Surajit Sengupta Explained

Surajit Sengupta
Birth Date:1951 8, df=y
Birth Place:Hooghly, West Bengal, India
Death Place:Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Position:Winger
Years1:1971
Clubs1:Kidderpore
Years2:1972–1974
Clubs2:Mohun Bagan
Years3:1974–1980
Clubs3:East Bengal
Years4:1980–1981
Clubs4:Mohammedan Sporting
Years5:1981–1983
Clubs5:Mohun Bagan
Nationalyears1:1973–1979
Nationalteam1:India
Nationalcaps1:14
Nationalgoals1:1

Surajit Sengupta (30 August 1951 – 17 February 2022) was an Indian footballer who played as a winger.

He played for the India national team, representing the country in the 1974 Asian Games in Tehran and the 1978 Asian Games in Bangkok. In a domestic career spanning twelve years between 1971 and 1983, he had represented all three of Calcutta's football clubs, Mohun Bagan FC, East Bengal FC, and Mohammedan Sporting FC, and was considered one of the finest forwards of his time. Sengupta won the IFA Shield and the Calcutta Football League six times each and the Durand Cup thrice while representing East Bengal FC.

He appeared with East Bengal from 1974 to 1980 and captained the team in 1978–79.[1] [2] [3] He received the lifetime achievement award from East Bengal in 2018.

Early life

Sengupta was born on 30 August 1951, in Chakbazar in the Hooghly district of West Bengal.[4] His father, Suhas Sengupta, was a football and cricket player who worked for Dunlop India. Sengupta studied at the Hooghly Branch School where he was spotted by coach Ashwini Bharat. He went on to study at the Hooghly Mohsin College and made his second division debut for Robert Hudson FC.[5]

Club career

Sengupta made his domestic debut playing for the Kidderpore club[6] in 1971 before moving to Mohun Bagan AC and playing for the club between 1972 and 1974. He was part of Mohun Bagan's Bangladesh tour in May 1972, where they defeated Dhaka Mohammedan and lost to Dhaka XI.[7] He later moved to East Bengal FC for six seasons between 1974 and 1980. He represented Mohammedan SC between 1980 and 1981 before returning to Mohan Bagan between 1981 and 1983.

Amongst his best experiences was a 1975 IFA Shield Final where he led East Bengal's 5–0 win against their Kolkata rivals Mohun Bagan. Most of his victories came during his time with East Bengal FC. He was also the captain of the West Bengal team in the 1976 Santosh Trophy. In a domestic career spanning twelve years he represented all three of Calcutta's football clubs and had won the IFA Shield and the Calcutta Football League six times each and the Durand Cup thrice for East Bengal FC.[8]

Sengupta received the lifetime achievement award from East Bengal in 2018.

International career

Sengupta made his debut for the India national team in 1974 in a game against Thailand in the Merdeka Cup in Kuala Lumpur.[9] He represented the country in 14 games, including the 1974 Asian Games in Tehran and the 1978 Asian Games in Bangkok.[10] [11] [12] He also represented the country in the 1974 Merdeka Cup and the 1977 President's Cup in Seoul.

Style of play

Sengupta played as winger and was known for his playing speed and passing range. Per an article in the Indian newspaper The Hindu, he was considered one of the finest and creative forwards of his time.

Personal life and death

Sengupta was married to Shyamali Sengupta, with whom he had a son.[13] After his retirement he was involved with the game as a sports editor with a Bengali language magazine writing their football columns. He learnt singing and would play the Tabla with his son. East Bengal coach and former Indian footballer P. K. Banerjee had named him Sócrates after the Brazilian footballer, given his sporting a beard and his varied interests.[14]

Sengupta died from COVID-19-related complications on 17 February 2022, at the age of 70.

Honours

East Bengal

1974, 1975, 1977

1974[15]

1974, 1975, 1976

1976

1978–79

1973–74, 1975–76

1978

1978

See also

Bibliography

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Kolkatafootball.com :East Bengal League History: Indian Football Capital's News. kolkatafootball.com. 2019-02-11. 12 February 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190212011211/https://www.kolkatafootball.com/capeb.htm.
  2. Web site: East Bengal FC » Historical squads. worldfootball.net. 2019-02-11. 12 February 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190212011647/https://www.worldfootball.net/teams/east-bengal-fc/20/.
  3. Web site: East Bengal Club - The Official Site of East Bengal Club. eastbengalclub.co.in. 2019-02-11. 8 November 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191108213722/http://eastbengalclub.co.in/teamarchives.html.
  4. Web site: 18 February 2022. Surajit Sengupta, India Football Legend And 'Heartthrob' Of Fans, Dies At 70. 20 February 2022. Outlook India. en. 20 February 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220220055317/https://www.outlookindia.com/sports/surajit-sengupta-india-football-legend-dies-at-71-news-182822. live.
  5. Web site: Indian Football Great Surajit Sengupta Dies, Mamata Banerjee Leads Tributes Football News. 20 February 2022. 18 February 2022. NDTVSports.com. en. 20 February 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220220064226/https://sports.ndtv.com/football/former-india-midfielder-and-east-bengal-legend-surajit-sengupta-dies-2773634. live.
  6. Web site: IFA (WB) – Team: KIDDERPORE SC. ifawb.org. Indian Football Association. 17 September 2022. 20 September 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220920170955/https://ifawb.org/team/kidderpore-sc/.
  7. Web site: ৭ কোটি মানুষের জন্য ভালোবাসা নিয়ে ঢাকায় এসেছিল মোহনবাগান. Masud. Alam. www.prothomalo.com. The Daily Prothom Alo. bn. Mohun Bagan came to Dhaka with love for 7 crore people. Dhaka, Bangladesh. 19 April 2022. 19 October 2022. 2 October 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221002192020/https://www.prothomalo.com/sports/football/%E0%A7%AD-%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%8B%E0%A6%9F%E0%A6%BF-%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%B7%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%9C%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AF-%E0%A6%AD%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%8B%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%BE-%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%BF%E0%A7%9F%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%A2%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%BE%E0%A7%9F-%E0%A6%8F%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%9B%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B2-%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%8B%E0%A6%B9%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%97%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8.
  8. Web site: 17 February 2022. Surajit Sengupta, former East Bengal captain, passes away at 70 due to Covid-19. 20 February 2022. India Today. en. 17 February 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220217103921/https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/football/story/surajit-sengupta-former-east-bengal-captain-passes-away-at-70-due-to-covid-19-1914305-2022-02-17. live.
  9. Web site: East Bengal Football Club – Famous Players. 25 February 2009. www.eastbengalfootballclub.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20090901194505/http://www.eastbengalfootballclub.com/club/famousPlayers5.asp. 1 September 2009.
  10. Web site: 17 February 2022. Former East Bengal captain Surajit Sengupta passes away. Sportstar - The Hindu. 17 February 2022. 17 February 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220217093033/https://sportstar.thehindu.com/football/indian-football/former-east-bengal-captain-surajit-sengupta-passes-away/article38412813.ece. live.
  11. Web site: 17 February 2022. Sengupta passes away: সুরজিৎ চলে গেলেন স্মৃতির দেশে. Surajit Sengupta passes away. bn. Anandabazar Patrika. 17 February 2022. 17 February 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220217112036/https://www.anandabazar.com/video/ex-footballer-surajit-sengupta-passes-away-watch-video-dgtl/cid/1329439. live.
  12. Web site: 17 February 2022. Former India midfielder and East Bengal legend Surajit Sengupta dies. The Telegraph. 17 February 2022. 17 February 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220217100339/https://www.telegraphindia.com/sports/legendary-footballer-surojit-sengupta-passes-away/cid/1852281. live.
  13. News: Amitabha Das Sharma. Surajit Sengupta Passes Away at 71.. The Hindu. 17 February 2022. 20 February 2022. 17 February 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220217212725/https://www.thehindu.com/sport/football/surajit-sengupta-passes-away/article65059338.ece. live.
  14. Web site: 17 February 2022. Former India footballer Surajit Sengupta dies at 70 after Covid-19. 20 February 2022. Hindustan Times. en. 20 February 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220220014439/https://www.hindustantimes.com/sports/football/former-india-footballer-surajit-sengupta-dies-at-70-after-covid19-101645101863551.html. live.
  15. Web site: Majumdar. Raunak. The DCM Trophy- Oldest Indian Tournament with International Exposure. 31 May 2019. 4 December 2021. chaseyoursport.com. Chase Your Sport. en.

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