Surajit Sengupta
{{Short description|Indian footballer (1951–2022)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Surajit Sengupta
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1951|08|30}}
| birth_place = Hooghly, West Bengal, India
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|2022|2|17|1951|8|30}}
| death_place = Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| position = Winger
| height =
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 =
| years1 = 1971
| clubs1 = Kidderpore
| caps1 =
| goals1 =
| years2 = 1972–1974
| clubs2 = Mohun Bagan
| caps2 =
| goals2 =
| years3 = 1974–1980
| clubs3 = East Bengal
| caps3 =
| goals3 =
| years4 = 1980–1981
| clubs4 = Mohammedan Sporting
| caps4 =
| goals4 =
| years5 = 1981–1983
| clubs5 = Mohun Bagan
| caps5 =
| goals5 =
| nationalyears1 = 1973–1979
| nationalteam1 = India
| nationalcaps1 = 14
| nationalgoals1 = 1
| medaltemplates =
}}
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.{{cite web|url=https://www.kolkatafootball.com/capeb.htm|website=kolkatafootball.com|title=Kolkatafootball.com :East Bengal League History: Indian Football Capital's News|access-date=2019-02-11|archive-date=12 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212011211/https://www.kolkatafootball.com/capeb.htm}}{{cite web|url=https://www.worldfootball.net/teams/east-bengal-fc/20/|title=East Bengal FC » Historical squads|website=worldfootball.net|access-date=2019-02-11|archive-date=12 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212011647/https://www.worldfootball.net/teams/east-bengal-fc/20/}}{{cite web|url=http://eastbengalclub.co.in/teamarchives.html|title=East Bengal Club - The Official Site of East Bengal Club|website=eastbengalclub.co.in|access-date=2019-02-11|archive-date=8 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191108213722/http://eastbengalclub.co.in/teamarchives.html}} 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.{{Cite web|date=18 February 2022|title=Surajit Sengupta, India Football Legend And 'Heartthrob' Of Fans, Dies At 70|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/sports/surajit-sengupta-india-football-legend-dies-at-71-news-182822|access-date=20 February 2022|website=Outlook India|language=en|archive-date=20 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220220055317/https://www.outlookindia.com/sports/surajit-sengupta-india-football-legend-dies-at-71-news-182822|url-status=live}} 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.{{Cite web|title=Indian Football Great Surajit Sengupta Dies, Mamata Banerjee Leads Tributes {{!}} Football News|url=https://sports.ndtv.com/football/former-india-midfielder-and-east-bengal-legend-surajit-sengupta-dies-2773634|access-date=20 February 2022|date=18 February 2022|website=NDTVSports.com|language=en|archive-date=20 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220220064226/https://sports.ndtv.com/football/former-india-midfielder-and-east-bengal-legend-surajit-sengupta-dies-2773634|url-status=live}}
Club career
Sengupta made his domestic debut playing for the Kidderpore club{{cite web|url=https://ifawb.org/team/kidderpore-sc/|title=IFA (WB) – Team: KIDDERPORE SC|website=ifawb.org|publisher=Indian Football Association|access-date=17 September 2022|archive-date=20 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220920170955/https://ifawb.org/team/kidderpore-sc/}} 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.{{cite web|url=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|title=৭ কোটি মানুষের জন্য ভালোবাসা নিয়ে ঢাকায় এসেছিল মোহনবাগান|first=Masud|last=Alam|website=www.prothomalo.com|publisher=The Daily Prothom Alo|language=bn|trans-title=Mohun Bagan came to Dhaka with love for 7 crore people|location=Dhaka, Bangladesh|agency=|date=19 April 2022|access-date=19 October 2022|archive-date=2 October 2022|archive-url=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}} 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.{{Cite web|date=17 February 2022|title=Surajit Sengupta, former East Bengal captain, passes away at 70 due to Covid-19|url=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|access-date=20 February 2022|website=India Today|language=en|archive-date=17 February 2022|archive-url=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|url-status=live}}
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.{{cite web|url=http://www.eastbengalfootballclub.com/club/famousPlayers5.asp|title=East Bengal Football Club – Famous Players|access-date=25 February 2009|website=www.eastbengalfootballclub.com|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090901194505/http://www.eastbengalfootballclub.com/club/famousPlayers5.asp|archive-date=1 September 2009}} He represented the country in 14 games, including the 1974 Asian Games in Tehran and the 1978 Asian Games in Bangkok.{{cite web|date=17 February 2022|url=https://sportstar.thehindu.com/football/indian-football/former-east-bengal-captain-surajit-sengupta-passes-away/article38412813.ece|title=Former East Bengal captain Surajit Sengupta passes away|work=Sportstar - The Hindu|accessdate=17 February 2022|archive-date=17 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217093033/https://sportstar.thehindu.com/football/indian-football/former-east-bengal-captain-surajit-sengupta-passes-away/article38412813.ece|url-status=live}}{{cite web|date=17 February 2022|url=https://www.anandabazar.com/video/ex-footballer-surajit-sengupta-passes-away-watch-video-dgtl/cid/1329439|title=Sengupta passes away: সুরজিৎ চলে গেলেন স্মৃতির দেশে|trans-title=Surajit Sengupta passes away|language=bn|work=Anandabazar Patrika|accessdate=17 February 2022|archive-date=17 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217112036/https://www.anandabazar.com/video/ex-footballer-surajit-sengupta-passes-away-watch-video-dgtl/cid/1329439|url-status=live}}{{cite web|date=17 February 2022|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/sports/legendary-footballer-surojit-sengupta-passes-away/cid/1852281|title=Former India midfielder and East Bengal legend Surajit Sengupta dies|work=The Telegraph|accessdate=17 February 2022|archive-date=17 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217100339/https://www.telegraphindia.com/sports/legendary-footballer-surojit-sengupta-passes-away/cid/1852281|url-status=live}} He also represented the country in the 1974 Merdeka Cup and the 1977 President's Cup in Seoul.
Style of play
Personal life and death
Sengupta was married to Shyamali Sengupta, with whom he had a son.{{Cite news|author=Amitabha Das Sharma|title=Surajit Sengupta Passes Away at 71.|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/sport/football/surajit-sengupta-passes-away/article65059338.ece|date=17 February 2022|access-date=20 February 2022|archive-date=17 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217212725/https://www.thehindu.com/sport/football/surajit-sengupta-passes-away/article65059338.ece|url-status=live}} 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.{{Cite web|date=17 February 2022|title=Former India footballer Surajit Sengupta dies at 70 after Covid-19|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/sports/football/former-india-footballer-surajit-sengupta-dies-at-70-after-covid19-101645101863551.html|access-date=20 February 2022|website=Hindustan Times|language=en|archive-date=20 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220220014439/https://www.hindustantimes.com/sports/football/former-india-footballer-surajit-sengupta-dies-at-70-after-covid19-101645101863551.html|url-status=live}}
Sengupta died from COVID-19-related complications on 17 February 2022, at the age of 70.
Honours
East Bengal
- Calcutta Football League: 1974, 1975, 1977
- DCM Trophy: 1974{{Cite web|first=Majumdar|last=Raunak|title=The DCM Trophy- Oldest Indian Tournament with International Exposure|url=https://www.chaseyoursport.com/Indian-Football/DCM-Trophy-in-India/819|date=31 May 2019|access-date=4 December 2021|website=chaseyoursport.com|publisher=Chase Your Sport|language=en}}
- IFA Shield: 1974, 1975, 1976
- Darjeeling Gold Cup: 1976
- Federation Cup: 1978–79
- Rovers Cup: 1973–74, 1975–76
- Durand Cup: 1978
- Bordoloi Trophy: 1978
See also
References
{{reflist|30em}}
Bibliography
- {{cite book |last1=Kapadia |first1=Novy |year=2017|title=Barefoot to Boots: The Many Lives of Indian Football |publisher=Penguin Random House |isbn=978-0-143-42641-7 }}
- {{cite book |last1=Martinez| first=Dolores |last2=Mukharji |first2=Projit B|year=2009|title=Football: From England to the World: The Many Lives of Indian Football |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nbzhAQAAQBAJ&q=kerala+footballer+in+Burma |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-138-88353-6 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220702174505/https://books.google.co.in/books?id=nbzhAQAAQBAJ&dq=kerala+footballer+in+Burma&source=gbs_navlinks_s |archive-date=2 July 2022 }}
- {{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QbUFaAEACAAJ|title=History of Indian Football: Upto 2009–10|first=Nirmal|last=Nath|year=2011|publisher=Readers Service|isbn=9788187891963|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220722172604/https://books.google.co.in/books/about/History_of_Indian_Football.html?id=QbUFaAEACAAJ&source=kp_book_description&redir_esc=y|archive-date=22 July 2022}}
- {{cite web |url=http://pierretristam.com/pdfs/wc10.pdf |title=Triumphs and Disasters: The Story of Indian Football, 1889—2000. |access-date=20 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120813081005/http://pierretristam.com/pdfs/wc10.pdf |archive-date=13 August 2012 |url-status=dead}}
- {{cite book |last=Mukhopadhay |first=Subir |title= সোনায় লেখা ইতিহাসে মোহনবাগান ({{Translation|Mohun Bagan in the history written in gold}})|year=2018 |isbn=978-93-850172-0-9}}
- {{cite book |last1=Banerjee |first1=Argha |last2=Basu |first2=Rupak |title=মোহনবাগান: সবুজ ঘাসের মেরুন গল্প ({{Translation|Mohun Bagan: Green fields' Maroon stories}})|year=2022|publisher=Shalidhan |isbn=978-81-954667-0-2}}
- {{cite book|title=East Bengal 100|publisher=Allsport Foundation|date=1 January 2021|first=Gautam|last=Roy|isbn=978-8194763109}}
- Bandyopadhyay, Santipriya (1979). Cluber Naam East Bengal {{in lang|bn}}. Kolkata: New Bengal Press.
- Chattopadhyay, Hariprasad (2017). Mohun Bagan–East Bengal {{in lang|bn}}. Kolkata: Parul Prakashan.
Further reading
- {{Cite web|date=18 August 2012|title=Kingfisher East Bengal FC {{!}} Legacy-History|url=http://eastbengalfootballclub.com/legacy.php|access-date=16 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120818124203/http://eastbengalfootballclub.com/legacy.php|archive-date=18 August 2012|url-status=usurped|website=eastbengalfootballclub.com}}
- {{cite web|date=17 February 2022|url=https://www.the-aiff.com/article/aiff-condoles-surajit-senguptas-death|title=AIFF condoles Surajit Sengupta's death|work=AIFF|access-date=17 February 2022}}
- {{cite news|url=https://olympics.com/en/news/calcutta-football-league-history-winners-list |title=Calcutta Football League: East Bengal kings of Asia's oldest league competition — full winners list |website=olympics.com |publisher=The Olympics Football |last1=Nag |first1=Utathya |date=19 April 2023 |access-date=25 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230505071647/https://olympics.com/en/news/calcutta-football-league-history-winners-list |archive-date=5 May 2023 }}
External links
- [https://www.telegraphindia.com/sports/legendary-footballer-surojit-sengupta-passes-away/cid/1852281 News on Surajit Sengupta] at The Telegraph
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sengupta, Surajit}}
Category:Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in India
Category:Indian men's footballers
Category:India men's international footballers
Category:Footballers from West Bengal
Category:Men's association football wingers
Category:Footballers at the 1974 Asian Games
Category:Footballers at the 1978 Asian Games
Category:Asian Games competitors for India
Category:Mohun Bagan Super Giant players
Category:East Bengal Club players