Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | 1947 | ||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Babupara, Jalpaiguri, Bengal Presidency, British India | ||||||||||||||||
Date of death | 10 September 2018 71) | (aged||||||||||||||||
Place of death | Kalighat, Kolkata, West Bengal, India | ||||||||||||||||
Position(s) | Forward, attacking midfielder | ||||||||||||||||
Youth career | |||||||||||||||||
1960–1968 | Jalpaiguri Young Men's Association | ||||||||||||||||
Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||
1968–1969 | Rajasthan | (-) | (-) | ||||||||||||||
1969–1975 | Mohun Bagan | (-) | (71) | ||||||||||||||
1975–1979 | East Bengal | (-) | (-) | ||||||||||||||
Total | - | (-) | |||||||||||||||
International career | |||||||||||||||||
(-) | India | 5 | (2) | ||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||||
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Sukalyan Ghosh Dastidar (born 1947 - died September 10, 2018) was an Indian professional footballer [1] [2] from Jalpaiguri, who played as a striker for the India national football team, alongside Mohun Bagan [3] and East Bengal. He also represented Bengal in Santosh Trophy. [4]
He represented the bronze-medal winning India national football team at the 1970 Asian Games held at Bangkok, Thailand. He was the star striker of Mohun Bagan and won numerous accolades during his career. He was captain of Mohun Bagan in 1973. In 1975, he left Mohun Bagan to join rival East Bengal FC. He won numerous trophies as part of the India national football team and Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, including the 1970 Asian Games Bronze, the IFA Shield, the Santosh Trophy, the Calcutta Football League and the Rovers Cup.
He was born in Jalpaiguri District, Bengal Presidency, British India in an affluential family to parents who migrated to the northern district of Jalpaiguri from Barisal, Bengal Presidency before the Partition of 1947. In this quaint town, which has a history of nurturing great football talents like Pradip Kumar Banerjee, he started his training at the Jalpaiguri Young Men's Association (JYMA), where he was mentored by Rabi Gathu (রবি গাঠু স্যার), the well-known football coach at JYMA. In his early days, he was a leading player in the inter-school football tournaments and the Jalpaiguri Amateur Football League. During these tournaments, Dastidar's footballing antics used to draw huge crowds notably at the Friends Union Club grounds, the JYMA and the Jalpaiguri Town Club. He was a student of Jalpaiguri Zilla School. He played for the Rajasthan football team in the Santosh Trophy for a short while after moving from Jalpaiguri. He was recruited by Mohun Bagan soon after.
He was part of the Bronze winning Indian football team at the 1970 Asian Games led by Syed Nayeemuddin, [5] [6] [7] in Bangkok, Thailand. After his first stint, he went on to play for the country five times.
Ghosh Dastidar joined Mohun Bagan in 1970. He was part of the club's Bangladesh tour of May 1972, where they defeated Dhaka Mohammedan, but lost to Shadhin Bangla football team. [8] He won a double crown (Calcutta Football League and IFA Shield) in his maiden season with Mohun Bagan and went on to play for the club until 1974. He scored a total of 71 goals for Mohun Bagan in all [9] competitions and was its captain in 1973.
He represented Bengal in the Santosh Trophy. With Bengal in 1969, the team led by Santo Mitra, Ghosh Dastidar won title. [10] He won Santosh Trophy again in 1971–72 and 1972–73. [11] He switched allegiance to East Bengal Club [12] in 1975.
He was famous [13] for his precision long-distance shots ranging from 35 to 40 yards and he stormed the 1970s Calcutta football scene [14] [15] during his heyday as a striker.
In 1973, when Mohun Bagan took the lead for the first time in a game in four years (Mohun Bagan had a dry spell through 1970 to 1975), through a superb shot from 35 yards by Sukalyan Ghosh Dastidar, it just started raining cats and dogs, and the match was abandoned. The same year, East Bengal centre-forward Subhash Bhowmick fell (that's what one would like to believe) on Mohun Bagan captain Shankar Banerjee. Banerjee's legs were smashed, his football career effectively over. Fights broke out in the stadium as the poorly refereed game went on. At the end of the match as Mohun Bagan embraced another heartbreaking and unfortunate defeat, Ghosh Dastidar walked up to the referee Bishwanath Dutta, and struck him a mighty blow on his nose. Ghosh Dastidar was arrested; but he had also ended Dutta's refereeing career. He had crushed Dutta's nose, and bone fragments had got into his eyes, affecting his vision irreparably. He has publicly apologised and repented for this mishap throughout his later life.
In 1975, he left Mohun Bagan to join arch-rival East Bengal FC.
He settled in Kolkata after retiring from professional association football in 1979. He also served as an employee of the Central Bank of India. He continued to actively mentor aspiring footballers in spite of dissonances with Mohun Bagan later on. In his public talks, he stressed [16] the need for transformation of the overall environment and sporting culture of the football scene in Calcutta and India, stressing how it was distinctly different and more constructive in the 1970s which enabled the football clubs then to successfully sustain and nurture new talents. In his later life, he was consistently critical of the present situation of football clubs in India and South Asia.
He used to visit his hometown Jalpaiguri often.
He has two daughters and two grandchildren. He was a pet lover.
He died [17] from cardiac arrest at the age of 71, on 9 September 2018 in a private hospital in South Kolkata.
His splendid performances and speedy midfield action inspired a generation of footballers and youngsters in Jalpaiguri, as well as in the Calcutta Maidan scene and nation-wide. He was part of the golden generation of Indian football.
Mohun Bagan [18]
East Bengal
India
Bengal
Shibdas Bhaduri was an Indian footballer played as a striker. He captained Mohun Bagan in the historic IFA Shield final on 29 July 1911, where they defeated the East Yorkshire Regiment in final, with a score of 2–1 to become the first Indian team to win the competition.
Sailendra Nath Manna, known popularly as Sailen Manna, was an Indian football player who represented the India national team between 1948 and 1956. Predominantly played as a left-back, Manna is considered as one of the best defenders the country has ever produced. He has represented and captained India in different international competitions, including the Olympics and Asian Games.
Subhash Bhowmick was an Indian football player and manager. During his playing career, he represented the "Big Two" of Kolkata football, East Bengal and Mohun Bagan. He also represented India in various international tournaments between 1970 and 1985.
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 52 official matches and scored 16 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.
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.
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.
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.
Arun Ghosh is a former Indian football player who represented India internationally. He also played club football for both the Kolkata giants Mohun Bagan and East Bengal Club. He later managed the India national team.
Surajit Sengupta was an Indian footballer who played as a winger.
Balai Dey is a retired Indian football player who played as a goalkeeper. He is one of the few footballers who represented the two nations, India and Pakistan, in international football.
Kidderpore Sporting Club is an Indian professional multi-sports club based in the city of Kolkata, West Bengal. Its association football team competes in the Calcutta Football League Premier Division A, alongside taking part in IFA Shield. They also have a futsal section.
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.