India's football legend Tulsidas Balaram passed away on Thursday at the age of 85 after a prolonged illness. Tulsidas who was an Asian Games gold medallist and an Olympian was living in a flat on the banks of the Hooghly river in Uttarpara.
Tulsidas was hospitalised on the 26th of December last year and was being treated for urinary infection and abdominal distension.
"His condition did not improve and he breathed his last around 2 pm today," a source close to the family told PTI.
"We are grateful to the state government and the sports minister Aroop Biswas for taking good care of him during his last days," he added.
The 1962 Asian Games champion belonged to the golden generation of Indian football in the 1950s and 60s. During his career, he paired with legends such as Chuni Goswami and PK Banerjee, and they came to be known as the 'holy trinity'.
An Arjuna awardee, Balaram's performance at the 1960 Rome Olympics is well documented. Placed in the group of death with Hungary, France, and Peru. In the opening match against Hungary, Balaram scored a 79th-minute goal to cover himself in glory. However, India lost the match 1-2.
India came close to upsetting France a few days later with Balaram again showing his class. Balaram, who mostly played as a center-forward or as a left-winger, called it a day in 1963 owing to poor health.
"Deeply saddened to hear about the demise of Shri Tulsidas Balaram ji, the Asian Games gold medalist footballer & Olympian. He represented India in the 1956 & 1960 Olympics, leaving a lasting legacy in the world of football. My condolences to his family," Anurag Thakur, Union Minister for I&B and Youth Affairs & Sports tweeted.
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