Peter Thangaraj

Acknowledged as India’s greatest ever goalkeeper, Thangaraj initially played as a centre-forward before switching positions. He played for India between 1954 and 1968 and was a member of the team that won the 1962 Asian Games title in Indonesia. In all, Thangaraj played in four Asian Games between 1954 and 1966 and was in the Indian team that finished second to Israel in the 1964 Asian Cup.

His club career took in periods with all three of the main Kolkata clubs, Mohun Bagan, East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting and he was also part of the Bengal provincial team that dominated the Santosh Trophy in the early sixties. He won an Arjuna Award, India’s premier sporting honour, in 1968.

Thangaraj had a short career in coaching but then took up a position as sports officer for the Bokaro steel complex.