Mohun Bagan Athletic Club
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Mohun Bagan Athletic Club (Mohun Bagan AC) is an athletics club based in the city of Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Mohun Bagan AC is the oldest club in Asia. It was established on August 15 1889. It is best known for its association football team, and most of this article concentrates on this aspect of the club. The club has sometimes been called the 'Greatest Club in India' as well as the 'National Club of India'. The team play in their prestigious Green & Maroon coloured jerseys.
The football team of the club was very successful after its founding, and are said to have won many glories for themselves, as well as the nation of India. Mohun Bagan was the first Indian team to have defeated a foreign team when they defeated East Yorkshire Regiment to lift the 1911 IFA Shield. Mohun Bagan has the highest number of wins for an Indian club team at the highest level of Asian Club Competition, the Asian Champions League.
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The club
The founding of the club has a lot of history behind it. The roots of the club are based in a bungalow owned by the Mitra family in North Kolkata - the bungalow was known as the Mohun Bagan Villa. This is where the athletics club was formed in 1889.
The first sport to be played is reported to be football, but other games were soon introduced to the club. This included hockey, tennis, badminton and athletics. Cricket was introduced to the club's schedule in the 1990s. The annual athletics event at the club is held with great pomp and show.
The biggest event in the club calendar, being held in the last couple of years, is the Mohun Bagan Day. This is held on July 29, which is the day the football team lifted the IFA Shield for the first time in 1911. The prestigious Mohun Bagan Ratna award is given to former greats of the club at this event.
The club has many famous players who have worn the prestigious Green & Maroon jersey. These players have not only successfully represented the team, but also the country.
The club has the largest fan base in Indian football, with an estimated more than 70 million people.
A postage stamp was issued by the Government of India in 1989 to commemorate the 1911 victory of the team. The Government honoured the team for boost to Indian Nationalism which occurred after this win. The Mohun Bagan fans are proud of the fact that this has been the only postage stamp created in India for a club.
Recipients of the Mohun Bagan Ratna award
- T. Aao - an Olympian
- Sibdas Bhaduri
- Gostha Pal
Other famous players
- Chuni Gowami
- Sailen Manna
- Balaram
- Sattar
- Sanat Seth
- Subrata Bhattacharya
- Prasun Banerjee
- Subhas Bhoumick
- Satyajit Chatterjee
- Basudev Mondal
- Renedy Singh
- Jose Ramirez Barreto
General Information on Mohun Bagan Athletic Club
- Hometown: Kolkata, West Bengal
- Founded: 1889 (oldest club in Asia)
- Current sponsor: McDowell's (United Breweries Group)
- Ground: Mohun Bagan Ground, Maidan, Kolkata
- Capacity: 22,000
- NFL home ground: Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata
External links
- http://www.mohunbagan.sports-india.com/History-1889-1909.html - History of Mohun Bagan
- http://www.mohunbaganclub.com/ - Unofficial fan site of Mohun Bagan AC
- http://www.bengalweb.com/culture/calsport.html - Sport in Kolkata