Sailen Manna
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Sailendra Nath Manna | ||
| Date of birth | 1 September 1924 | ||
| Place of birth | Howrah, Bengal, British India | ||
| Date of death | 27 February 2012 (aged 87) | ||
| Place of death | Kolkata, West Bengal, India | ||
| Playing position | Defender | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1940-1942 | Howrah Union | ||
| 1942-1960 | Mohun Bagan | ||
| National team | |||
| 1951-1956 | India | ||
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals). | |||
Sailendra Nath Manna (1 September 1924 – 27 February 2012), known popularly as Sailen Manna, was an Indian International Footballer and is considered to be one of the best defenders India has ever produced.[1] He has represented and captained India in different international competitions including Olympics and Asian Games. He also has a record of playing for Mohun Bagan, one of the best clubs in India, for a continuous period of 19 years.[2] He is the only Asian Footballer ever to be named among the 10 best Captains in the world by the English FA in 1953.[3]
Education
He graduated from the Surendranath College, an affiliated college of the University of Calcutta. He worked for the Geological Survey of India.[4]
Club career
Manna started his playing career for Howrah Union, then a club in the 2nd Division Kolkata Football League, in 1940.[2][5] After turning out for the club for a couple of seasons, he joined Mohun Bagan in 1942 and continued playing for the club for a period of 19 years, till his retirement in 1960. During this period, he was the Captain of Mohun Bagan from 1950 to 1955.[2] It is to be noted that during his 19 years career in Mohun Bagan, he reportedly earned only Rs.19[6] (roughly USD 0.5 based on existing exchange rates). As a defender, he was known for his anticipation, covering and a strong free kick.[6]
International career
Sailen Manna was a part of the Indian Football Team for the 1948 London Olympics, where Indian lost to France by a margin of 1-2.[6] Under Manna's captaincy, India won the Gold Medal in the 1951 Asian Games and also won the Quandrangular Tournament for four consecutive years from 1952 to 1956.[2] In 1953, the England Football Association rated him among the 10 best skippers of the world in its yearbook.[3] Manna was also the captain of the Indian team in 1952 Olympics[7] and a member of the 1954 Asian Games.
Honours and awards
- Included in the list of the 10 best Captains of the world by English FA in 1953.[3]
- Awarded Padmashree in 1971 by the Government of India.[2]
- Awarded the "Footballer of the Millennium" by All India Football Federation in 2000.[8]
- Awarded "Mohun Bagan Ratna" in 2001.[9]
Death
After being unwell for quite some time, Manna died at a private hospital in Kolkata on Monday, 27 February 2012. He was 87 years old and was survived by his wife and daughter.[10]
References
- ↑ Calcuttaweb - Sports Personality : Sailen Manna
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 INDIAN LEGENDERY FOOTBALL PLAYERS PROFILE:Kolkatafootball.com
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 India's greatest footballer
- ↑ "Sailen Manna". The Economist. 17 March 2012. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
- ↑ Sailendra Nath Manna
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Harmony
- ↑ "Sailen Manna Olympic Results". sports-reference.com. Retrieved 2012-03-11.
- ↑ The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Sport Tribune
- ↑ "Manna conferred Mohun Bagan Ratna Award-The Times of India".
- ↑ Manna, Sailen. "Soccer legend Sailen Manna passes away". Tribute to Sailen Manna. NDTV.com. Retrieved 27 February 2012. More than one of
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External links
- Saliendra Manna – FIFA competition record
- Obituary - The Economist