Sahu Mewalal, the great footballer passed away last night. He was admitted in the Udburn Block of SSKM hospital. The octogenarian brought India lot of success. He played for Mohun Bagan in 1946. May his soul rest in peace.

BORN: Sahoo Mewalal, the prolific goal getter of Indian football was born on 1-7-1926 at Fort William, Kolkata.

CAREER: He started his carrier under the coaching of Sergeant Burnet of Fort Williams in the Morning Star Club in the year 1937 in right out position and later on switched over to Centre-Forward. In 1938 he scored his first goal against Grear Sporting Club on behalf of Nepier Club and that match was locked 1-1.

FIRST BIG MATCH: He played his first big match on behalf of IFA-X1 against India-X1 in the year1944 defeating India-X1 by 3-2, the wining goal was scored by Sahoo Mewalal.

KOLKATA FOOTBALL LEAGUE CLUBS: Mewalal played for the following (Domestic football) clubs in different seasons.

Aryan Club 1945, again in 1956 – 57
Mohunbagan Club 1946
Eastern Railway 1947 – 1955
B.N.R 1958 

INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL: He participated in the London Olympic in the year of 1948 (Bare footed) but lost 1 – 2 to France.

Europe Tour: India altogether played four matches. The results are follows:
India Vs Denmark  4 – 1 
India Vs Austria  4 – 1 
India Vs Germany  4 – 1 
India Vs Denmark  1 – 1 
India Vs switzerland 1 – 1 

In those four matches Mewalal netted 6 goals providing his outstanding capibility in scoring goals.

Exhibition Matches in foreign Country:

In the the year 1949, India against Afganistan routing them 8 – 0 .Mewalal scored 4 goals with a hattrick in his credit. Again in the year 1950, India defeated Burma 5 – 1, here too Mewalal scored 3 goals in a row. Against Thailand in the same year India won by 3 – 1, where Mewalal scored one goal.

Asian Games:
In the year 1951 Asian Games, India won gold . Mewalal scored 2 goals against first match against Indonesia (4 – 2). Next match India defeated Afganistan by 3 – 0. Here Mewalal scored one goal. And in the final match India defeated Iran and won gold medel by a lone goal which was scored by Mewalal.

TOP SCORER IN KOLKATA FOOTBALL LEAGUE:

In the erstwhile Calcutta Football League, Mewalal showed his supremacy in scoring goals with immaculate accuracy. He was adjusted "TOP SCORER" for the following years:

1949  32 Goals  
1951  18 Goals 
1953  11 Goals 
1954  29 Goals 
1958 16 Goals 

The table shows how much he was involved and dedicated to football to make it popular and as a result spectators in appreciable number used to rush to the field to witness the skilled football. Mewalal had acrobatic fitness and scored a number goals from "BACK VOLLY"(Bicycle kick) which is rare seen now a days.

He may without any hesitation be declared the best Centre Forward India have ever produced.

He scored 1032 Goals in his career in First Class and National and International Tournament including 32 Hattricks.

COURTESY: WWW.KOLKATAFOOTBALL.COM
 

 

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