While they were archrivals inside India; outside the nation, they fought together and made India a football-playing giant in the 60s

Come October 19, the Kolkata Derby returns for its sixth encounter of 2024 between Mohun Bagan Super Giant and East Bengal FC. Two of the oldest clubs in the world, the rivalry between these outfits is well-known to football fans, not only in Asia but also in Europe, where the best football clubs and players are seen in action.

And while rivalry leading to debates and fights remains the creme de la crème of the Kolkata derby, many may not remember that these two clubs have produced legends who once played together for India’s glory. Even at present, multiple players from both sides represent the Indian national football team. However, let us go back to the time when players from these two clubs were part of India’s golden football generation, winning the Asian Games in 1962 under the managerial ship of the late legendary Syed Abdul Rahim.

1950s :: Indian Football Coach Syed Abdul Rahim , Under His Guidance Indian Football Team Won Gold In 1951 & 1962 Asian Games and Reached In Semifinal of 1956 Olympic Games pic.twitter.com/tKWDjAHDet

— indianhistorypics (@IndiaHistorypic) January 20, 2020

*Note that India also won the Asian Games in 1951, but in this article, we have only mentioned players from the 1962 squad.

Subimal Goswami

Subimal Goswami, fondly addressed as Chuni Da, remains one of the finest India has ever produced, polished by Mohun Bagan. The charismatic striker was the captain of the Indian team that won the Asian gold in 1962. Goswami led the team from the front, scoring two goals in the semi-final against South Vietnam and also scoring the opening goal against South Korea in the final. For Mohun Bagan, he scored nearly 300 goals. Chuni da passed away on April 30, 2020.

Let’s not forget to remember another star of India Chuni Goswami who passed away. A football legend/Captain of ‘62 Asian games winning team. So good that he was called for a trial with the double winning @SpursOfficial team under Bill Nicholson. @Spurs_India #RIPChuniGoswami pic.twitter.com/sBcXYzsoCy

— Saumya Tandon (@saumyatandon) May 1, 2020

TulsidasBalram

A part of the golden trio (Balram, Goswami, and PK Banerjee), Tulsidas played for East Bengal, and in the 1962 Asian Games, he played in every game, scoring two goals. Unfortunately, his number of goals for East Bengal seems to be unavailable on the internet. Although his total goal in his club career was around 120. For India, he played 36 matches, scoring 14 goals. Unfortunately, his career was cut short due to tuberculosis at the age of 27. Hailing from Secunderabad, Balram passed away on February 16, 2023.

🥇 1962 Asian Games Gold Medallist
🥈 1959 Merdeka Cup Runner-Up
🎖️ 1962 Arjuna Award
🏆 3x Santosh Trophy, IFA Shield
⚽ 10 Int'l career goals in 27 apps

One of the greatest strikers of Indian Football, Tulsidas Balaram has passed away 🙏🕊️ #IndianFootball pic.twitter.com/ihO7HGx0Ja

— 90ndstoppage (@90ndstoppage) February 16, 2023

Jarnail Singh

In the 1960s, Jarnail Singh was considered one of the best defenders from Asia. His presence at the rear of the Indian team was one of the reasons behind India’s successful campaign in the Asian Games. A product of Mohun Bagan, Singh won multiple trophies at the club level and was also a recipient of the Arjuna Award in 1964.

#OnThisDay in 1962, SA Rahim's India braved a hostile crowd of 100,000 to defeat South Korea 2-0 & win Asian Games gold medal in Jakarta. PK Banerjee & Jarnail Singh found the net. This remains India's most significant achievement in international football #IndianFootball pic.twitter.com/JoIBX45Ed2

— IndianFootball_History (@IndianfootballH) September 4, 2020

Arun Ghosh

One of the rarest players to play for both East Bengal and Mohun Bagan, Ghosh was another defender who was responsible for stopping India from conceding goals against the repeated attacks of the other Asian giants in the Asian Games 1962. Ghosh also received the Arjuna Award in 1965 and transitioned into a manager of the India U-20 team. Ghosh, along with Singh, was one of the first Indian defenders to learn the art of attacking despite being a defender from Rahim Saab.

Ram BahadurChettri

An East Bengal veteran, Ram BahadurChettri played only a few first games, providing multiple assists. However, an injury ruled him out for the remainder of the tournament, and he missed the final four games, which is probably the reason his name has faded from the history books of Indian football. Chhetri was a fine midfielder capable of controlling the tempo of the game. On December 4, 2000, Chettri passed away at the age of 63.