BANGALORE: Footballers, who first put the country on the sporting map of the world, have rarely got rewards and recognition they so richly deserve.
It is a fact that some of them left the then Mysore for greener pastures. But that was their class and quality that they were much sought after. The professional streak in them made them pit their skills with the best in the business and yet come out on top.
None who did that better than two footballers Ahmed Khan and KV Varadaraj of Mysore. While Ahmed Khan came from the ranks of Crescents Club, owned by his late father Baba Khan, Varadaraj was a product of the famed Bangalore Blues.
Both migrated to Calcutta as they had offers from East Bengal and Mohun Bagan, two towering football institutions then and in a very limited sense today comparatively. They turned out for them in the league and all-India tournaments as also for Bengal in the Santosh Trophy. Their performances earned them India call-ups.
Ahmed Khan, the incomparable inside-left, and Varadaraj, the best goalkeeper of his time, had the honour and distinction of representing India in the 1948 Olympic Games in London and also in the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki. In between these two Olympics, the two played a huge role in India winning the Asian Games football gold in 1951.
Ahmed Khan was nicknamed as the ‘snake-charmer’ for his sublime ball skills and dribbling ability while Varadaraj was the ‘panther’ in the goal waiting to pounce on anything thrown at him or close to him.
When the Swedish professional football team FC Goteborg, toured India in 1957-58, they were so chamred by Ahmed Khan’s game that they offered him a contract to play for them in Europe. The story has it that Ahmed sought advice from his father who in turn asked him to consult East Bengal secretary JC Guha. The latter, not inclined to lose his great forward, is said to have told him that his game might come apart in the cold climes of Europe. And that it would be advisible for him to stay back. The obedient Ahmed obliged.
After serving their clubs and the country for long, both returned to their home towns. Ahmed Khan joined the Electronics and Radar Development Establishment (LRDE) while Varadaraj joined the Hindustan Machine Tools (HMT). They had brief coaching stints as well and Varadaraj also was a qualified referee who came into the national panel.
Always an upright man, Varadaraj never officiated or agreed to the dictates of the KSFA and BDFA’s officialdom. During a ITI-CIL match at the RSI Stadium, Varadaraj very rightly did not award a penalty to CIL. All hell broke loose and he was manhandled too. The officials, the present president A R Khaleel included, got together and promptly suspended Varadaraj despite the rules not enabling them to do so. Varadaraj was humiliated for refusing to obey dictates. He virtually went into oblivion and never turned up at a football venue for long.
For reasons best known to them, state football officials have rarely taken up the cudgels on their behalf. No have they ever proprely apprised the government and successive CMs of the exploits of these two extremely gifted and ever-so-humble footballers. Varadaraj even refused to accept a promotion as a Sports Officer saying he did not have the qualification for that post as he was a diploma holder. Could you believe that? Yes, it is true.
Yes, Karnataka has produced Olympians like Raman, Vajravelu, Anthony, Basheer, Kempaiah, Shanmugham, Kanaiyan, Sattar. all of them do deserve a state award. But none more so than these two who are greater than these greats in more ways than one. But then with the state football association itself remaining unconcerned, who else will care?
Perhaps the CM himself must look into their credentials and honour them. Only because they are more deserving than many sports personalities who have been honoured.
bngexpresso@expressbuzz.com
