Ex-Mohun Bagan captain and ex-Indian captain in Olympics Samar (Badru) Banerjee will be honored with Mohun Bagan Ratna this year on Mohun Bagan day, 29th July. Snehashish will join Mohun Bagan practice from tomorrow, Mohun Bagan has decided to help Snehasish fight against the injustice done to him. Chiddi and Baretto are supposed to reach Kolkata on 26th and 28th July respectively.

This year’s Mohun Bagan Ratna recipient, Samar Banerjee, has played for Mohun Bagan from 1952-59. He joined Mohun Bagan in 1952 during IFA Shield which team became champion. In 1953, Mohun Bagan won Durand Cup for the first time, he scored in both semi final and final. In 1954, Mohun Bagan won first double (winning IFA Shield and Kolkata League). In 1955, Mariners won Rovers cup for first time.

In 1956, Mohun Bagan won double for 2nd time winning Kolkata league and IFA shield in same season. Sri Badru Banerjee was the second highest goal scorer after Keshto Pal. He became captain of Indian Football team in Melbourne Olympics, where India reached semi finals. In 1958 he became Captain of Mohun Bagan.

 

 Mohun Bagan Athletic Club was established in the year 1889. It is the first-ever Indian Club to have won the IFA Shield defeating East Yorkshire Regiment by 2-1 on 29th July 1911 to create history and make the whole world sit up and take notice of the Indian struggle for freedom against imperial Britain. The Government of India released a postage stamp in 1989 to commemorate this famous victory and to honour the Club and it’s Immortal Eleven for the fight for an oppressed country. This is the only postage stamp in India based on a Club. The Club was also declared as the “National Soccer Club of India”. 29th July is a Red-letter Day in Indian History and a great day for the Club as well and is celebrated as Mohun Bagan Day each year.

To commemorate this great victory we would be organizing three exhibition matches at our Club ground from 1 pm. The matches would be as follows:

· Mohun Bagan U-13 Junior Team vs. Veterans Sports Club U-13 Junior Team

· Between Ex-players of the Club

· Calcutta Sports Journalists Club vs Artists’ Forum

This will be followed by a cultural function in the evening where Mohun Bagan Ratna will be presented to Sri Samar (Badru) Banerjee, former footballer and Ex-Captain of our Club.

Mohun Bagan today had two practice sessions. Karim is satisfied with fitness and progress of team. There will be two residential camps, first one either in Kalimpong or Durgapur from July 31 to August 7, where stress will be on fitness training and endurance training and preparing team for match, there will be one practice match during this camp. After the camp, team will practice in Mohun Bagan club ground, where they will play two practice matches. From August 17th to August 25th, the second camp will likely be held in Kolkata, during this camp team might participate in Airlines Cup. The basic purpose of the 2nd camp is discussing technical and tactical aspect of the game.

Snehashish Chakraborty will join training from tomorrow. Mohun Bagan has decided to help him fight against the injustice that he has faced. Today in a press conference held in club, General Secretary Anjan Mitra said, "We are with Snehasish, his sign has been forged, if he cannot play the whole year, Mohun Bagan will compensate him by paying him through the year. 

 

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