Balaram was simply unstoppable during his heydays, even at the highest level of international football. The famed Hungary defence failed to stop him in the 1960 Rome Olympics. His ball control, distribution, scoring prowess and ability to rise to the occasion in difficult situations made him a part of Indian soccer folklore. Balaram’s biggest trademark is his ingrained, uncompromising sense of propriety, something he always maintained on and off the field.
Born on October 4, 1937, Balaram started his career in Hyderabad, then travelled to Kolkata in 1957 and joined East Bengal. For the next five seasons, he was the darling of the crowd, one of the biggest stars in Indian football. In 1963, he joined the Indian Railways. The same year, the curtain abruptly came abruptly down on his roaring career.
"Having joined South Eastern Railways, I had to play for BNR in the Kolkata league. Midway through the season, I found I was getting unusually tired. A few tests at the Railways hospital confirmed my lungs were heavily infected," Balaram revealed many years later in an interview.
"The doctor, who was a huge fan of my game, said playing football could cost my life. That was the end of my career. I was 27 then," he said.
Back in Secunderabad, Balaram’s mother had by then finalised his marriage. "I asked my mother to call it off. I felt that given my health conditions, it was not right to put a young girl’s future in danger. My mother cried but agreed with my suggestion. I never got married. I still have no regrets," Balaram said.
Balaram wasn’t heavily built, but he was a man, who feared none. In the 1962 Asian Games in Jakarta, the anti-India movements made things impossible for the Indian athletes, but Balaram didn’t care. After winning the final, Balaram, and his teammate, Fortunato Franco, walked back to the Games Village through the crowded streets with the gold medals around their necks. Later, Balaram said, people came forward to congratulate the two footballers.
Sad day for Indian football. One of the giants of the game is no more. Not only a great footballer but a greathearted person, an uncompromising and dauntless personality, the likes of whom we hardly see nowadays
The news of passing away of TD Balaram brought me to that day, six years back, of meeting him. Never saw an accomplished person so humble. I personally felt guilty from all football fans of not giving him the accolades he deserved.
RIP, Sir!
Also, @thebeautifulgame , you amaze me! How could you dig up a news string so old! I mean, we know it to be somewhere there, but to remember it is really something!
With RoundGlass Punjab winning the I-League and gaining promotion to ISL (subject to clearances), I guess we need to have a separate thread for this club
What do you think, guys?
Creation of a thread for I-Leagues clubs like RGPFC, Real Kashmir, Neroca FC etc. was proposed a long time back but no thread has been created yet....
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Happy Independence Day to all IFN friends who are single!
Balaram was simply unstoppable during his heydays, even at the highest level of international football. The famed Hungary defence failed to stop him in the 1960 Rome Olympics. His ball control, distribution, scoring prowess and ability to rise to the occasion in difficult situations made him a part of Indian soccer folklore. Balaram’s biggest trademark is his ingrained, uncompromising sense of propriety, something he always maintained on and off the field.
Born on October 4, 1937, Balaram started his career in Hyderabad, then travelled to Kolkata in 1957 and joined East Bengal. For the next five seasons, he was the darling of the crowd, one of the biggest stars in Indian football. In 1963, he joined the Indian Railways. The same year, the curtain abruptly came abruptly down on his roaring career.
"Having joined South Eastern Railways, I had to play for BNR in the Kolkata league. Midway through the season, I found I was getting unusually tired. A few tests at the Railways hospital confirmed my lungs were heavily infected," Balaram revealed many years later in an interview.
"The doctor, who was a huge fan of my game, said playing football could cost my life. That was the end of my career. I was 27 then," he said.
Back in Secunderabad, Balaram’s mother had by then finalised his marriage. "I asked my mother to call it off. I felt that given my health conditions, it was not right to put a young girl’s future in danger. My mother cried but agreed with my suggestion. I never got married. I still have no regrets," Balaram said.
Balaram wasn’t heavily built, but he was a man, who feared none. In the 1962 Asian Games in Jakarta, the anti-India movements made things impossible for the Indian athletes, but Balaram didn’t care. After winning the final, Balaram, and his teammate, Fortunato Franco, walked back to the Games Village through the crowded streets with the gold medals around their necks. Later, Balaram said, people came forward to congratulate the two footballers.
https://www.the-aiff.com/article/aiff-condoles-the-demise-of-tulsidas-balaram
Sad day for Indian football. One of the giants of the game is no more. Not only a great footballer but a greathearted person, an uncompromising and dauntless personality, the likes of whom we hardly see nowadays
Rest in peace, stalwart...
https://forum.indianfootballnetwork.com/discussion/504/daily-dose-of-east-bengal/p238
What do you think, guys?
Creation of a thread for I-Leagues clubs like RGPFC, Real Kashmir, Neroca FC etc. was proposed a long time back but no thread has been created yet....