Bhattacharya receives ‘Mohun Bagan Ratna’

Subrata Bhattacharya, who is one of the most respected players of the club having spent all the 17 years of his career with it, received a big applause from hundreds of members who had come for the programme.

Bhattacharya, who is one of the most respected players of Mohun Bagan, spent all the 17 years of his career with it.

Former India captain and one of the best defenders in Indian football history, Subrata Bhattacharya, received ‘Mohun Bagan Ratna’ the highest honour conferred by the club he served all his life as a footballer, in a glittering function on Saturday. Bhattacharya became the 17th recipient of the award which was instituted in 2001.

Mohun Bagan, which is one of the most decorated football clubs of the country and the oldest in the continent (founded in 1889), set about to honour the footballers and sportspersons of different disciplines for their distinguished contribution to the club.

Bhattacharya, who is one of the most respected players of the club having spent all the 17 years of his career with it, received a big applause from hundreds of members who had come for the programme. Bhattacharya, who received the Arjuna Award in 1989 and guided Mohun Bagan to two National Football League titles later as a coach, acknowledged the recognition as a momentous happening in his life.

Former Indian women’s team captain Jhulan Goswami was also given a special award for becoming the highest wicket-taker in the one-day internationals in the women’s game. Former Bengal Ranji team captain Shyam Sundar Mitra received the Lifetime achievement award while Balwant Singh was named the best footballer of the year 2016-17.

Other awardees: Best Cricketer of the year (2016-17) - Debabrata Das; Best youth football player - Deep Saha; Best athlete – Lily Das; Birth centenary award – Dinanath Roy (posthumous).