founded in 1929, the club competes in the Premier Division B of the Calcutta Football League.
Mihir Bose, is a retired Indian professional footballer who played as a forward. He played for the India national team, representing the country in the 1981 Merdeka Tournament in Kuala Lumpur and the 1982 Nehru Cup in Kolkata. In a domestic career spanning twelve years between 1977 and 1989, he had represented all three of Calcutta's football clubs, East Bengal, Mohun Bagan, and Mohammedan Sporting. Bose won twenty-four trophies while representing the big three of Kolkata.
