1960 Olympic Footballers first felicitated then insulted

Yesterday the Ministry of Sports felicitated the footballers who participated for India in the 1960 Rome Olympics, 51 years after they took part in the games. But only a few hours later yesterday evening the players where insulted when they had to shell out Rs 1,000 per person for their dinner at the International Youth Hostel after the event.

It continues to be a shame in which way the Government of India deals with former sportspersons. On a day when finally their contribution to the nation, not only its football was being celebrated something like this happens. It is inexcusable.

The Sports Minister Ajay Maken even had to answer queries from the press today and answered, "I apologise to the football team members who had to pay for their food after the felicitation ceremony."

Sadly not all players are still alive but led by captain P.K. Banerjee also Tulsidas Balaram, Shankar Subramaniam Narayan, O. Chandershekhar, Fortunata A. Franco, Chuni Goswami, S.S. Hakeem, S. Hamid, Arun Ghosh and Simon Sunderraj attended; while the wives of Peter Thangaraj and Dharmalingam Kannan represented their former husbands. The family members of Mohammed Yousuf Khan, M. Dev Das, Jarnail Singh, Ram Bahadur and Mariappa Kempiah, as also of Shaikh Abdul Latif, who migrated to Pakistan, couldn't attend the function.

The former footballers were honoured with a shawl, plaque and a cheque of Rs. 150,000 (1.5 lakh), but for them, the recognition after 51 long years mattered the most. That they would be felicitated had been announced by former Sports Minister M.S. Gill last year, who also attended the function. The felicitation took place at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, a fitting venue then the now hockey-only venue was where India won their first football gold at the 1951 Asian Games.


Here a CNN-IBN report on the felicitation






INDIAN FOOTBALL TEAM at 1960 Rome Olympics

Goalkeepers:
1-Peter Thangaraj (Madras Regimental Centre, Services), Shankar Subramaniam Narayan (Tata Sports Club, Bombay)

Defenders:
2-Jarnail Singh (Mohun Bagan AC), 3-Shaikh Abdul Latif (Bombay), 5-O. Chandrasekhar (Bombay), Arun Ghosh (Railways)

Midfielders:
4-Mariappa Kempiah (Mohun Bagan AC), 6-Ram Bahadur (East Bengal Club), Fortunata A. Franco (ICL-Bengal Club, Bombay)

Forwards:
7-P.K. Banerjee (Railways - CAPTAIN), 8-Chuni Goswami (Bengal), 10-Mohammed Yousuf Khan (Hyderabad City Police), 11-Tulsidas Balaram (East Bengal Club), S.S. Hakeem (Hyderabad), Dharmalingam Kannan (East Bengal Club), Simon Sunderraj (Railways), M. Dev Das (Bombay), S. Hamid (Hyderabad)

Officials
Syed Abdul RAHIM (Coach, Hyderabad); K. ZIAUDDIN (Manager, Bombay); M. DUTTA RAY (Indian Representative at FIFA Congress, Bengal)


Group 4:
26-Aug-60: India 1-2 Hungary - Indian Goal: T. Balaram.
INDIA: Peter Thangaraj; O Chandrasekhar, Jarmail Singh, S.A. Latif; Mariappa Kempiah, Yousuf Khan; P.K. Banerjee, Chuni Goswami, D. Kannan, Simon Sunderraj, Tulsidas Balaram

29-Aug-60: India 1-1 France - Indian Goal: P.K. Banerjee.
INDIA: Peter Thangaraj; O Chandrasekhar, S.A. Latif, Jarnail Singh; Mariappa Kempiah, Ram Bahadur; P.K. Banerjee, Chuni Goswami, Yousuf Khan, Simon Sunderraj, Tulsidas Balaram

01-Sep-60: India 1-3 Peru - Indian Goal: Simon Sunderraj
INDIA: Peter Thangaraj; O Chandrasekhar, Jarmail Singh, S.A. Latif; Mariappa Kempiah, Ram Bahadur; P.K. Banerjee, Chuni Goswami, Yousuf Khan, Simon Sunderraj, Tulsidas Balaram