Gostha Behari Pal, the first captain of Indian national football team was born on this day (August 20) in 1896. Nicknamed as ‘Chiner Pracheer’ (The Wall of China), Pal carved himself a legacy which very few can match. Gostha Pal is regarded as one of the best central defenders in the country’s history and on his 124th birth anniversary, we take a look at some lesser-known facts about him. Mohun Bagan Features on NASDAQ Billboards, Goes Truly Global on Its Special Day.

Pal was born in Bhojeswar, Faridpore, Bengal Presidency (currently located in Bangladesh) and moved to Kolkata when he was an infant and lived there till his last days. Gostha Pal started his footballing career at Kurmatuli AC in Kolkata at the age of just 11 and his quality eventually took him to arguably the biggest club in the country, Mohun Bagan. Pal started his career in the Green and Maroon as a right-back but eventually moved to the centre, where he established himself as one of the best in the game.

Lesser-Known Facts About Gostha Pal

  • Gostha Pal Was Born in Bhojeswar, Faridpore, Bengal Presidency (now in Bangladesh) on August 20, 1896

  • He Was the First Captain of the Indian national football team

  • Gostha Pal played for Mohun Bagan and was named team captain in 1921

  • He played as a central defender and was nicknamed ‘Chiner Pracheer’ (The Wall of China)

  • Gostha Pal retired from football in 1936

  • He was the first Indian footballer to be honoured with the Padma Shri, on April 28, 1962

  • A statue was erected in his memory in 1983 on the Gostho Pal Sarani in Kolkata

  • Mohun Bagan awarded him the 'Mohun Bagan Ratna' posthumously in 2004.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 20, 2020 08:00 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).