P Gangully
[dropcap]M[/dropcap]s Naro and Mr Tally wrote on the legend with quite a few references to my home state WB. He studied at Carmichael (renamed RG Kar) college in Calcutta so stayed near it. To be precise it was the ground floor of our relative’s house at the end of Mohanlal Street off Deshbandhu (CR Das) Park. It is a godown now run by a businessman. I saw him from mid 1940s on and off the field so intend to add some details.We children practised at southern end. He played at oval ground separated from Ladies Park. Bhratri Sangh (Bro club) was prominent. We were engrossed with Capt Henry of Sussex Regiment – a reborn WWII soldier then around 3 years of age, born of dark Bengali parents (never Anglo Indians) and himself every inch a British Koi Hai military Sa’ab. According to him his mother was the Governess (Ayah) and father her man. Then Yankee word was not used – it was King’s English. In our group B players (up to 4’ 10” height) I was close to him as I could use pidgin. In British days it began as How Much? Magoor Maach and What’s this? Chingri Fish. In absence of Dad’s hotel (WWII loss) I played football 6 months, swimming 3, cricket 3 with intervals for gym, boxing, free hand fight etc.
Mohun Bagan Row gave Mohun Bagan Club. T. Ao was its life member. Its rival East Bengal was captained by one Burmese Pugsley. Assam Noga or hill man (Hindi Naga) was then unknown and our seniors knew T Ao as Burmese. On an unlucky 13 four decades ago as I arrived at Kohima from New Delhi via Calcutta, an Ao wife of a Bengali officer called me names for my poor GK. Ao is not from Burma.
That evening in 1948 (GMT 5 hrs 30 mins behind) we children assembled at a private airways Radio officer’s workshop. No transistor then. On car battery set it was BBC London. Pearson Surita or Beri Sarbadhikari might be commentator(s). Our T Ao or Tiao Da(da) led his bare foot team in ice cold weather against strong Yugoslavia (then united) before an astonished foreign crowd. We lost 4 – 2 in London Olympics. Then Peter and KL Datta were goalkeepers. Indian team earned international praise for our fighting spirit. Baichung Bhutia pointed out our failure on several occasions- we cannot score as we learn TV gimmicks in lieu of stamina, team spirit, style and killing instinct.
T Ao was fair and soft spoken like his team mate S Manna. When his centres, passes and schemes could not result in goals, he had the habit of tying a kerchief on his head and ran solo with the ball as speedy as a hockey winger. He never lost temper. Tia is the green coloured long tailed parrot so a Bengali name as well. MB became MBBS when he was a student. I do not still know which village he belonged to. I was away in 1999 when he died. At Officers Hill in Kohima I saw Mrs T Ao and her flowers. He never played foul. A he man is usually gentle. I saw Pele in 1976 at Calcutta as a smiling static centre forward –it drizzled on grass worrying Insurance companies as the people discussed. T Ao did not hide Maradona’s “divine hand”.
An institute for football on a grand scale like Tata Academy could be set up in his memory. NE boys are good material. The ore then would yield metal. Money may not be a big problem. Barrister Mihir Sen after crossing English Channel , Palk straits etc was preparing for Panama canal when Dr Brojen Das crossed English Channel. Das said to Media that belonging to fisher folk community and residing on Meghna (Ganga- Brahmaputra junction) bank it was easy (Dover-Calais). Naga do possess that something to win. In my opinion an Academy can bring out self disciplined Naga players. Music task Force compares.
