Tulsidas Balaram

Tulsidas Balaram (30 November 1936 – 16 February 2023), also known as Tulsidas Balaraman, was an Indian footballer. Balaram represented India in multiple international tournaments, including the Asian Games, the Mederka Cup and the Olympics. Along with P. K. Banerjee and Chuni Goswami, Balaram was part of an acclaimed trio of players that helped propel India into what is widely regarded as its golden age of football during the 1950s and 60s.

Balaram made his mark playing football for the East Bengal of Kolkata, and captained the team in 1961–62. He predominantly played as a center or left-wing forward In 1962, he received Arjuna Award from the Government of India.

He retired after playing for eight years due to a tuberculosis diagnosis at the age of 27.

Early life
Balaram was born on October 4, 1936, in Ammuguda, a village near Secunderabad in British-occupied Hyderabad. Despite being born into poverty, Balaram showed interest in football from a young age. He recalls getting his first pair of football boots by convincing a cobbler to repurpose an old pair of torn police shoes. When he was 19, he was encouraged by Syed Abdul Rahim to try out for the Hyderabad team for the 1956 Santosh Trophy. Rahim provided Balaram with a monthly allowance for a bicycle so that he could commute from his village to practice in Hyderabad.

Club career
After his parents migrated to Secundrabad, Balaram started playing football at the Lallaguda workshop ground, and practised Hyderabadi style of one-touch football. He was scouted during a Secunderabad League match between Civilians and Army XI. He then appeared with Ryders Club, and eventually impress chief guest, Indian manager Syed Abdul Rahim. Balaram first played for the Hyderabad team in the 1956 Santosh Trophy. He scored against Bombay in the final, contributing to Hyderabad's 4–1 championship win.

After the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, Balaram was signed by East Bengal Club in Kolkata by then secretary J. C. Guha. He became the highest paid player in the club at that time with a salary amount of Rs. 3,500. He soon went on to serve as team captain. With the "red and gold brigade", Balaram won several titles including the 1958 IFA Shield and the Santosh Trophy in 1959, 1960, and 1962. During his days in East Bengal, Balaram played under coach Sushil Bhattacharya. In the 1959 CFL season, he finished as second highest goalscorer with 23 goals. He also played for Bengal Nagpur Railway with Arun Ghosh.

International career
Balaram played a total of 36 matches for India and scored 10 goals in international tournaments.

Olympic Games
Balaram was recruited to the India national team for the 1956 Melbourne Olympics and made his international debut against Yugoslavia. Balaram and the Indian team finished in 4th place in 1956, marking India's best-ever finish in football at the Olympic games.

At the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Balaram was responsible for 2 out of 3 Indian goals throughout the tournament. India were placed in the so-called "group of death", with Hungary, France, and Peru. They started the competition against Hungary, losing the game 2–1, with Balaram scoring India's first goal in the tournament at the 79th minute. Although they lost, the resulting score added to India's credibility within the group stage as the Hungarians beat Peru and France 6–2 and 7–0, respectively. India almost upset 1958 World Cup semi-finalists France a few days later, with Balaram playing a pivotal role in the 1–0 lead deep into second half. Balaram was the Indian team's only scorer in their final match of the tournament, a 3–1 loss to Peru.

Asian Games
During the 1958 Asian Games in Tokyo, India's match against Hong Kong went into extra time after the scoreline was 2–2 during normal time. Despite an injury, Balaram assisted with two goals and scored one as India won 5–2.

One of the more popular and widely recognized moments in his career came when India won the gold medal at the 1962 Asian Games in Jakarta. Balaram played every game and scored two goals, one each against Thailand and Japan. This marked the second time India has come in first place for football at the Asian games.

Coaching career
After retirement, Balaram went on to manage one of the prestigious multi-sports clubs in Kolkata, Bengal Nagpur Railway. He was later appointed coach of Calcutta Mayor's XI, and guided the team in competitions like Gothia Cup in Sweden, and played a key role in bringing up players including Basudev Mandal, Mehtab Hossain, and Sangram Mukherjee. When a youth team under his coaching got an invitation to play in Germany, his visa was denied by Indian Govt. His team eventually played in Berlin, remaining unbeaten in four games. Balaram also worked as advisor of the Dum Dum Municipality's Kingston–Nikhil Nandy Football Academy.

Reception and legacy
Tulsidas Balaram was a complete player and could've fitted very well into today's total football. He could dribble, he could score and he had a brilliant header. Balaram was probably the best in Asia in his days.

Indian sports journalist Ajay Basu described Balaram as a "superb inside forward". Basu further praised Balaram's improvisation, industriousness and ability to hit curling shots, stating that "while Chuni Goswami had more flair in his play, Balaram had more variety and versatility."

Former Indian international defender Arun Ghosh described Balaram as a man who had "two eyes on the back of his head" due to the high quality of his ball distribution. He was also the central figure of his teams, directing most attacking moves.

Balaram, known for having a strong partnership with Chuni Goswami and P. K. Banerjee, is considered one of the "Indian football's holy trinity".

Balaram retired from playing in 1963 due to a tuberculosis diagnosis. After his death, players of both India and Kyrgyz Republic paid tribute to him ahead of the kick-off of the last game of the 2023 Tri-Nation International Tournament.

Later life and death
After leaving Secunderabad permanently, Balaram became resident of Uttarpara, Hooghly. He later worked as senior welfare officer in South Eastern Railway.

On 26 December 2022, he was admitted to a hospital in Kolkata with abdominal distension and other age-related problems. Balaram died on 16 February 2023, at the age of 86.

Honours
India
 * Asian Games Gold medal: 1962
 * Merdeka Tournament runner-up: 1959

East Bengal
 * IFA Shield: 1958

Hyderabad Bengal
 * Santosh Trophy: 1956–57
 * Santosh Trophy: 1958–59, 1959–60, 1962–63

Bengal Nagpur Railway
 * IFA Shield: 1963
 * Rovers Cup: 1964

Hyderabad City Police/AP Police
 * Rovers Cup: 1962

Individual
 * Arjuna Award: 1962
 * Calcutta Football League top scorer: 1961
 * Best Player Award by the Kolkata Veterans Club: 1961
 * Banga Bibhushan: 2013
 * Sportskeeda All time Indian Football XI