Tulsidas Balaram

After outstanding performance with Hyderabad at the 1956–57 Santosh Trophy and winning the title defeating Bombay 4–1 in final, Balaram was called up for the India national team.[13] His performances against international teams are no less spectacular. He was one of the prime components of India's Gold winning team of 1962 Asian Games. He played every single game and scored goals against Thailand and Japan.

At the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, India were placed in the group of death with Hungary, France and Peru. They started the competition against the mighty Hungary, losing the game 2–1 with Balaram scoring the consolation goal in the 79th minute. Despite the loss, that result added credibility to India as the Hungarians beat Peru and France 6–2 and 7–0, respectively.[14] India didn't defeat Hungary but almost upset 1958 World Cup semi-finalists France few days later. Balaram was again unstoppable as India held on to a 1–0 lead deep into second half. A mistake from Ram Bahadur denied India a famous victory.[15]

Tulsidas Balaram was a complete player and could've fitted very well into today's total football. He could dribble, he could score and he had a brilliant header. Balaram was probably the best in Asia in his days.

— Gautam Roy, football historian, on Balaram to the Olympic Channel.[16]

According to Balaram's best game for India, came against Hong Kong in the 1958 Asian Games. The match went into extra time after the scoreline was 2–2 during normal time. Balaram showed peak performance in extra time, assisting two goals and scoring once as India ran out 5–2 victors. Famous journalist Ajay Basu described Balaram as 'superb inside forward'. Basu further said that his improvisation, industriousness and ability to hit curling shots were second to none. While Chuni Goswami had more flair in his play, Balaram had more variety and versatility.[17]

Former Indian international and eminent defender Arun Ghosh described Balaram as a man who had two eyes on the back of his head – so good was his ball distribution. He was also the heart of his teams, directing every attacking move. During his days in East Bengal, Balaram played under coaching of legendary Sushil Bhattacharya.[18][19] In the 1959 CFL season, he finished as second highest goalscorer with 23 goals.[20] In 1961, he was selected captain of the team and led from the front, playing one of his best ever seasons. He top scored with 23 goals, won the league's best player award and also led his club to do a double over Mohun Bagan. His popularity among the Red & Golds faithful knew no bounds. In early 60s, Mohun Bagan's Dhiren De once tried hard to sign Balaram for the club.

Balaram, known for having incredible partnership with Chuni Goswami and P. K. Banerjee, is one of the "Indian football's holy trinity".[21][22][23] Balaram retired in 1963 owing to health related issues. His absence was strongly felt by the Indian team at the AFC Asian Cup in Israel, the following year. For a footballer whose popularity and performances in all versions of the game has few parallels, Balaram's life is full with far too many cases of shoddy treatment. Some of it took place during his playing days, incredibly.[24]

As coach of Calcutta Mayor's XI, Balaram played a part in bringing up players like Basudev Mandal and Sangram Mukherjee. However, he had to face hurdles in every step. When a youth team under his coaching got an invitation to play in Germany, his visa was denied by Indian Govt. AIFF under Priyaranjan Dasmunshi refused to clear his visa on time. His team eventually played wonderfully in Berlin, remaining unbeaten in four games. Two years back, he finally received some much needed recognition from East Bengal Club though he is yet to receive his Padma Shri, according to a short interview published in Anandabazar Patrika in 2001. Balaram also worked as advisor of the Dum Dum Municipality's Kingston–Nikhil Nandy Football Academy.[25]

Balaram was a resident of Uttarpara, Hooghly.[26] On 26 December 2022, he was admitted to a hospital in Kolkata with abdominal distension and other age-related problems.[27][28]

Balaram died on 16 February 2023, at the age of 86.[29][30][31] Later, The All India Football Federation officially condoled after his demise.[32]

India

• Asian Games Gold medal: 1962
• Merdeka Tournament runner-up: 1959[40]

East Bengal[41]

• IFA Shield: 1958

Hyderabad

• Santosh Trophy: 1956–57[13]

Bengal[41]

• Santosh Trophy: 1958–59,[42] 1959–60, 1962–63

Bengal Nagpur Railway[32]

• IFA Shield: 1963
• Rovers Cup: 1964

Individual

• Arjuna Award: 1962[43]
• Calcutta Football League top scorer: 1961[44]

• List of East Bengal Club captains
• History of the India national football team
• India national football team at the Olympics

• Ghosh, Shyam Sundar (September 2022), Balaram: The Hero of Indian Football.
• Majumdar, Boria; Bandyopadhyay, Kausik (2006). A Social History Of Indian Football: Striving To Score. Routledge. ISBN 9780415348355. Archived from the original on 29 June 2021.
• Basu, Jaydeep (2003). Stories from Indian Football. UBS Publishers' Distributors. ISBN 9788174764546. Archived from the original on 11 October 2022.
• Kapadia, Novy (2017). Barefoot to Boots: The Many Lives of Indian Football. Penguin Random House. ISBN 978-0-143-42641-7.
• Martinez, Dolores; Mukharjiim, Projit B (2009). Football: From England to the World: The Many Lives of Indian Football. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-138-88353-6. Archived from the original on 2 July 2022.
• Nath, Nirmal (2011). History of Indian Football: Upto 2009–10. Readers Service. ISBN 9788187891963. Archived from the original on 22 July 2022.
• Dineo, Paul; Mills, James (2001). Soccer in South Asia: Empire, Nation, Diaspora. London, United Kingdom: Frank Cass Publishers. ISBN 978-0-7146-8170-2. Archived from the original on 25 July 2022.

• Tulsidas Balaram at FIFA (archived)
• Tulsidas Balaram at Olympedia
• Tulsidas Balaram – EBFC at Twitter